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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - French Polynesia (2005)
Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z French Polynesia (2005)
| British Virgin Islands (2002) | French Polynesia (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
| 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: 26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee |
| Airports | 3 (2001) | 50 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
| 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: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
| 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. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
| Birth rate | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 16.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
| Capital | Road Town | Papeete |
| Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | tropical, but moderate |
| Coastline | 80 km | 2,525 km |
| Constitution | 1 June 1977 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
| Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | NA |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing | overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas lands of France) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas lands of France) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | NA | $367 million (1997) |
| 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. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
| Electricity - consumption | 39.1 million kWh (1999) | 353.4 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | 42 million kWh (1999) | 380 million kWh (2002) |
| 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 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) | NA |
| Ethnic groups | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
| 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001); note - Michel MATHIER leaves 30 July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT (acting high commissioner), until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early September 2005
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
| Exports | $6.2 million | NA |
| Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat |
| Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%, US 16.1%, Niger 13%, Thailand 4.1% (2004) |
| 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) | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (2002) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.4% (2000 est.) | NA% (2001 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
| Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
| Heliports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
| Highways | total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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 | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
| Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US | France 47.6%, New Zealand 8.8%, Singapore 8.4%, Australia 8.3%, US 7.1% (2004) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas lands of France) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1985) | NA% |
| Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
| Infant mortality rate | 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2000) | 1.5% (2002 est.) |
| International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) | FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
| 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 | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
| Labor force | 4,911 (1980) | 70,000 (1996) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (2002) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001) |
| Languages | English (official) | French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) |
| Legal system | English law | based on French system |
| 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 Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 75.9 years
male: 73.5 years female: 78.42 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
| Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
| Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic 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.) |
total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of France |
| Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force |
| National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
| Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
| Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
| Natural resources | NEGL | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
| Net migration rate | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| 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] | Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 21,272 (July 2002 est.) | 270,485 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.16% (2002 est.) | 1.52% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Road Town | Papeete |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| 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) | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
| 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 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: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 10,000 (1996) | 52,500 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 90,000 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
| Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3% (1995) | 11.8% (1994) |
| Waterways | none | - |
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