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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Jamaica (2001)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Jamaica (2001)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Jamaica (2001)
 British Virgin IslandsJamaica
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
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:
29.7% (male 405,189; female 386,555)

15-64 years:
63.52% (male 845,226; female 847,944)

65 years and over:
6.78% (male 80,667; female 100,055) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, potatoes, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk
Airports 3 (2001) 35 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total:
11

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
5 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total:
24

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
22 (2000 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:
10,990 sq km

land:
10,830 sq km

water:
160 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than 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. Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 18.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues:
$2.23 billion

expenditures:
$2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of $232.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Road Town Kingston
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Coastline 80 km 1,022 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 6 August 1962
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Jamaica
Currency US dollar (USD) Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $4.7 billion (2000 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 Stanley Louis MCLELLAND

embassy:
Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859

FAX:
[1] (876) 926-6743
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL

chancery:
1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:
[1] (202) 452-0660

FAX:
[1] (202) 452-0081

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient NA $102.7 million (1995)
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. Key sectors in this island economy are bauxite (alumina and bauxite account for more than half of exports) and tourism. Since assuming office in 1992, Prime Minister PATTERSON has eliminated most price controls, streamlined tax schedules, and privatized government enterprises. Continued tight monetary and fiscal policies have helped slow inflation - although inflationary pressures are mounting - and stabilize the exchange rate, but have resulted in the slowdown of economic growth (moving from 1.5% in 1992 to 0.5% in 1995). In 1996, GDP showed negative growth (-1.4%) and remained negative through 1999. Serious problems include: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; the weak financial condition of business in general resulting in receiverships or closures and downsizings of companies; the shift in investment portfolios to non-productive, short-term high yield instruments; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a widening merchandise trade deficit; and a growing internal debt for government bailouts to various ailing sectors of the economy, particularly the financial sector. Depressed economic conditions in 1999-2000 led to increased civil unrest, including a mounting crime rate. Jamaica's medium-term prospects will depend upon encouraging investment in the productive sectors, maintaining a competitive exchange rate, stabilizing the labor environment, selling off reacquired firms, and implementing proper fiscal and monetary policies.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 6.073 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 6.53 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
92.28%

hydro:
1.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
6.36% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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

highest point:
Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 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) heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 45.557 (January 2001), 42.701 (2000), 39.044 (1999), 36.550 (1998), 35.404 (1997), 37.120 (1996)
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 Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)

head of government:
Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
Exports $6.2 million $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand alumina, bauxite; sugar, bananas, rum
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 35.7%, EU (excluding UK) 15.8%, UK 13%, Canada 10.5% (1999)
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) diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture:
7.4%

industry:
35.2%

services:
57.4% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 0.2% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 18 15 N, 77 30 W
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for Panama Canal
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total:
19,000 km

paved:
13,433 km

unpaved:
5,567 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
2.9%

highest 10%:
28.9% (1996)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) $3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, fuel, food, chemicals, fertilizers
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 47.8%, Caricom countries 12.4%, Latin America 7.2%, EU (excluding UK) 4.7% (1999)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 6 August 1962 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) -2% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center tourism, bauxite, textiles, food processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 8.8% (2000 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 21 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 350 sq km (1993 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 Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 1.13 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% services 60%, agriculture 21%, industry 19% (1998)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land:
14%

permanent crops:
6%

permanent pastures:
24%

forests and woodland:
17%

other:
39% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official) English, Creole
Legal system English law based on English common 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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


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

male:
73.45 years

female:
77.49 years (2001 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 has ever attended school

total population:
85%

male:
80.8%

female:
89.1% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,930 GRT/3,065 DWT

ships by type:
petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Jamaica Defense Force (includes Ground Forces, Coast Guard, and Air Wing), Jamaica Constabulary Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $30 million (FY95/96 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
736,627 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
517,077 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
27,729 (2001 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun:
Jamaican(s)

adjective:
Jamaican
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) hurricanes (especially July to November)
Natural resources NEGL bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -7.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - petroleum products 10 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] Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 2,665,636 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 34.2% (1992 est.)
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 0.51% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 9,000 (1997) 1.215 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
370 km

standard gauge:
370 km 1.435-m gauge; note - 207 km belong to the Jamaica Railway Corporation in common carrier service, but are no longer operational; the remaining track is privately owned and used to transport bauxite
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 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other, including some spiritual cults 34.7%
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 male(s)/female

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

total population:
1 male(s)/female (2001 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:
fully automatic domestic telephone network

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 353,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 54,640 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 7 (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 16% (2000 est.)
Waterways none none
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