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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Austria (2003)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Austria (2003)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Austria (2003)
 British Virgin IslandsAustria
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland, Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien
Age structure 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)


15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 16.2% (male 678,944; female 646,390)


15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,827,736; female 2,768,480)


65 years and over: 15.5% (male 490,979; female 775,678) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber
Airports 3 (2001) 55 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 24


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Area total: 153 sq km


land: 153 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada
total: 83,858 sq km


land: 82,738 sq km


water: 1,120 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maine
Background First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the European Monetary Union in 1999.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.43 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $53 billion


expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Road Town Vienna
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain in lowlands and snow in mountains; cool summers with occasional showers
Coastline 80 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 1 June 1977 1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Republic of Austria


conventional short form: Austria


local long form: Republik Oesterreich


local short form: Oesterreich
Currency US dollar (USD) euro (EUR)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $12.1 billion (2001 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.


embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [43] (1) 31339, 31375, 31335


FAX: [43] (1) 5125835
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY


chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035


telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700


FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none minor disputes with Czech Republic and Slovenia continue over nuclear power plants and post-World War II treatment of German-speaking minorities
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $410 million (2000)
Economic aid - recipient NA -
Economy - overview The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially Germany's. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European market and proximity to EU aspirant economies. Slowing growth in Germany and elsewhere in the world held the economy to only 1.2% growth in 2001, 0.6% in 2002, and 0.8% in 2003.. To meet increased competition from both EU and Central European countries, Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and lower its tax burden. A key issue is the encouragement of much greater participation in the labor market by its ageing population.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 54.85 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 14.25 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 14.47 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 58.75 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 29.3%


hydro: 67.2%


nuclear: 0%


other: 3.5% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m


highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed German 88%, non-nationals 9.3% (includes Croatians, Slovenes, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Roma), naturalized 2% (includes those who have lived in Austria at least three generations)
Exchange rates the US dollar is used euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999), 12.38 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)


head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
chief of state: President Thomas KLESTIL (since 8 July 1992)


head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4 February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor


elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term; presidential election last held 19 April 1998 (next to be held in the spring of 2004); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen by the president on the advice of the chancellor


election results: Thomas KLESTIL reelected president; percent of vote - Thomas KLESTIL 63%, Gertraud KNOLL 14%, Heide SCHMIDT 11%, Richard LUGNER 10%, Karl NOWAK 2%


note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe
Exports $6.2 million 35,470 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Germany 31.5%, Italy 9.3%, Switzerland 5.4%, US 4.9%, UK 4.9%, France 4.7%, Hungary 4.3% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $227.7 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 2%


industry: 33%


services: 65% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 1.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 47 20 N, 13 20 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 200,000 km


paved: 200,000 km (including 1,633 km of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine destined for Western Europe
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) 262,000 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Germany 42.6%, Italy 6.6%, Hungary 5.1%, Switzerland 4.8%, Netherlands 4.4% (2002)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 1156 (from Bavaria)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) 3.8% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard, communications equipment, tourism
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 1.8% (2002 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 37 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 457 sq km (2000 est.)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or Verfassungsgerichtshof
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 4.3 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% services 67%, industry and crafts 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,562 km


border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366 km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330 km, Switzerland 164 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 16.89%


permanent crops: 0.99%


other: 82.12% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) German
Legal system English law civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (64 members; members represent each of the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at least three representatives; members serve a four- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be held in the fall of 2006)


election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP 42.3%, SPOe 36.9%, FPOe 10.2%, Greens 9%; seats by party - OeVP 79, SPOe 69, FPOe 19, Greens 16
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
total population: 78.17 years


male: 75.02 years


female: 81.48 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 27,551 GRT/34,225 DWT


ships by type: cargo 4, container 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1.497 billion (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.8% (FY01/02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,093,821 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 49,090 (2003 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Austrian(s)


adjective: Austrian
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Natural resources NEGL iron ore, oil, timber, magnesite, lead, coal, lignite, copper, hydropower
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 2.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,722 km; oil 687 km; refined products 149 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of Austria or FPOe [Herbert HAUPT]; Social Democratic Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens Alternative or GA [Alexander VAN DER BELLEN]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Austrian Trade Union Federation (primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber; OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 8,188,207 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 0.22% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 160 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)
Radios 9,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 6,024 km (3,641 km electrified)


standard gauge: 5,566 km 1.435-m gauge (3,524 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 424 km 0.760-m gauge (89 km electrified) (2002)
Religions Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) Roman Catholic 78%, Protestant 5%, Muslim and other 17%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: highly developed and efficient


domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet services are available


international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals) (2002)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 4 million (consisting of 3,600,000 analog main lines plus 400,000 Integrated Services Digital Network connections); in addition, there are 100,000 Asymmetric Digital Services lines (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 6 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 45 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.41 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 4.8% (2002 est.)
Waterways none 358 km (1999)
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