Compare Latvia (2007) - Aruba (2008)

Compare Latvia (2007) z Aruba (2008)

	Latvia (2007)	Aruba (2008)

Administrative divisions	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	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age structure	0-14 years: 13.6% (male 157,451/female 150,184) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 764,910/female 808,848) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 123,952/female 254,465) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761) 15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish	aloes; livestock; fish
Airports	42 (2007)	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 9 (2007)	total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2007)	-
Area	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km	total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than West Virginia	slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background	The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia 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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.	Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Birth rate	9.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $7.198 billion expenditures: $7.255 billion (2006 est.)	revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
Capital	name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	maritime; wet, moderate winters	tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	531 km	68.5 km
Constitution	15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since	1 January 1986
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
Death rate	13.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$22.94 billion (2006 est.)	$478.6 million (2005 est.)
Dependency status	-	member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY 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] 782-0047	the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860	none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Disputes - international	Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia	none
Economic aid - recipient	$162 million (2004)	$11.3 million (2004)
Economy - overview	Latvia's economy experienced average GDP growth of more than 7.0% over the past several years. In 2006 it reached 10.2% real GDP growth. 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. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 15% of GDP in 2006 - and inflation remain major concerns.	Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
Electricity - consumption	6.09 billion kWh (2005)	716.1 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	707 million kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	2.855 billion kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	4.778 billion kWh (2005)	770 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Environment - current issues	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, as well as 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	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	-
Ethnic groups	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)	mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
Exchange rates	lati per US dollar - 0.5597 (2006), - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002)	Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39	chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
Exports	6,765 bbl/day (2004)	230,600 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs	live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners	Lithuania 14.2%, Estonia 12.3%, Russia 11.5%, Germany 9.8%, UK 7.6%, Sweden 6.3%, Denmark 4.8% (2006)	Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon	blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3.7% industry: 21.5% services: 74.8% (2006 est.)	agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	11.9% (2006 est.)	2.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	57 00 N, 25 00 E	12 30 N, 69 58 W
Geography - note	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east	a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.1% (2003)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds	transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine
Imports	39,190 bbl/day (2004)	235,000 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles	machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners	Germany 15.5%, Lithuania 12.9%, Russia 8%, Estonia 7.7%, Poland 7.2%, Finland 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Belarus 4.7% (2006)	US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006)
Independence	18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate	8.5% (2006 est.)	NA%
Industries	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	tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate	total: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	6.5% (2006 est.)	3.4% (2005)
International organization participation	Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO
Irrigated land	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 (2003)	0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)	Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force	1.136 million (2006 est.)	41,500 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.)	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Land boundaries	total: 1,368 km border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 282 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005)	arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005)
Languages	Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)	Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
Legal system	based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6	unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 71.6 years male: 66.39 years female: 77.1 years (2007 est.)	total population: 74.83 years male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)	definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)
Location	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania	Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Map references	Europe	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	territorial sea: 12 nm
Merchant marine	total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 201,684 GRT/221,186 DWT by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Estonia 1) registered in other countries: 122 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Belize 14, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 1, Dominica 2, Jamaica 2, Liberia 15, Malta 36, Marshall Islands 10, Panama 5, Russia 2, St Kitts and Nevis 4, St Vincent and The Grenadines 20) (2007)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches	Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Spelki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2007)	no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (2005 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union	Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Nationality	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian	noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Natural hazards	NA	lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land	NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate	-2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006)	-
Political parties and leaders	First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS]	Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]	NA
Population	2,259,810 (July 2007 est.)	100,018 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	-0.648% (2007 est.)	1.522% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways	total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)	-
Religions	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox	Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.946 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.487 male(s)/female total population: 0.862 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden	general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use	657,400 (2006)	38,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2.184 million (2006)	108,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)	1 (1997)
Terrain	low plain	flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate	1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)	1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.5% (2006 est.)	6.9% (2005 est.)
Waterways	300 km (2006)	-

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