Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2007) - American Samoa (2003)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2007) z American Samoa (2003)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)	American Samoa (2003)

Administrative divisions	-	none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island, Swains Island, Western
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818) 15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Airports	1 (2007)	3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative	land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly larger than Washington, DC
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.	Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Birth rate	-	23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Capital	-	Pago Pago
Climate	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds	tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	698 km	116 km
Constitution	-	ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Country name	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT	conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS
Currency	-	US dollar (USD)
Death rate	-	4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	-	$NA
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London	unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Economy - overview	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed 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 native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.	This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	120.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	130 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m
Environment - current issues	NA	limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Ethnic groups	-	Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Exchange rates	-	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003; TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8% note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA
Exports	-	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners	-	Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002)
Fiscal year	-	1 October - 30 September
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	blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	NA%
Geographic coordinates	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E	14 20 S, 170 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	Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Highways	-	total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners	-	Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)
Independence	-	none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA%
Industries	-	tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	NA%
International organization participation	-	ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	0 sq km	NA sq km
Judicial branch	-	High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Labor force	-	14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation	-	government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Languages	-	Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply	NA
Legislative branch	-	bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 18 note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 75.75 years male: 71.35 years female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
Location	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references	Political Map of the World	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	none (2002 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	defense is the responsibility of the US
National holiday	-	Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Nationality	-	noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Natural hazards	NA	typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources	coconuts, fish, sugarcane	pumice, pumicite
Net migration rate	-	3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
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	70,260 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	2.22% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	-	0 km
Religions	-	Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 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: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)	general assessment: NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	2,550 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)	five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Total fertility rate	-	3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	6% (2000)
Waterways	-	none

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