Compare key data on Lesotho & Niue
Definitions
- Economy > Budget surplus > + or deficit > -: This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relative to their GDPs) generally have more difficulty raising funds to finance expenditures, than those with lower deficits.
- Economy > Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
- Geography > Area > Comparative: The area of various small countries expressed in comparison to various areas within the United States of America.
- Geography > Area > Land: Total land area in square kilometres
- Geography > Climate: A brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
- Geography > Geographic coordinates: This entry includes rounded latitude and longitude figures for the purpose of finding the approximate geographic center of an entity and is based on the Gazetteer of Conventional Names, Third Edition, August 1988, US Board on Geographic Names and on other sources.
- Geography > Land area > Square miles: Country land area.
- Government > Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
- Government > Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
- Government > Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
- Government > Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
- People > Ethnic groups: This entry provides a rank ordering of ethnic groups starting with the largest and normally includes the percent of total population.
- People > Population: Population, total refers to the total population.
- People > Population > Population growth, past and future: Population growth rate (percentage).
- Religion > Religions: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.
- Geography > Area > Total: Total area in square kilometers
- Government > Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
- Government > Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
- People > Birth rate: The average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
- People > Population growth: Percentage by which country's population either has increased or is estimated to increase. Countries with a decrease in population are signified by a negative percentage. Future estimates are from the UN Population Division.
- Economy > Budget > Revenues: Revenues calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms
- Economy > GDP > Per capita > PPP: This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
- Government > Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
- Economy > Economy > Overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
- Economy > Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
- Government > Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
- Economy > GDP > Per capita: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
- Agriculture > Rural population: Total population living in rural areas. Future estimates are from the UN Population Division.
- Energy > Electricity > Consumption > Per capita: Total electricity consumed annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
- People > Death rate: The average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
- Government > Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
- Geography > Natural resources: A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
- Energy > Electricity > Consumption: Total electricity consumed annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
- People > Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
- Geography > Area > Land > Per capita: Total land area in square kilometres Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Media > Telephones > Mobile cellular > Per capita: The total number of mobile cellular telephones in use. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Media > Internet > Internet users per thousand people: Internet users. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
- Agriculture > Agricultural growth: Index of agricultural production in 1996 - 98 (1989 - 91 = 100)
- Economy > Inflation rate > Consumer prices: This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
- Language > Languages: A rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.
- Transport > Road network length > Km: Length of road network in kilometers in European Union countries.
- Economy > GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Services: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by sector of origin, which shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not produce material goods.
- Government > Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
- Education > Literacy > Total population: This entry includes a definition of literacy and Census Bureau percentages for the total population, males, and females. There are no universal definitions and standards of literacy. Unless otherwise specified, all rates are based on the most common definition - the ability to read and write at a specified age. Detailing the standards that individual countries use to assess the ability to read and write is beyond the scope of our source. Information on literacy, while not a perfect measure of educational results, is probably the most easily available and valid for international comparisons.
- Education > College and university > Gender parity index: Country's gender parity index for college and university enrollment. For countries with a rating of over 1, more females are enrolled while countries with a rating under 1 have more males enrolled.
- Religion > Religions > All: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.
- Energy > Oil > Consumption > Per capita: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- People > Population in 2015: (Thousands) Medium-variant projections.
- Health > Births and maternity > Average age of mother at childbirth: Average age of mother at first childbirth.
- Geography > Terrain: A brief description of the topography
- Geography > Location: The country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
- Labor > Labor force > By occupation: Component parts of the labor force by occupation.
- Labor > Unemployment rate: The percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
- Government > Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
- Geography > Coastline: The total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
- Labor > Labor force: The total labor force figure
- Environment > Current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
- Energy > Oil > Consumption: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
- Health > Life expectancy > Men: Life expectancy for men.
- Media > Television > List of TV stations: List of TV stations.
- Government > Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
- Economy > GDP > Purchasing power parity: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller.
- Government > Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
- Government > Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
- Government > International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
- Religion > Major religion(s): Country major religions.
- Geography > Area > Water: Total water area in square kilometers
- Transport > Airports: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
- Geography > Area > Comparative to US places: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
- Language > Major language(s): Country major languages.
- Economy > Fiscal year: The beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
- Background > Overview: A geopolitical overview of every sovereign country in the world, briefly examining their recent history and place on the global stage. The texts are taken from the BBC News website.
- Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Industry: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods produced by the industrial sector within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
- People > Nationality > Noun: The noun which identifies citizens of the nation
- Health > Diseases > Cancer > Cancer death rate (per 100,000 population): The number of people that will die from cancer out of 100,000 people the same age. The number is not an accurate telling of the country's cancer rate, but rather how fatal cancer is in each country.
