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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Burma (2002)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Burma (2002)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Burma (2002)
 British Virgin IslandsBurma
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and 7 states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
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: 28.6% (male 6,158,039; female 5,905,314)


15-64 years: 66.6% (male 13,976,047; female 14,162,467)


65 years and over: 4.8% (male 905,476; female 1,130,881) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products
Airports 3 (2001) 80 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 72


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 34 (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: 678,500 sq km


land: 657,740 sq km


water: 20,760 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Texas
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. Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-86) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention from September 2000 to May 2002; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 19.65 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $7.9 billion


expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Capital Road Town Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Coastline 80 km 1,930 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; progress has since been stalled
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Union of Burma


conventional short form: Burma


local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)


local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw


former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma


note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw
Currency US dollar (USD) kyat (MMK)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $6 billion
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ


embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)


mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546


telephone: [95] (1) 256-019, 256-016


FAX: [95] (1) 256-018
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador TIN WINN


chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044


FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none despite renewed border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic guerrilla rebels, refugees, smuggling, and drug trafficking in cross-border region; Burmese attempts to construct a dam on border stream with Bangladesh in 2001 prompted an armed response halting construction; Burmese Muslim migration into Bangladesh strains Bangladesh's meager resources
Economic aid - recipient NA $99 million (FY98/99)
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. Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 4.432 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 4.766 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 83%


hydro: 17%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m


highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 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) deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used kyats per US dollar - official rate - 6.8581 (January 2002), 6.7489 (2001), 6.5167 (2000), 6.2858 (1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997); kyats per US dollar - black market exchange rate - 435 (yearend 2000)
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: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet


elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Exports $6.2 million $1.8 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand apparel 55%, foodstuffs 18%, wood products 13%, precious stones 2% (2000)
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 27%, India 16%, China 7%, Japan 6%, Singapore 6% (2000 est.)


note: official trade statistics do not include trade in illicit goods - such as narcotics, teak, and gems - or the largely unrecorded border trade with China and Thailand
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
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) red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $63 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 17%


services: 41% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 2.3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 22 00 N, 98 00 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 28,200 km


paved: 3,440 km


unpaved: 24,760 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 32% (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and, to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000 hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products, textile fabrics, petroleum products
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US China 26%, Singapore 23%, South Korea 15%, Japan 10%, Taiwan 10% (2000 est.)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 4 January 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) NA%
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 72.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 20% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 1


note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 15,920 sq km (1998 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 remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 23.7 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 65%, industry 10%, services 25% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 5,876 km


border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 14.53%


permanent crops: 0.9%


other: 84.57% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Legal system English law has not accepted 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
unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
total population: 55.41 years


male: 53.85 years


female: 57.07 years (2002 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: 83.1%


male: 88.7%


female: 77.7% (1995 est.)


note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Southeast Asia
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 382,386 GRT/582,084 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $39 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.1% (FY97/98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 12,211,144


females age 15-49: 12,223,069


note: both sexes liable for military service (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 6,502,013


females age 15-49: 6,491,732 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 486,432


females: 470,667 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)


adjective: Burmese
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
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] National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [U KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 42,238,224


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 25% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 0.56% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios 9,000 (1997) 4.2 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 3,991 km


narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge (2000 est.)
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) Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 250,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 8,492 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 2 (1998)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.23 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 5.1% (2001 est.)
Waterways none 12,800 km


note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
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