Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2003) - Ireland (2002)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2003) z Ireland (2002)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)	Ireland (2002)

Administrative divisions	-	26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 21.3% (male 425,366; female 403,268) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 1,307,469; female 1,305,038) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 191,927; female 250,091) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products
Airports	1 (2002)	41 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)	total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Area	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago	total: 70,280 sq km land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.	Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is currently being implemented.
Birth rate	-	14.62 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $34 billion expenditures: $27 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital	-	Dublin
Climate	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds	temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
Coastline	698 km	1,448 km
Constitution	-	29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
Country name	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland
Currency	-	euro (EUR); Irish pound (IEP) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate	-	8.01 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	-	$11 billion (1998) (1998)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	chief of mission: Ambassador Richard J. EGAN embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-7122/668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain	disputes with Iceland, Denmark, and the UK over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM
Economic aid - donor	-	ODA, $283 million (2001)
Economy - overview	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.	Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging a robust 8% in 1995-2002. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry, which accounts for 45% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and employs 28% of the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's robust growth, the economy is also benefiting from a rise in consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Over the past decade, the Irish government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb inflation, reduce government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. Ireland joined in launching the euro currency system in January 1999 along with 10 other EU nations. The economy felt the impact of the global economic slowdown in 2001-02, particularly in the high-tech export sector; the growth rate was cut by half.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	20.823 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	-	71 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	-	169 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	22.285 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 95% hydro: 4% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m
Environment - current issues	NA	water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups	-	Celtic, English
Exchange rates	-	euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Irish pounds per US dollar - 0.7014 (1998), 0.6588 (1997)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch	chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 31 October 1997 (next to be held NA November 2004); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats
Exports	-	$85.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products
Exports - partners	-	EU 62.8% (UK 19.8%, Germany 11.3%, France 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Belgium 4.8%), US 17.1% (2000)
Fiscal year	-	calendar year
Flag description	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag	three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $111.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 4% industry: 36% services: 60% (2001)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	3.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 00 S, 71 30 E	53 00 N, 8 00 W
Geography - note	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility	strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 97 km of Dublin
Highways	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km	total: 92,500 km paved: 87,043 km (including 115 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,457 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 27% (1997)
Illicit drugs	-	transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe
Imports	-	$48.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities	-	data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals; petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing
Imports - partners	-	EU 61.4% (UK 33.4%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 3.5%), US 16.2%, Japan 4% (2000)
Independence	-	6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
Industrial production growth rate	-	6% (2002 est.)
Industries	-	food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machinery, transportation equipment, glass and crystal; software
Infant mortality rate	-	5.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	4.6% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	-	Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	22 (2000)
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Labor force	-	1.8 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	-	services 64%, industry 28%, agriculture 8% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km
Land use	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 19.49% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 80.47% (1998 est.)
Languages	-	English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply	based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	-	bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5, others 14
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 77.17 years male: 74.41 years female: 80.12 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Location	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia	Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain
Map references	Political Map of the World	Europe
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 110,741 GRT/127,342 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 20, container 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 2 (2002 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	-
Military branches	-	Army (including Naval Service and Air Corps), National Police (Garda Siochana)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$700 million (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	0.9% (FY00/01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,013,739 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 816,744 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 32,287 (2002 est.)
National holiday	-	Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Nationality	-	noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural) adjective: Irish
Natural hazards	NA	NA
Natural resources	coconuts, fish, sugarcane	zinc, lead, natural gas, barite, copper, gypsum, limestone, dolomite, peat, silver
Net migration rate	-	4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	-	natural gas 7,592 km (transmission 1,158 km; distribution 6,434 km) (2000)
Political parties and leaders	-	Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABBITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Tom FRENCH]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and 1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2003 est.)	3,883,159 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	10% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate	-	1.07% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Diego Garcia	Arklow, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Foynes, Galway, Limerick, New Ross, Waterford
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	-	2.55 million (1997)
Railways	-	total: 3,314 km broad gauge: 1,949 km 1.600-m gauge (38 km electrified; 485 km double-tracked) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briqueting plants) (2001)
Religions	-	Roman Catholic 91.6%, Church of Ireland 2.5%, other 5.9% (1998)
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)	general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay domestic: microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	1.6 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	3 million (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)	mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast
Total fertility rate	-	1.9 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	4.7% (2002 est.)
Waterways	none	700 km (limited facilities for commercial traffic) (1998)

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