Compare Tonga (2004) - Latvia (2005)

Compare Tonga (2004) z Latvia (2005)

	Tonga (2004)	Latvia (2005)

Administrative divisions	3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u	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: 37.1% (male 20,873; female 20,050) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 32,018; female 32,707) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,005; female 2,584) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309) 65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female 248,851) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	6 (2003 est.)	50 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	four times the size of Washington, DC	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.	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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate	24.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)	revenues: $4.231 billion expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	Nuku'alofa	Riga
Climate	tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	419 km	531 km
Constitution	4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967	15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
Country name	conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands	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	pa'anga (TOP)	-
Death rate	5.45 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	13.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$63.4 million (2001)	$7.368 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga	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
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco	chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international	none	the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second World War and other issues; 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
Economic aid - recipient	Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)	$96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview	Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young and the continuing upturn in inflation are major issues facing the government.	Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the 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. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. 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. A growing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.
Electricity - consumption	25.36 million kWh (2001)	5.829 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	1.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	2.7 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	27.27 million kWh (2001)	4.547 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations	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
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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	Polynesian, Europeans about 300	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Exchange rates	pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000), 1.5991 (1999)	lati per US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch	chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) 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 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 (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	US 50%, Japan 35.7%, Italy 3.6% (2003)	UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%, Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004)
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	calendar year
Flag description	red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2002 est.)	agriculture: 4.4% industry: 24.8% services: 70.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3% (2001 est.)	7.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 175 00 W	57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Highways	total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)	total: 60,472 km paved: 57,206 km unpaved: 3,265 km (2002)
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; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
Imports	NA (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	New Zealand 43.4%, Fiji 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, US 6.1% (2003)	Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland 6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004)
Independence	4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	8.6% (FY98/99)	8.5% (2004 est.)
Industries	tourism, fishing	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: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.36 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	10.3% (2002 est.)	6% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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 are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	33,910 (1996)	1.17 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 65% (1997 est.)	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use	arable land: 23.61% permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (2001)	arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)
Languages	Tongan, English	Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)
Legal system	based on English law	based on civil law system
Legislative branch	unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, traditionalist 2	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 - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL 26, PCTVL 24, TP 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.2 years male: 66.74 years female: 71.79 years (2004 est.)	total population: 71.05 years male: 65.78 years female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Oceania	Europe
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 exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT by type: bulk 3, cargo 21, chemical tanker 2, container 1, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: Albania 1, Australia 4, Brazil 1, Cyprus 1, Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 1, Norway 1, Panama 2, Romania 1, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 1, United (2004 est.)	total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 86 (2005)
Military branches	Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (including Air Wing)	Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	NA	$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	1.2% (FY01)
National holiday	Independence Day, 4 June (1970)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou	NA
Natural resources	fish, fertile soil	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	there are no political parties	First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS, Raimonds VEJONIS]; 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]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chair]	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Population	110,237 (July 2004 est.)	2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA
Population growth rate	1.94% (2004 est.)	-0.69% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai	Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
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 (2004)
Religions	Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)	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: country code - 371; 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	11,200 (2002)	653,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	3,400 (2002)	1,219,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	2 (2001)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base	low plain
Total fertility rate	3 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	13.3% (1996 est.)	8.8% (2004 est.)
Waterways	-	300 km (2004)

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