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Compare Western Sahara (2008) - Armenia (2002)

Compare Western Sahara (2008) z Armenia (2002)

 Western Sahara (2008)Armenia (2002)
 Western SaharaArmenia
Administrative divisions none (under de facto control of Morocco) 11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan
Age structure 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 22.2% (male 374,597; female 363,115)


15-64 years: 67.7% (male 1,104,100; female 1,150,282)


65 years and over: 10.1% (male 141,330; female 196,675) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock
Airports 9 (2007) 12 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 7


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 266,000 sq km


land: 266,000 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 29,800 sq km


land: 28,400 sq km


water: 1,400 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. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow. Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold, Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress toward a peaceful resolution.
Birth rate NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $358 million


expenditures: $458 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Yerevan
Climate hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew highland continental, hot summers, cold winters
Coastline 1,110 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution - adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Western Sahara


former: Spanish Sahara
conventional long form: Republic of Armenia


conventional short form: Armenia


local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun


local short form: Hayastan


former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic
Currency - dram (AMD)
Death rate NA 9.94 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $NA $839 million (June 2001)
Diplomatic representation from the US none chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY


embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019


mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7020


telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-177, 542-132, 524-661, 527-001, 524-840


FAX: [374](1) 520-800
Diplomatic representation in the US none chief of mission: Ambassador Arman KIRAKOSIAN


chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
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; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh and militarily occupies 16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; border with Turkey remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; traditional demands regarding former Armenian lands in Turkey have subsided
Economic aid - recipient $NA $245.5 million (1995) (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. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic program that has resulted in positive growth rates in 1995-2001. Armenia also managed to slash inflation and to privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia suffered in recent years have been largely offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid, domestic restructuring of the economy, and foreign direct investment.
Electricity - consumption 79.05 million kWh (2005) 4.89 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 704 million kWh


note: exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 300 million kWh


note: imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2000)
Electricity - production 85 million kWh (2005) 5.69 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 36%


hydro: 31%


nuclear: 32%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m


highest point: unnamed location 463 m
lowest point: Debed River 400 m


highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m
Environment - current issues sparse water and lack of arable land soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a seismically-active zone
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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ethnic groups Arab, Berber Armenian 93%, Azeri 1%, Russian 2%, other (mostly Yezidi Kurds) 4% (2002)


note: as of the end of 1993, virtually all Azeris had emigrated from Armenia
Exchange rates Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) drams per US dollar - 564.08 (January 2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000), 535.06 (1999), 504.92 (1998), 490.85 (1997)
Executive branch none chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)


head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARKARYAN (since 12 May 2000)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly refuses to accept their program


election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $338.5 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphates 62% diamonds, scrap metal, machinery and equipment, brandy, copper ore
Exports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Belgium 23%, Russia 15%, US 13%, Iran 10% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description - three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange
GDP - purchasing power parity - $11.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: 40%
agriculture: 29%


industry: 32%


services: 39% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,350 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 9.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 30 N, 13 00 W 40 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range
Highways - total: 11,300 km


paved: 10,500 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads)


unpaved: 800 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: 35% (1996)
Illicit drugs - illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe
Imports 1,698 bbl/day (2004) $868.6 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs, diamonds
Imports - partners Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) Russia 15%, US 12%, Belgium 10%, Iran 9% (2000)
Independence - 21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3.8% (2001)
Industries phosphate mining, handicrafts metal-cutting machine tools, forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear, hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments, microelectronics, gem cutting, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food processing, brandy
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
41.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 3.1% (2000 est.)
International organization participation none BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, COE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 9 (2001)
Irrigated land NA 2,870 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)
Labor force 12,000 1.4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 50%
agriculture 44%, services 14%, industry 42% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 2,046 km


border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
total: 1,254 km


border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km
Land use arable land: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
arable land: 17.52%


permanent crops: 2.3%


other: 80.18% (1998 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic Armenian 96%, Russian 2%, other 2%
Legal system - based on civil law system
Legislative branch - unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 75 members selected by direct vote, 56 by party list)


elections: last held 30 May 1999 (next to be held in the spring of 2003)


note: electoral law was changed in 2002 so ratio in next elections will be 75 deputies elected by party list, 56 by direct election


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Unity Bloc 61 (Republican Party 41, People's Party of Armenia 20), Stability Group (independent Armenian deputies who have formed a bloc) 21, ACP (Communists) 10, ARF (Dashnak) 8, Law and Unity Party 7, NDU 6, Law-Governed Party 6, independents 11, ANM 1; note - seats by party change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 66.59 years


male: 62.27 years


female: 71.12 years (2002 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 98% (1989 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey
Map references Africa Asia
Maritime claims contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue none (landlocked)
Military branches - Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $135 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 6.5% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 912,650 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 722,035 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 34,998 (2002 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Nationality noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)


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


adjective: Armenian
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 occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Natural resources phosphates, iron ore small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina
Net migration rate - -3.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - natural gas 900 km (1991)
Political parties and leaders - Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABIAN, chairman]; Agro-Technical People's Group (formerly Stability Group) (parliamentary bloc); Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Vladimir DARBINYAN, First Secretary]; Armenia Democratic Party [Aram SARGSIAN]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Armen RUSTAMIAN and Aghvan VARTANYAN]; Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Khosrev HARUTYUNIAN]; Constitutional Rights Union [Hrant KHACHATRYAN]; Democratic Liberal Party/Ramkvar Azatakyan or DL/RA [Ruben MIRZAKHANIAN]; Law-Governed Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN, chairman]; National Accord Front [Ashot MANUTCHARIAN]; National Accord Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman]; National Democratic Alliance [Arshak ZADOYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN]; People's Democratic Party [Gagik ASLANYAN]; People's Deputies Group [Hovhannes HOVHANISSIAN] (parliamentary bloc); People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party [Albert BAZEYAN, chairman]; Republican Party or RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM [Shogher MATEVOSIAN]; Social Democratic (Hunchak) Party [George HAKOPIAN]; Social Democratic Union (formerly National Self-Determination Union) [Paruyr HAYRIKIAN]; Unity Bloc [Stepan DEMIRCHIAN and Andranik MARKARYAN] (a coalition of the Republican Party and People's Party of Armenia)
Political pressure groups and leaders none Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]
Population 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
3,330,099


note: Armenia's first census since independence was conducted in October 2001, but official figures have not yet been released (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 55% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate NA -0.15% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 850,000 (1997)
Railways - total: 852 km in common carrier service; does not include industrial lines


broad gauge: 852 km 1.520-m gauge (779 km electrified) (2001 est.)
Religions Muslim Armenian Apostolic 94%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (Zoroastrian/animist) 2%
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and undergoing modernization and expansion


domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)


international: Yerevan is connected to the Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional international service is available by microwave radio relay and landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use about 2,000 (1999 est.) 600,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 0 (1999) 50,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations NA 3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters) (1998)
Terrain mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley
Total fertility rate NA 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 20%


note: official rate is 10.9% for 2000 (2001 est.)
Waterways - NA km
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