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

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

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Nicaragua (2002)
 British Virgin IslandsNicaragua
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas, Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*
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: 38.3% (male 980,621; female 945,386)


15-64 years: 58.7% (male 1,464,468; female 1,483,082)


65 years and over: 3% (male 65,610; female 84,651) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products
Airports 3 (2001) 182 (2001)
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: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 165


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 141 (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: 129,494 sq km


land: 120,254 sq km


water: 9,240 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than the state of New York
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 Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 26.98 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $726 million


expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Road Town Managua
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands
Coastline 80 km 910 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua


conventional short form: Nicaragua


local long form: Republica de Nicaragua


local short form: Nicaragua
Currency US dollar (USD) gold cordoba (NIO)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $6.1 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 Barbara Calandra MOORE


embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua


mailing address: APO AA 34021


telephone: [505] 268-0123


FAX: [505] 266-9943
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos J. ULVERT


chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570


FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York
Disputes - international none territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica
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. Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is extremely unequal. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stabilization over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has shaken the economy. Managua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on improving governability, the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up in 2002 because of increased private investment and recovery in the global economy.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 2.176 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 1 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 100 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 2.233 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 82%


hydro: 9%


nuclear: 0%


other: 9% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mogoton 2,438 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; soil erosion; water pollution
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used gold cordobas per US dollar - 13.88 (January 2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.69 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998), 9.45 (1997)
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 Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president
Exports $6.2 million $609.5 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, beef, sugar, bananas; gold
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 57.7%, Germany 5.3%, Canada 4.2%, Costa Rica 3.3%, Honduras 3% (2000)
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 blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $12.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 33%


industry: 23%


services: 44% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 2.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 13 00 N, 85 00 W
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 16,382 km


paved: 1,818 km


unpaved: 14,564 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 49% (1998) (1998)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) $1.6 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 23.9%, Costa Rica 11.4%, Venezuela 9.9%, Guatemala 7.9%, Mexico 5.9% (2000)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) 4.4% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 32.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 7.4% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) BCIE, CACM, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 3 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 880 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 Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 1.7 million (1999) (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,231 km


border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20.24%


permanent crops: 2.38%


other: 77.38% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Spanish (official)


note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Legal system English law civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts
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 National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
total population: 69.37 years


male: 67.39 years


female: 71.44 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: 68.2% (1999)


male: 67.1%


female: 70.5% (2000 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
continental shelf: natural prolongation


territorial sea: 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.)
none (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $26 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,308,430 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 802,779 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 58,232 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Nicaraguan(s)


adjective: Nicaraguan
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes
Natural resources NEGL gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 56 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] Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 5,023,818 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 50% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 2.09% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 9,000 (1997) 1.24 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 6 km


narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge


note: carries mostly passengers from Chichigalpa to Ingenio San Antonio (2001)
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 85%, Protestant
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: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 16 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment


domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System


international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 140,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 7,911 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.09 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 23% plus considerable underemployment (2001 est.)
Waterways none 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)
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