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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008)
Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008)
| British Virgin Islands (2002) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008) | |
 |  Islands-2007-bmala.jpg) | |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
| 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
| Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
| Airports | 3 (2001) | 1 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (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: 14 sq km
land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| 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. | There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island. |
| Birth rate | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
| Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
| Capital | Road Town | name: West Island
geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year |
| Coastline | 80 km | 26 km |
| Constitution | 1 June 1977 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
| Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
| Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | - |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | NA | $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. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry. |
| Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 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) | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
| Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | Europeans, Cocos Malays |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
| 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | $6.2 million | $NA |
| Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | copra |
| Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Australia (2006) |
| Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
| 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) | the flag of Australia is used |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
- |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 12 30 S, 96 50 E |
| Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
| Highways | total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
- |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center | - |
| Imports | $230 million (2000 est.) | $NA |
| Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | Australia (2006) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | - |
| Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | copra products and tourism |
| Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | - |
| International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | none |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
| 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 Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
| Languages | English (official) | Malay (Cocos dialect), English |
| Legal system | English law | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
| 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 Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
NA |
| Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 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.) |
- |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force |
| National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: Cocos Islander(s)
adjective: Cocos Islander |
| Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | cyclone season is October to April |
| Natural resources | NEGL | fish |
| Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
| 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] | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| Population | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 596 (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 0% (2007 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Road Town | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Radios | 9,000 (1997) | - |
| Railways | 0 km | - |
| 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) | Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.) |
| 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.) |
- |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA |
| Telephone system | general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system
domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station (2001) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 287 (1992) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | NA |
| Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
| Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA |
| Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 60% (2000 est.) |
| Waterways | none | - |
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