at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.45 years
male: 68.96 years
female: 74.07 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other
Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca,
English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: NA
@Solomon Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands
Data code: BP
Government type: parliamentary democracy
National capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and
Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been
abolished
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November
1994); Deputy Prime Minister Francis SAEMALA (since NA February 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
elections : none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen 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
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (47 seats; members
elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 26 May 1993 (next to be held 6 August 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GNUR
21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: National Unity and Reconciliation Group
(GNUR), Solomon MAMALONI; People's Alliance Party (PAP); National
Action Party (NAPSI), leader NA; Solomon Islands Labor Party (SILP),
leader NA; United Party (UP), leader NA; Nationalist Front for
Progress (NFP), Andrew NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU;
Christian Fellowship, leader NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen Rex HOROI (represents the country
as both the Permanent Representative to the UN and the ambassador to
the US)
chancery: Permanent Mission of the Solomon Islands to the UN, 820
Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017
telephone : [1] (212) 599-6193
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua
New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
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
Economy
Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depend on subsistence
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. The Government of the Solomon Islands
is nearing financial insolvency. In mid-1995 the central bank
suspended interest and principal payments on government bonds and
treasury bills held by financial institutions and the general public.
The government so far has taken no steps to restrain expenditure or
address the deficit, which is expected to be considerably higher than
the $20 million forecasted in the 1996 budget.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 10.4% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 26,842
by occupation: services 41.5%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing
23.7%, commerce, transport, and finance 21.7%, construction,
manufacturing, and mining 13.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $147 million
expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997 est.)
Industries: copra, fish (tuna)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 20,000 kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 55 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice,
potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports:
total value: $170 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
partners : Japan 39%, UK 23%, Thailand 9%, Australia 5%, US 2% (1991)
Imports:
total value: $152 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: plant and machinery, manufactured goods, food and live
animals, fuel
partners: Australia 34%, Japan 16%, Singapore 14%, NZ 9%
Debt - external: $100 million (1995 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $8.625 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $3.3
million from NZ (FY95/96)
Currency: 1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.7900
(November 1996), 3.4059 (1995), 3.2914 (1994), 3.1877 (1993), 2.9281
(1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Solomon Islands:Communications
Telephones: 5,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 38,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: 2,000 (1992 est.)
@Solomon Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 2,100 km
paved: 32 km
unpaved: 2,068 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads)
(1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor,
Yandina
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 29 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m : 17 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands
National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands
Police (RSIP)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: NA
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
SOMALIA
@Somalia:Geography
Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Geographic coordinates: 10 00 N, 49 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 637,660 sq km
land: 627,340 sq km
water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,366 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline: 3,025 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm
Climate: principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon,
moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October -
southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular
rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Terrain: mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,450 m
Natural resources: uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron
ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures : 69%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern
plains in summer
Environment - current issues: famine; use of contaminated water
contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban
Geography - note: strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
@Somalia:People
Population: 6,590,325 (July 1997 est.)
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1987
by the Somali Government with the cooperation of the UN and the US
Bureau of the Census; population estimates are updated year by year
between census years by factoring growth rates into them and by taking
account of refugee movements and of losses due to famine; lower
estimates of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0
million to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies,
based on the number of persons being fed; population counting in
Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by refugee
movements in response to famine and clan warfare
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44% (male 1,449,037; female 1,452,171)
15-64 years: 53% (male 1,777,131; female 1,718,389)
65 years and over: 3% (male 89,346; female 104,251) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.03% (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 45.49 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 18.34 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.) (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 125.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 46.23 years
male: 44.66 years
female: 47.85 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.76 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Somali(s)
adjective : Somali
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 24%
male: 36%
female: 14% (1990 est.)
