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Compare Western Sahara (2005) - Latvia (2003)
Compare Western Sahara (2005) z Latvia (2003)
| Western Sahara (2005) | Latvia (2003) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856) 65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
| Airports | 11 (2004 est.) | 38 (2002) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 22
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 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: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2002) |
| Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| 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. | 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 continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002. |
| Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
| Capital | none | Riga |
| Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Coastline | 1,110 km | 531 km |
| Constitution | - | the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
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 | NA deaths/1,000 population | 14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | NA | $3.4 billion (2000 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
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] 781-0047 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none | chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 |
| 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 | 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 | NA | $96.2 million (1995) |
| 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. | 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 | 83.7 million kWh (2002) | 6.046 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 703 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 2.69 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2002) | 4.365 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 29.1%
hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
| Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | 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: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% |
| Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000) | lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998) |
| Executive branch | none | chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002) 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 | NA | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | - | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 26% services: 69.5% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | NA | 6.1% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
| Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east |
| Highways | total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
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; money laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation |
| Imports | NA | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
| Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002) |
| Independence | - | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA | 5.7% (2002 est.) |
| Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | 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: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 2% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | none | BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 41 (2001) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 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 (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
| Labor force | 12,000 | 1.1 million (2001 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
| Legal system | - | based on civil law system |
| Legislative branch | - | 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: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 69.31 years
male: 63.46 years female: 75.45 years (2003 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
| Map references | Africa | Europe |
| Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | - | Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $87 million (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.2% (FY01) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 19,477 (2003 est.) |
| National holiday | - | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union |
| Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
| 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 | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
| Net migration rate | - | -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003) |
| Political parties and leaders | - | Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
| Population | 273,008 (July 2005 est.) | 2,348,784 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
| Population growth rate | NA | -0.73% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Railways | - | total: 2,347 km
broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002) |
| Religions | Muslim | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
| Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
| Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
| 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: 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: 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 | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 734,693 (2000) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 401,263 (2000) |
| Television broadcast stations | NA | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
| Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | low plain |
| Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NA | 7.6% (2001 est.) |
| Waterways | - | 300 km (perennially navigable) |
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