- Media > Radio > List of radio stations: List of radio stations.
- Geography > Elevation extremes > Highest point: Highest point above sea level
- Agriculture > Agricultural growth per capita: Net per capita agricultural production, expressed in International Dollars. Net means after deduction of feed and seed. International Dollars are calculated using the Geary-Khamis formula, which is designed to neutralize irrelevant exchange rate movements (more information on http://faostat3.fao.org/faostat-gateway/go/to/mes/glossary/*/E)
- Agriculture > Products: Major agricultural crops and products
- People > Physicians density: This entry gives the number of medical doctors (physicians), including generalist and specialist medical practitioners, per 1,000 of the population. Medical doctors are defined as doctors that study, diagnose, treat, and prevent illness, disease, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans through the application of modern medicine. They also plan, supervise, and evaluate care and treatment plans by other health care providers. The World Health Organization estimates that fewer than 2.3 health workers (physicians, nurses, and midwives only) per 1,000 would be insufficient to achieve coverage of primary healthcare needs.
- Military > Military branches: This entry lists the service branches subordinate to defense ministries or the equivalent (typically ground, naval, air, and marine forces).
- Energy > Electricity > Installed generating capacity per thousand people: This entry is the total capacity of currently installed generators, expressed in kilowatts (kW), to produce electricity. A 10-kilowatt (kW) generator will produce 10 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, if it runs continuously for one hour. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
- Economy > Exports > Commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
- Religion > Seventh-day Adventist Membership: This entry lists Seventh-day Adventist membership worldwide as of 2004. Membership is defined as baptised and active.
- Energy > Electricity > Production: The annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
- Government > Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
- People > Cities > Urban population: Total population living in urban areas. The defition of an urban area differs for each country. Future estimates are from the UN Population Division.
- Geography > Land use > Arable land: The percentage of used land that is arable. Arable land is land cultivated for crops that are replanted after each harvest like wheat, maize, and rice
- Economy > Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
- People > Nationality > Adjective: This entry is derived from People > Nationality, which provides the identifying terms for citizens - noun and adjective.
- Media > Radio broadcast stations: The total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.
- Health > Deaths > Percent deaths registered: Civil registration coverage of deaths (%).
- Government > Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
- Religion > Christian > Mormon > Congregations: Total Congregations.
- Economy > Budget > Expenditures: Expenditures calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms
- Energy > Crude oil > Production: This entry is the total amount of crude oil produced, in barrels per day (bbl/day).
- Economy > Budget > Revenues > Per capita: Revenues calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
- Government > Leaders > Prime minister: Government > Leaders > Prime minister
- Education > Child care (preschool) > Duration: Number of years students study at the pre-primary (preschool) level. It should be noted that not all countries require pre-primary education.
- Health > Births and maternity > Infant mortality rate: How many infants, out of 1000, who will die before attaining one year of age.
- Environment > Proportion of land area under protection: Terrestrial areas protected to total surface area, percentage.
- Health > Life expectancy > Women: Life expectancy for women.
- Geography > Natural hazards: Potential natural disasters.
- Economy > Exports > Main exports: Country main exports.
- Government > Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
- Economy > Debt > External: Total public and private debt owed to non-residents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services.
- Media > Telephones > Main lines in use > Per capita: The total number of main telephone lines in use. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
- Language > Linguistic diversity index: LDI.
- Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Services: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
- Energy > Electricity > Production > Per capita: The annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; British Broadcasting Corporation 2014; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Population Division; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; CIA World Factbook 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; Wikipedia: List of countries by number of Internet users (Calculated using penetration rate and population data from "Countries and Areas Ranked by Population: 2012" , Population data, International Programs, U.S. Census Bureau, retrieved 26 June 2013). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2001; Internet World Stats, June 30, 2010; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; CIA World Factbook, 22 August 2006; Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision and World Urbanization Prospects: http://esa.un.org/unpp; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; World Health Organization. Source tables; http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=FAO&f=itemCode%3a2051, Agriculture (PIN) +; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 25 March 2010.; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; adventiststatistics.org 2004 Annual Report 31 December 2004; United Nations Population Division. Source tables; World Health Organization. Source tables; Wikipedia: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France (Membership Statistics); UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Source tables; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; Source: UNESCO UIS Data | UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Wikipedia: Linguistic diversity index (Rankings by country) (UNESCO World Report – Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue)
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