comparison of four countries geography

Cuba, Central African Republic, Iran, Myanmar

Extractive Performance

Symbolism

Regulation and Transparency

Distributive Performance

Political Recruitment

Cuba

Caribbean island nation, gained independence from Spain with Treaty of Paris in 1898. United States military occupied for more than 3 years.

Capital – Havana

Climate - Tropical with trade winds; wet season May to October and dry season November to April

Area 110,860 sq km

World rank in area:107

Pop. 11,147,407

world rank 80

Government: Communist State

UN, UNESCO, WHO,WTO

Poor extractive performance. Service industry about 75% of the economy. 21.5% of GDP is in the industrial sector and 3.9% in agriculture. GDP in purchasing power parity is $132.9 billion and climbing, ranked 80 in the world.

Flag : The triangle symbolizes the three components of liberty, equality, fraternity.

The three blue bands are divisions on the island (central, east, west).

The white bands symbolize the purity of independence.

The white star in the red triangle is La Estrella Solitaria (the Lone Star).

Not Free, Civil Liberties score 6/7, Political Rights 7/7.

CPI Score 47/100

CPI Rank 62/180

Human rights problems included arbitrary detentions, no freedom of expression or media, censorship. No religious freedom or academic freedom. No freedom of assembly.

Weak transparency for government monopolies.

Per capita GDP is stagnant at $11,900 (2016 est.), ranked 131 in the world.

Dependency ratio 43.3

Life expectancy 78.8, ranked 57 in the world

Health expenditures ranked 12th in the world at 11.1% of GDP.

Literacy: Male 99.9%, Female 99.8%

110.7 births/1,000 population (rank 184 in the world)

8.7 deaths/1,000 population (rank 74 in the world)

Very little FDI. Not member of the World Bank.

Cuba has had restrictive regulatory environments, slowly changing but growing private sector

United States sanctions detrimental to economy.

Political Rights 1/40

One party system, but citizens vote for national assembly.

Corruption and inefficiencies in government.

15 provinces

Office holders are all PCC party members.

No ethnic/geographic/religious divisions in politics but Castro family dominates upper strata of politics

Central African Republic

Landlocked country in central Africa. Borders Cameroon, Chad, DRC, Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Area: 622,984 sq km

(rank 46 in world)

Former French colony.

Independence in 1960.

Capital – Bangui

Government: Presidential Republic

Climate – Tropical with dry winter and wet summer.

Pop. 5,625,118

World rank 115

Memberships: IMF, UN, WHO, WTO

GDP purchasing power parity: $3.395 billion (ranked 185 in world)

Per capita GDP $700

Lucrative mining industries (gold and diamonds)

Exports: $118.5 million total, mainly coffee, timber, cotton, diamonds.

Flag: Combines French colors (red, white, blue) with pan-African flag colors (green, red, yellow). Red is blood spilled for independence, blue is freedom, white is peace and dignity, green is hope and faith, yellow is tolerance. The star is future aspirations

Not Free, Civil Liberties

Score 7/7

Freedom 7/7

Political Rights 7/7

CPI Score 23/100

Government controls diamond trade.

Instability, frequent coups.

Serious human rights problems. Poverty. Poor infrastructure, high rate of infectious disease. Armed conflict and inadequate healthcare. Displacement, people fleeing to neighboring countries.

$323-$700 per capita GDP.

Life expectancy 52.8 years (rank 217 in world)

Literacy—Total population 36.8%

Male 50.7%,

Female 24.4%

34.3 births/1,000 population

13.2 deaths/1,000 population

Political Rights 4/40

A coup in 2013 has changed things, although officially there is a direct election and French model of law.

Lawlessness throughout, especially in rural areas.

Electoral process rating 3/12

Political pluralism rating 2/16

Government functioning 0/12

Government control not by ethnic/religious affiliation or even geographic.

Power is from access to diamond trade.

14 prefectures.

Iran

Central Asia, formerly Persia.

