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Compare Western Sahara (2002) - Australia (2001)

Compare Western Sahara (2002) z Australia (2001)

 Western Sahara (2002)Australia (2001)
 Western SaharaAustralia
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Age structure 0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA%
0-14 years:
20.64% (male 2,045,892; female 1,948,949)

15-64 years:
66.86% (male 6,538,096; female 6,405,014)

65 years and over:
12.5% (male 1,059,107; female 1,360,536) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry
Airports 11 (2001) 411 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)
total:
271

over 3,047 m:
10

2,438 to 3,047 m:
12

1,524 to 2,437 m:
118

914 to 1,523 m:
122

under 914 m:
9 (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 (2002)
total:
140

1,524 to 2,437 m:
17

914 to 1,523 m:
112

under 914 m:
11 (2000 est.)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
7,686,850 sq km

land:
7,617,930 sq km

water:
68,920 sq km

note:
includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than the contiguous 48 states of the US
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. Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to an independent republic, was defeated in 1999.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population 12.86 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues:
$94 billion

expenditures:
$103 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital none Canberra
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Coastline 1,110 km 25,760 km
Constitution - 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form:
Commonwealth of Australia

conventional short form:
Australia
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD) Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population 7.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $220.6 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US none chief of mission:
Ambassador Edward W. GNEHM, Jr.

embassy:
Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600

mailing address:
APO AP 96549

telephone:
[61] (02) 6214-5600

FAX:
[61] (02) 6214-5970

consulate(s) general:
Sydney

consulate(s):
Melbourne and Perth
Diplomatic representation in the US none chief of mission:
Ambassador Michael THAWLEY

chancery:
1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:
[1] (202) 797-3000

FAX:
[1] (202) 797-3168

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties reject other proposals territorial claim in Antarctica (Australian Antarctic Territory)
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.43 billion (FY97/98)
Economic aid - recipient $NA -
Economy - overview Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP at the level of the four dominant West European economies. Rich in natural resources, Australia is a major exporter of agricultural products, minerals, metals, and fossil fuels. Commodities account for 57% of the value of total exports, so that a downturn in world commodity prices can have a big impact on the economy. The government is pushing for increased exports of manufactured goods, but competition in international markets continues to be severe. While Australia has suffered from the low growth and high unemployment characterizing the OECD countries in the early 1990s and during the recent financial problems in East Asia, the economy has expanded at a solid 4% annual growth pace in the last five years. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is a key factor behind the economy's resilience to the regional crisis and its stronger than expected growth rate. Growth in 2001 will depend on key international commodity prices, the extent of recovery in nearby Asian economies, and the strength of US and European markets.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (2000) 178.306 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (2000) 191.727 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
89.93%

hydro:
8.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
1.71% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point:
Lake Eyre -15 m

highest point:
Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (January 2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997) 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 Governor General Rev. Peter HOLLINGSWORTH (since 29 June 2001)

head of government:
Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since NA)

cabinet:
Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term

note:
government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party
Exports $NA $69 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts Japan 19%, EU 14%, ASEAN 12%, US 9%, South Korea, NZ, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description - blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars
GDP purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $445.8 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%-45% (1996 est.) (1996 est.)
agriculture:
3%

industry:
26%

services:
71% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 4.7% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 27 00 S, 133 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer
Highways total: 6,200 km


paved: 1,350 km


unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est.)
total:
913,000 km

paved:
353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways)

unpaved:
559,669 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2%

highest 10%:
25.4% (1994)
Illicit drugs - Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate
Imports $NA $77 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts EU 24%, US 22%, Japan 14%, ASEAN 13% (1999)
Independence - 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 1.5% (1999 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel
Infant mortality rate NA deaths/1,000 live births 4.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 1.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation none ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 264 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 21,070 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch - High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general)
Labor force 12,000 9.5 million (December 1999)
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.)
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%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land:
6%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
54%

forests and woodland:
19%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic English, native languages
Legal system - based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch - bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (148 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)

elections:
Senate - last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001); House of Representatives - last held 3 October 1998 (next to be held by October 2001)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 29, Australian Democratic Party 9, Green Party 1, One Nation Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 80, Australian Labor Party 67, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years
total population:
79.87 years

male:
77.02 years

female:
82.87 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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

total population:
100%

male:
100%

female:
100% (1980 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,558,371 GRT/2,038,776 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 26, cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6 (2000 est.)
Military branches - Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $6.9 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.9% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
4,990,107 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
4,303,966 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
138,971 (2001 est.)
National holiday - Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun:
Australian(s)

adjective:
Australian
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 cyclones along the coast; severe droughts
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum
Net migration rate - 4.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km
Political parties and leaders - Australian Democratic Party [Meg LEES]; Australian Labor Party [Kim BEAZLEY]; Green Party [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders none Australian Democratic Labor Party (anti-Communist Labor Party splinter group); Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Action (Nuclear Disarmament Party splinter group)
Population 256,177 (July 2002 est.) 19,357,594 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate NA (2002 est.) 0.99% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 56,000 (1997) 25.5 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
33,819 km (2,540 km electrified)

broad gauge:
3,719 km 1.600-m gauge

standard gauge:
15,422 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
14,506 km 1.067-m gauge

dual gauge:
172 km NA gauges (1999)
Religions Muslim Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%
Sex ratio NA at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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:
excellent domestic and international service

domestic:
domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones

international:
submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 9.58 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 6.4 million (1998)
Television broadcast stations NA 104 (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman 1.77 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 6.4% (2000)
Waterways none 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft)
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