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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Greenland (2005)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) z Greenland (2005)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)Greenland (2005)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryGreenland
Administrative divisions - 3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)


note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland
Age structure - 0-14 years: 25% (male 7,216/female 6,888)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 20,897/female 17,823)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 1,672/female 1,879) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products - forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer; fish
Airports 1 (2006) 14 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
total: 2,166,086 sq km


land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km ice-covered) (2000 est.)
Area - comparative land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly more than three times the size of Texas
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. The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81% ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.
Birth rate - 15.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget - revenues: $646 million


expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85 million (1999)
Capital - Nuuk (Godthab)
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters
Coastline 698 km 44,087 km
Constitution - 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Greenland


local long form: none


local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat
Death rate - 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external - $25 million (1999)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain; uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland
Economic aid - recipient - $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)
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. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector, including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited due to a short season and high costs.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 227.9 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 245 million kWh (2002)
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: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m
Environment - current issues NA protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting
Ethnic groups - Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and others 12% (January 2000)
Exchange rates - Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since NA 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December 2002)


cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties


elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002 (next to be held December 2006)


election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister


note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit
Exports - NA
Exports - commodities - fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)
Exports - partners - Denmark 63.8%, Japan 12.6%, China 3.9% (2004)
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 two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is red, the bottom half is white
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 1.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E 72 00 N, 40 00 W
Geography - note archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap
Highways - total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports - NA
Imports - commodities - machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, petroleum products
Imports - partners - Denmark 78.7%, Sweden 11.9%, Norway 2.7% (2004)
Independence - none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in international agreements relating to Greenland)
Industrial production growth rate - NA%
Industries - fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards
Infant mortality rate - total: 15.82 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 17.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 1.6% (1999 est.)
International organization participation - NC, NIB, UPU
Irrigated land 0 sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch - High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)
Labor force - 24,500 (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2001)
Languages - Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply Danish
Legislative branch - unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by December 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%, Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit 8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1


note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit Ataqatigiit 1
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 69.65 years


male: 66.07 years


female: 73.31 years (2005 est.)
Literacy - definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%


note: similar to Denmark proper
Location archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada
Map references Political Map of the World Arctic Region
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
Merchant marine - total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT


by type: cargo 1, passenger 2


foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 defense is the responsibility of Denmark
National holiday - June 21 (longest day)
Nationality - noun: Greenlander(s)


adjective: Greenlandic
Natural hazards NA continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas
Net migration rate - -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders - Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]
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 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)
56,375 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - -0.02% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Sisimiut
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions - Evangelical Lutheran
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 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: adequate domestic and international service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally digitalized in 1995


domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite


international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12 Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 26,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 16,747 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow, mountainous, barren, rocky coast
Total fertility rate - 2.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - 10% (2000 est.)
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