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Compare Tuvalu (2005) - Switzerland (2002)

Compare Tuvalu (2005) z Switzerland (2002)

 Tuvalu (2005)Switzerland (2002)
 TuvaluSwitzerland
Administrative divisions none 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Age structure 0-14 years: 30.8% (male 1,823/female 1,756)


15-64 years: 64.2% (male 3,620/female 3,847)


65 years and over: 5.1% (male 229/female 361) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 629,513; female 597,472)


15-64 years: 67.7% (male 2,512,273; female 2,433,396)


65 years and over: 15.5% (male 461,722; female 667,618) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts; fish grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Airports 1 (2004 est.) 66 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 41


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 25


under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Area total: 26 sq km


land: 26 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 sq km
Area - comparative 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Background In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000, Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv" for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years. Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
Birth rate 21.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.84 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $22.5 million


expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2 million (2000 est.)
revenues: $30 billion


expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in Vaiaku Village on Fongafale Islet Bern
Climate tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March) temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Coastline 24 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 1 October 1978 29 May 1874
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Tuvalu


former: Ellice Islands


note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's eight traditionally inhabited islands
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation


conventional short form: Switzerland


local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)


local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
Currency - Swiss franc (CHF)
Death rate 7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 8.79 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external NA $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III


embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3001 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
Diplomatic representation in the US Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534 chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER


chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900


FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco


consulate(s): Boston
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) (1995)
Economic aid - recipient $13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US (1999 est.) -
Economy - overview Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average, visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000 Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources decline. Substantial income is received annually from an international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector reforms, including privatization of some government functions and personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new technology sources could increase substantially over the next decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers, official transfers, and income from overseas investments. Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8% and to about 0% in 2002.
Electricity - consumption - 52.62 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports - 31.4 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports - 24.33 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production - 64.182 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 4%


hydro: 57%


nuclear: 37%


other: 2% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 5 m
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m


highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Environment - current issues since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels should make evacuation necessary air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4% German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Exchange rates Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6668 (January 2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)


head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members of Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held following parliamentary elections in 2006)


election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27 August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004; succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an acting capacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister in a Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 October 2004
chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term


elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003)


election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports $1 million f.o.b. (2002) $100.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities copra, fish machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners Germany 56.5%, Fiji 14.3%, Italy 10.9%, UK 7.7%, Poland 4.9% (2004) EU 61% (Germany 22.2%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 5.3%), US 10.6%, Japan 3.9% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $231 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 2%


industry: 34%


services: 64% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $31,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2000 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 178 00 E 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Geography - note one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 8 km


paved: 0 km


unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)
total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)


paved: 71,059 km


unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 25% (1992)
Illicit drugs - because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
Imports $79 million c.i.f. (2002) $94.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners Fiji 50.2%, Japan 18.1%, Australia 9.6%, China 8%, New Zealand 5.5% (2004) EU 79.9% (Germany 32.2%, France 11%, Italy 10.2%, Netherlands 5.9%, UK 4.6%), US 5.1% (2001)
Independence 1 October 1978 (from UK) 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3.2% (2001)
Industries fishing, tourism, copra machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Infant mortality rate total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
4.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5% (2000 est.) 0.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
Irrigated land NA 250 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction) Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Labor force 7,000 (2001 est.) 4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors) services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1998)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2001)
arable land: 10.57%


permanent crops: 0.61%


other: 88.82% (1998 est.)
Languages Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui) German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Legal system NA civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Green Party 9, other small parties 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.01 years


male: 65.79 years


female: 70.33 years (2005 est.)
total population: 79.86 years


male: 76.98 years


female: 82.89 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,993 GRT/86,048 DWT


by type: cargo 20, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: 16 (China 9, Germany 2, Hong Kong 4, Thailand 1) (2005)
total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 509,943 GRT/896,309 DWT


ships by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 4, petroleum tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; national police force Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $2.548 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,841,867 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,561,689 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 42,597 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 1 October (1978) Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Nationality noun: Tuvaluan(s)


adjective: Tuvaluan
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
Natural hazards severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Natural resources fish hydropower potential, timber, salt
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
Political parties and leaders there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Gerold BUEHRER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 11,636 (July 2005 est.) 7,301,994 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 1.47% (2005 est.) 0.24% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Funafuti Basel
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 7.1 million (1997)
Railways - total: 4,406 km


standard gauge: 3,440 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 900 km 1.000-m gauge; 10 km 0.800-m gauge


dual gauge: 56 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (3 rail system)


note: Swiss railways are virtually all electrified (2001)
Religions Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6% Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: serves particular needs for internal communications


domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands


international: country code - 688; international calls can be made by satellite
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 700 (2002) 4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (2004) 1.967 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 0 (2004) 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain very low-lying and narrow coral atolls mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Total fertility rate 3 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.47 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 1.9% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 65 km


note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
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