Compare Vanuatu (2008) - Latvia (2004)

Compare Vanuatu (2008) z Latvia (2004)

	Vanuatu (2008)	Latvia (2004)

Administrative divisions	6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba	26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure	0-14 years: 31.9% (male 34,590/female 33,124) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 69,496/female 66,745) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 4,178/female 3,838) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	31 (2007)	51 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)	total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 22 (2007)	total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)
Area	total: 12,200 sq km land: 12,200 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Connecticut	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.	After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate	22.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $78.7 million expenditures: $72.23 million (2005)	revenues: $3.691 billion expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital	name: Port-Vila (on Efate) geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Riga
Climate	tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	2,528 km	531 km
Constitution	30 July 1980	15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu conventional short form: Vanuatu local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu local short form: Vanuatu former: New Hebrides	conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	-	Latvian lat (LVL)
Death rate	7.75 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$81.2 million (2004)	$6.793 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu	chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US	Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN	chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international	Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France	the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights
Economic aid - recipient	$39.48 million (2005)	$96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview	This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 60,000 visitors in 2005, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.	Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit.
Electricity - consumption	38.13 million kWh (2005)	6.046 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005 est.)	703 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	2.69 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	41 million kWh (2005)	4.365 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues	a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
Environment - international agreements	party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups	Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Exchange rates	vatu per US dollar - NA (2007), 111.93 (2006), NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003)	lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008) election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004	chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	Thailand 59.6%, India 16.8%, Japan 11.5% (2006)	UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 4.5% industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	6.8% (2005 est.)	7.4% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	16 00 S, 167 00 E	57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Highways	-	total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Illicit drugs	-	transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
Imports	628.5 bbl/day (2004)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	Australia 20.6%, Japan 19.7%, Singapore 12.1%, NZ 8.8%, Fiji 7.7%, China 7.4%, New Caledonia 4.3% (2006)	Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)
Independence	30 July 1980 (from France and UK)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	1% (1997 est.)	8% (2003 est.)
Industries	food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning	buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate	total: 52.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 54.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-1.6% (2005 est.)	2.9% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA	200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	76,410 (1999)	1.18 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 65% industry: 5% services: 30% (2000 est.)	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use	arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.97% other: 91.39% (2005)	arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)
Languages	local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)	Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Legal system	unified system being created from former dual French and British systems	based on civil law system
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 63.22 years male: 61.67 years female: 64.84 years (2007 est.)	total population: 70.86 years male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74% male: NA female: NA (1999 census)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Oceania	Europe
Maritime claims	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 51 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,346,001 GRT/1,901,055 DWT by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Belgium 4, Canada 5, Estonia 1, Japan 28, Poland 7, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 1) (2007)	total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.)
Military branches	no regular military forces; Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF; includes Police Maritime Wing (PMW)) (2007)	Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	1.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 19,209 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 30 July (1980)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural) adjective: Ni-Vanuatu	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis	NA
Natural resources	manganese, hardwood forests, fish	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]	Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Population	211,971 (July 2007 est.)	2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA
Population growth rate	1.46% (2007 est.)	-0.71% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)
Religions	Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.044 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.041 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.089 male(s)/female total population: 1.044 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use	7,000 (2005)	653,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	12,700 (2005)	1,219,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2004)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains	low plain
Total fertility rate	2.63 children born/woman (2007 est.)	1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	1.7% (1999)	8.6% (2003 est.)
Waterways	-	300 km (2004)

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