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Compare Western Sahara (2004) - Solomon Islands (2004)

Compare Western Sahara (2004) z Solomon Islands (2004)

 Western Sahara (2004)Solomon Islands (2004)
 Western SaharaSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 11 (2003 est.) 33 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Maryland
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 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
Capital none Honiara
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 1,110 km 5,313 km
Constitution - 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Currency Moroccan dirham (MAD) Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external NA $162.5 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Robert W. FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US none chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and order on the islands and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - recipient NA $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.)
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. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. The disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic services.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (2001) 29.76 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (2001) 32 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


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


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)
Executive branch none chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP purchasing power parity - NA purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: 40% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - NA purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA -10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Government - note - June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003
Highways total: 6,200 km


paved: 1,350 km


unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003)
Independence - 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA NA
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA 9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation none ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch - Court of Appeal
Labor force 12,000 26,840 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 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: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2001)
arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Legal system - English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch - unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years
total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine - none
Military branches - no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA NA
National holiday - Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
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 typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 267,405 (July 2004 est.) 523,617 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA
Population growth rate NA 2.76% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions Muslim Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: sparse and limited system


domestic: NA


international: country code - 212; 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: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 6,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations NA 0 (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA NA
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