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Compare Albania (2001) - Virgin Islands (2006)
Compare Albania (2001) z Virgin Islands (2006)
| Albania (2001) | Virgin Islands (2006) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 36 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes, Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik), Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore
note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) |
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas |
| Age structure | 0-14 years:
29.53% (male 536,495; female 500,026) 15-64 years: 63.48% (male 1,073,351; female 1,155,115) 65 years and over: 6.99% (male 107,476; female 138,021) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949) 65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
| Airports | 11 (2000 est.) | 2 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
- |
| Area | total:
28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | twice the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary elections. | During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. |
| Birth rate | 19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Budget | revenues:
$393 million expenditures: $676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
| Capital | Tirana | name: Charlotte Amalie
geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November |
| Coastline | 362 km | 188 km |
| Constitution | a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
| Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI |
| Currency | lek (ALL) | - |
| Death rate | 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external | $1 billion (2000) | $NA |
| Dependency status | - | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph LIMPRECHT embassy: Rruga Elbasanit Labinoti 103, Tirana mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100(A), APO AE 09624 telephone: [355] (42) 32875, 33520 FAX: [355] (42) 32222 |
none (territory of the US) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 |
none (territory of the US) |
| Disputes - international | the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Yugoslavia; Albanians in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs, and representation in government | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA; aid for energy from China, Germany, Norway (2000) | $NA |
| Economy - overview | Poor by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the end of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12% of GDP. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's population - triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and a 7% drop in GDP. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from some 20% of the labor force that works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania recovered the 7% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed ahead by 8% in 1999 and by 7.5% in 2000. International aid helped defray the high costs of receiving and returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict. Privatization scored some successes in 2000, but other reforms lagged. | Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. |
| Electricity - consumption | 5.379 billion kWh (1999) | 967.3 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports | 100 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports | 600 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production | 5.332 billion kWh (1999) | 1.04 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
3.81% hydro: 96.19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents | lack of natural freshwater resources |
| Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
| Ethnic groups | Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) |
black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) |
| Exchange rates | leke per US dollar - 146.08 (December 2000),143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996); note - leke is the plural of lek | the US dollar is used |
| Executive branch | chief of state:
President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Ilir META (since 29 October 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7 |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010) election results: John DeJONGH elected governor and takes office in January 2007; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7% |
| Exports | $310 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
| Exports - commodities | textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco | refined petroleum products |
| Exports - partners | Italy 67%, Greece 15%, Germany 5%, Austria 2%, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2% (2000) | US, Puerto Rico (2004) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
| Flag description | red with a black two-headed eagle in the center | white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $10.5 billion (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
55% industry: 24% services: 21% (2000) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 7.5% (2000 est.) | 2% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 41 00 N, 20 00 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
| Geography - note | strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) | important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean |
| Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
| Highways | total:
18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.) |
- |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe | - |
| Imports | $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA bbl/day |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
| Imports - partners | Italy 37%, Greece 28%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 3% (2000) | US, Puerto Rico (2004) |
| Independence | 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 9% (2000 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
| Infant mortality rate | 39.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (2000 est.) | 2.2% (2003) |
| International organization participation | ACCT (associate), BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | IOC, UPU |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 7 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | 3,410 sq km (1993 est.) | NA |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) | US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) |
| Labor force | 1.692 million (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (1994 est.) | 43,980 (2004 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% | agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total:
720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land:
21% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 38% other: 21% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005) |
| Languages | Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek | English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) |
| Legal system | has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on US laws |
| Legislative branch | unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 29 June 1997 (next held 24 June 2001, 2nd round 8 July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party - PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3 |
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN (Democrat) reelected |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.83 years male: 69.01 years female: 74.87 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.24 years female: 83.09 years (2006 est.) |
| Literacy | definition:
age 9 and over can read and write total population: 93% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.) |
| Location | Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,797 GRT/26,324 DWT ships by type: cargo 9 (2000 est.) |
- |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $42 million (FY99) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY99) | - |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
870,768 (2001 est.) |
- |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
712,763 (2001 est.) |
- |
| Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age | - |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
35,792 (2001 est.) |
- |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1912) | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
| Nationality | noun:
Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian |
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
| Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; drought | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower | sun, sand, sea, surf |
| Net migration rate | -3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Pipelines | crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Liberal Union Party [Teodor LACO]; note - Teodor LACO of the Liberal Union Party was leader of the Social Democratic Union of Albania or PBSD; Movement of Legality Party or PLL [Nderim KUPI]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman] | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 3,510,484 (July 2001 est.) | 108,605 (July 2006 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 19.6% (1996 est.) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.88% (2001 est.) | -0.12% (2006 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 2 (1999) | AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006) |
| Radios | 810,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | total:
447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001) |
- |
| Religions | Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice |
Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
| Sex ratio | at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
| Telephone system | general assessment:
Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences international: inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece |
general assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: full range of services available international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 87,000 (1997) | 70,900 (2004) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 3,100 (1999) | 64,200 (2004) |
| Television broadcast stations | 9 (plus 264 repeaters) (1995) | 5 (2006) |
| Terrain | mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
| Total fertility rate | 2.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 16% (2000 est.) officially; may be as high as 25% | 6.2% (2004) |
| Waterways | 43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990) |
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