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Compare Western Sahara (2001) - Christmas Island (2001)

Compare Western Sahara (2001) z Christmas Island (2001)

 Western Sahara (2001)Christmas Island (2001)
 Western SaharaChristmas Island
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) none (territory of Australia)
Age structure 0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) NA
Airports 11 (2000 est.) 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
8

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
266,000 sq km

land:
266,000 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total:
135 sq km

land:
135 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002. Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. The phosphate mine, closed in 1987, was reopened four years later, but the need for an alternative industry has spurred investment in tourism. Old mining areas are being restored, and almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Birth rate - NA births/1,000 population
Budget revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital none The Settlement
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline 1,110 km 138.9 km
Constitution - Christmas Island Act of 1958
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Western Sahara

former:
Spanish Sahara
conventional long form:
Territory of Christmas Island

conventional short form:
Christmas Island
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD) Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate - NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external $NA $NA
Dependency status - territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Diplomatic representation from the US none none (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US none none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991 none
Economic aid - recipient $NA $NA
Economy - overview Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level. Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened by union workers. With the support of the government, Australian-based Casinos Austria International Ltd. built a $34 million casino on Christmas Island, which opened in 1993. As of yearend 1999, gaming facilities at the casino were temporarily closed but were expected to reopen in early 2000. Another economic prospect is the possible location of a space-launching site on the island.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) -
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point:
unnamed location 463 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Murray Hill 361 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land NA
Environment - international agreements party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Chinese 61%, Malay 25%, European 11%, other 3%, no indigenous population
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996) Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996)
Executive branch none chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general

head of government:
Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Exports $NA $NA
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% phosphate
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts Australia, NZ
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description - the flag of Australia is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
40%-45% (1996 est.)
agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate NA% NA%
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note - located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
6,200 km

paved:
1,350 km

unpaved:
4,850 km (1991 est.)
total:
140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry)

paved:
30 km

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

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports $NA $NA
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs consumer goods
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts principally Australia
Independence - none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate - NA deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% NA%
International organization participation none none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch - Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force 12,000 NA
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)
Land boundaries total:
2,046 km

border countries:
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
19%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
81%
arable land:
NA%

permanent crops:
NA%

permanent pastures:
NA%

forests and woodland:
NA%

other:
NA%

note:
mainly tropical rainforest of which 60%-70% is in a national park
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic English, Chinese, Malay
Legal system - under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Legislative branch - unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)

elections:
last held NA December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth - total population:
NA years

male:
NA years

female:
NA years
Literacy definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
-
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue contiguous zone:
12 NM

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
Merchant marine - none (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches NA -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% -
National holiday - NA
Nationality noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective:
Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun:
Christmas Islander(s)

adjective:
Christmas Island
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore phosphate
Net migration rate - NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Political parties and leaders - none
Political pressure groups and leaders none none
Population 250,559 (July 2001 est.) 2,771 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate - 7.77% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 56,000 (1997) 1,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km 24 km to serve phosphate mines
Religions Muslim Buddhist 55%, Christian 15%, Muslim 10%, other 20% (1991)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed -
Telephone system general assessment:
sparse and limited system

domestic:
NA

international:
tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations NA NA
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate - NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways none none
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