@Somalia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : none
conventional short form: Somalia
former: Somali Republic
Data code: SO
Government type: none
National capital: Mogadishu
Administrative divisions: 18 regions (plural - NA, singular -
gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo,
Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag,
Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
National holiday: NA
Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning government; the United
Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Major General Mohamed SIAD
Barre on 27 January 1991; the present political situation is one of
anarchy, marked by interclan fighting and random banditry
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga
note: the Golaha Shacbiga is not functioning
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (not functioning)
Political parties and leaders: the United Somali Congress or USC
ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party
was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party or SRSP, headed by former
President and Commander in Chief of the Army Major General Mohamed
SIAD Barre
Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan
factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU,
NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an embassy
in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi
at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P. O. Box
30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141;
FAX [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in
the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was
a UN trust territory)
Economy
Economy - overview: One of the world's poorest and least developed
countries, Somalia has few resources. Moreover, much of the economy
has been devastated by the civil war. Agriculture is the most
important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and
about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and seminomads, who are dependent
upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the
population. Crop production generates only 10% of GDP and employs
about 20% of the work force. The main export crop is bananas; sugar,
sorghum, and corn are grown for the domestic market. The small
industrial sector is based on the processing of agricultural products
and accounts for less than 10% of GDP; most facilities have been shut
down because of the civil strife. The greatly increased political
turmoil of 1991-93 resulted in a substantial drop in agricultural
output, with widespread famine. In 1994 economic conditions stabilized
in the countryside, followed in 1995 by slight improvements. However,
ongoing civil strife in Mogadishu and outlying areas is interfering
with any substantial recovery.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : 65.5%
industry: 8.7%
services: 25.8% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA
Labor force:
total: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)(1993 est.)
by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry
and services 29%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Industries: a few small industries, including sugar refining,
textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 144,000 kW prior to the civil war, but now
largely shut down due to war damage; some localities operate their own
generating plants, providing limited municipal power; note - UN and
relief organizations use their own portable power systems
Electricity - production: 60 million kWh (1991)
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: bananas, sorghum, corn, mangoes, sugarcane;
cattle, sheep, goats; fishing potential largely unexploited
Exports:
total value: $130 million (1994 est.)
commodities: bananas, live animals, fish, hides (1995)
partners: Saudi Arabia 57%, Yemen 14%, Italy 13%, US (bananas) (1995
est.)
Imports:
total value: $269 million (1994 est.)
commodities : manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs,
construction materials (1995)
partners: Kenya 24%, Djibouti 18%, Pakistan 6% (1995 est.)
Debt - external: $2.6 billion (1994 est.)
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 Somali shilling (So. Sh.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Somali shillings (So. Sh.) per US$1 - 4,100 (November
1996 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995), 2,616
(1 July 1993), 4,200 (December 1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Somalia:Communications
Telephones: 9,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system: the public telecommunications system was completely
destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; all relief
organizations depend on their own private systems
domestic: recently, local cellular telephone systems have been
established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers
international : international connections are available from Mogadishu
by satellite
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA (there are at
least five radio broadcast stations of NA type)
Radios: 350,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (Somalia's only TV station was
demolished during the civil strife, sometime in 1991)
Televisions: 113,000 (1992 est.)
@Somalia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 18,000 km
paved: 2,700 km
unpaved: 15,300 km (1993 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 15 km
Ports and harbors: Bender Cassim (Boosaaso), Berbera, Chisimayu
(Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Merchant marine:
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,529 GRT/6,892 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 47 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m : 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total : 36
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 19 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: NA; note - no functioning central government
military forces; clan militias continue to battle for control of key
economic or political prizes
Military manpower - military age:
males: 1,615,598 years of age (1997 est.)
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 2,408,639 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 901,827 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: most of the southern half of the boundary
with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative Line; territorial
dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden
______________________________________________________________________
SOUTH AFRICA
@South Africa:Geography
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of
Africa
Geographic coordinates: 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total: 1,219,912 sq km
land: 1,219,912 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward
Island)
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total : 4,750 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Coastline: 2,798 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone : 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days,
cool nights
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point : Njesuthi 3,408 m
Natural resources: gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore,
manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum,
copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops : 1%
permanent pastures: 67%
forests and woodland: 7%
other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: prolonged droughts
Environment - current issues: lack of important arterial rivers or
lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures;
growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers
from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting
in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
Sea
Geography - note: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
completely surrounds Swaziland
@South Africa:People
Population: 42,327,458 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 7,470,444; female 7,340,734)
15-64 years: 61% (male 12,729,753; female 12,891,969)
65 years and over : 4% (male 762,041; female 1,132,517) (July 1997
est.)
Population growth rate: 1.51% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 26.89 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over : 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 53.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population : 56.29 years
male: 54.4 years
female: 58.23 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: South African(s)
adjective: South African
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60%
of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of
Indians), traditional and animistic 28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 81.8%
male : 81.9%
female: 81.7% (1995 est.)
@South Africa:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
conventional short form: South Africa
abbreviation : RSA
Data code: SF
Government type: republic
National capital: Pretoria (administrative); Cape Town (legislative);
Bloemfontein (judicial)
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State,
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,
Northern Province, Western Cape
Independence: 31 May 1910 (from UK)
National holiday: Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Constitution: 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by
the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by President
MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February
1997; it is being implemented in phases
Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal