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Compare Western Sahara (2005) - Finland (2003)

Compare Western Sahara (2005) z Finland (2003)

 Western Sahara (2005)Finland (2003)
 Western SaharaFinland
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA
0-14 years: 17.7% (male 468,077; female 450,785)


15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,753,760; female 1,719,253)


65 years and over: 15.4% (male 312,883; female 486,027) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Airports 11 (2004 est.) 150 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 74


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 12 (2002)
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: 76


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 72 (2002)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 337,030 sq km


land: 305,470 sq km


water: 31,560 sq km
Area - comparative about the size of Colorado slightly smaller than Montana
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. Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population 10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $36.1 billion


expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital none Helsinki
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Coastline 1,110 km 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Constitution - 1 March 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: Republic of Finland


conventional short form: Finland


local long form: Suomen Tasavalta


local short form: Suomi
Currency - euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external NA $30 billion (December 1993)
Diplomatic representation from the US none chief of mission: Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER


embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki


mailing address: APO AE 09723


telephone: [358] (9) 616250


FAX: [358] (9) 174681
Diplomatic representation in the US none chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI


chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800


FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $379 million (2001)
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. Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.
Electricity - consumption 83.7 million kWh (2002) 76.18 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 1.81 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 11.77 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 90 million kWh (2002) 71.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 39%


hydro: 18.7%


nuclear: 30.4%


other: 11.8% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Halti 1,328 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000) euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
Executive branch none chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April 2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned


cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections


election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%


note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP
Exports NA 101,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: 40% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 4%


industry: 34%


services: 62% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - NA purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA 1.6% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Highways total: 6,200 km


paved: 1,350 km


unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)
total: 77,943 km


paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways)


unpaved: 27,688 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 4.2%


highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
Imports NA 318,300 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999)
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%, Denmark 4.2% (2002)
Independence - 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Industrial production growth rate NA 5% (2002 est.)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA 1.9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation none AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (2002)
Irrigated land NA sq km 640 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Labor force 12,000 2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total: 2,628 km


border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2001)
arable land: 6.98%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 93.01% (1998 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities
Legal system - civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch - unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years
total population: 77.92 years


male: 74.28 years


female: 81.68 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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


total population: 100% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden


territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)
Merchant marine - total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 24, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea passenger 9


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,230,934 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 31,926 (2003 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
noun: Finn(s)


adjective: Finnish
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 NA
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Net migration rate - 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 694 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders - Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]
Political pressure groups and leaders none -
Population 273,008 (July 2005 est.) 5,190,785 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate NA 0.14% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 5,850 km


broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Muslim Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed 18 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: modern system with excellent service


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs


international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 2,847,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 3,728,600 (2001)
Television broadcast stations NA 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 8.5% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 6,675 km


note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships
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