Botswana (2005) | Finland (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.8% (male 322,916/female 312,735)
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 455,183/female 487,236) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,914/female 38,131) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 460,977/female 443,859)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,764,874/female 1,723,385) 65 years and over: 15.9% (male 328,952/female 501,395) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts | barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
Airports | 85 (2004 est.) | 148 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 75
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: 13 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 75
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 54 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.) |
total: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 600,370 sq km
land: 585,370 sq km water: 15,000 sq km |
total: 338,145 sq km
land: 304,473 sq km water: 33,672 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Texas | slightly smaller than Montana |
Background | Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease. | 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 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 | 23.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $3.735 billion
expenditures: $3.743 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues: $96.43 billion
expenditures: $91.95 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
Capital | Gaborone | Helsinki |
Climate | semiarid; warm winters and hot summers | 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 | 0 km (landlocked) | 1,250 km |
Constitution | March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 | 1 March 2000 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana former: Bechuanaland |
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen Tasavalta local short form: Suomi |
Death rate | 29.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $531 million (2004 est.) | $30 billion (December 1993) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164 |
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 | commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has long supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing their short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary | various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $379 million (2001) |
Economic aid - recipient | $73 million (1995) | - |
Economy - overview | Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $9,200 in 2004. Two major investment services rank Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism, financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 23.8%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in diamond mining production overshadow long-term prospects. | 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 two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. 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 12 countries joining the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but picked up in 2004. High unemployment remains a persistent problem. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.89 billion kWh (2002) | 78.58 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 1.5 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 1.025 billion kWh (2002) | 13.5 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 930 million kWh (2002) | 71.59 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m |
Environment - current issues | overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources | 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% | Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Sami 0.1% |
Exchange rates | pulas per US dollar - 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002), 5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000) | euros per US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term; election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2009); vice president appointed by the president election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52% |
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 Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September 2005) 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 February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment 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 | diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) |
Exports - partners | European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) | Sweden 11.1%, Germany 10.7%, Russia 8.9%, UK 7%, US 6.4%, Netherlands 5.1% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center | 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 - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 44% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 3.3%
industry: 30.2% services: 66.5% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2004 est.) | 3% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 22 00 S, 24 00 E | 64 00 N, 26 00 E |
Geography - note | landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain |
Highways | total: 10,217 km
paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999) |
total: 78,197 km
paved: 50,539 km (including 794 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,658 km (2004) |
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 | foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products, metal and metal products | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999) |
Imports - partners | Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000) | Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.3%, Russia 12.8%, Netherlands 6.3%, Denmark 5.2%, UK 4.6%, France 4.3% (2004) |
Independence | 30 September 1966 (from UK) | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.4% (2004 est.) | 2% (2004 est.) |
Industries | diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing; textiles | metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 53.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2004 est.) | 0.7% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1998 est.) | 640 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 264,000 formal sector employees (2000) | 2.66 million (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | NA | agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32% |
Land boundaries | total: 4,013 km
border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km |
total: 2,681 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2001) |
arable land: 7.19%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.78% (2001) |
Languages | Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census) | Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003) |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (61 seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote and four are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 52%, BNF 26%, BCP 17%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1 |
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 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: 33.87 years
male: 33.89 years female: 33.84 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 78.35 years
male: 74.82 years female: 82.02 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8% male: 76.9% female: 82.4% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (2000 est.) male: 100% female: 100% |
Location | Southern Africa, north of South Africa | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden |
Merchant marine | - | total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, chemical tanker 6, container 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 25 foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, United States 1) registered in other countries: 42 (2005) |
Military branches | Botswana Defense Force (includes an Air Wing) | Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense Forces), Air Force (2003) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $338.5 million (2004) | $1.8 billion (FY98/99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.9% (2004) | 2% (FY98/99) |
National holiday | Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966) | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
Nationality | noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural) |
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility | NA |
Natural resources | diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver | timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone |
Net migration rate | 6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 694 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE] |
Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 1,640,115
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.) |
5,223,442 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 47% (2002 est.) | NA |
Population growth rate | 0% (2005 est.) | 0.16% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou, Raahe, Rauma, Turku |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | total: 888 km
narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2004) |
total: 5,851 km
broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2004) |
Religions | Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census) | Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile cellular service is growing fast international: country code - 267; two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland Estonia Connection); 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 | 142,400 (2002) | 2.548 million (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 435,000 (2002) | 4.7 million (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2001) | 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) |
Terrain | predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills |
Total fertility rate | 2.85 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 23.8% (2004 est.) | 8.9% (2004 est.) |
Waterways | - | 7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2004) |