Borders Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Iraq, Pakistan. Afghanistan, Armenia, Turkey, Turkmenistan.

Capital – Tehran

Climate – Arid, semiarid, and subtropical along coastal areas.

Area 1,648,195 sq km, world rank 19

Pop. 82,021,564 

world rank 17

Government: Theocratic Republic

IMF, UN, UNESCOS, WHO, WTO,

GDP purchasing power parity: $1.631 trillion

GDP per capita: $20,000

Heavy reliance on oil and gas exports.

State-owned enterprises stymie growth.

Service industries almost half of the labor force.

Flag: Green, white, and red bands.

Red is for martyrdom, Green symbolizes Islam, and White honesty and peace

The symbol in the middle is a tulip-shaped calligraphic representation of the word for Allah.

Not Free, Civil Liberties score 6/7

Political Rights 6/7

CPI Score 30/100

Government owned or controlled industries, and statist policies.

Poor support for private industry.

Widespread corruption.

Humans rights problems: no freedom of expression; the government bans satellite dishes. Journalists persecuted. Torture and inhumane treatment. There is no freedom of assembly. Women’s rights are severely restricted.

GDP $20,000 per capita (rank 88 in the world)

Life Expectancy 74 years (rank 129 in world).

Literacy—Total 86.8%.

Male 91.2%, Female 82.5%

17.9 births/1,000 population

5.3 deaths/1,000 population

Political Rights 7/40

Electoral process is neither free nor fair. There is a Supreme Leader (no fixed term, commander in chief of army, heads judiciary and media, and is appointed).

Also a body of clerics is elected, but not through fair processes.

President is also elected by popular vote.

There are different political parties, but all must ascribe to state ideology. Opposition leaders are frequently taken prisoner or held under house arrest.

Geography has no bearing on elected officials, but gender does, and no religion other than Islam.

Myanmar

Southeast Asia. Also called Burma.

On Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.

Borders Thailand, Bangladesh, China, India, Laos.

Capital – Rangoon and Nay Pyi Taw (administrative)

Climate – Tropical Monsoon.

Area 676,578 sq km

World rank 41

Pop. 55,123,814

World rank 24

Government: Parliamentary Republic, based on English common law.

IMF, UN, UNESCO, WHO, WTO

GDP purchasing power parity: $330.9 billion

GDP per capita: $6,300

By sector GDP 40% services, 25% agriculture, 35% industry

Agriculture and wood are primary exports, but also natural gas.

Recent economic reforms have introduced foreign direct investment but growth is slow.

Flag: Three horizontal stripes, yellow, green, and red.

National symbol is a mythical lion called Chinthe.

Song: "Kaba Ma Kyei"

Partly Free, Civil Liberties

Score 5/7

Overall Freedom 5/7

Political Rights 5/7

CPI Score 30/100

Easing of regulatory environment and attempting to stop corruption.

However, transparency remains an issue and government regulations do continue to pose trade and development barriers.

Human rights problems: denial of Rohingya citizenship, leading to their fleeing into Bandladesh

No freedom of assembly, and poor women’s rights.

GDP $6,300 per capita

Life expectancy for total population: 68.2 years

Literacy total: 75.6%

Male 80%, Female 71.8%

18.1 births/1,000 population

7.4 deaths/1,000 population

Government has consistently used ethnic divisions in a divide-and-rule fashion. There are well over 100 different ethnic groups with 68% the Burman (Bamar) people. There is n

Political Rights 5/7

The political rights situation has improved, although the military still operates without much oversight or checks on its powers.

Restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.

National League for Democracy (NLD) controls Parliament, whihc is dominated by the Bamar people. Women only have 13% of seats in Parliament, and only one woman is in the cabinet.

References

Central African Republic

BBC News, Country Profile, Central African Republic, Jan 17, 2018, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13150040 (April 18, 2018).

CIA, World Factbook, Central African Republic. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/ct.html (April 18, 2018)

Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2017, Central African Republic. https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2017/central-african-republic (April 18, 2018).