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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Samoa (2008)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Samoa (2008)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Samoa (2008)
 British Virgin IslandsSamoa
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
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: 38.1% (male 41,551/female 40,085)


15-64 years: 56.3% (male 63,320/female 57,277)


65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,416/female 6,616) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa
Airports 3 (2001) 4 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


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


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
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: 2,944 sq km


land: 2,934 sq km


water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Rhode Island
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. New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 28.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $171.3 million


expenditures: $78.1 million (FY04/05 est.)
Capital Road Town name: Apia


geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W


time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Coastline 80 km 403 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 1 January 1962
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa


conventional short form: Samoa


local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa


local short form: Samoa


former: Western Samoa
Currency US dollar (USD) -
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $177 million (2004)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa


embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Beach Road, Apia


mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815


telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696


FAX: [685] 22030
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197


FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient NA $43.95 million (2005)
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. The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03 but returned to normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 97.65 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 105 million kWh (2005)
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: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 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) soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used tala per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (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: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)


head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice


elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly


election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly
Exports $6.2 million 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Australia 44.1%, American Samoa 29.9%, Taiwan 11.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March June 1 - May 31
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 quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 11.4%


industry: 58.4%


services: 30.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 5.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 13 35 S, 172 20 W
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
-
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.) 1,060 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US NZ 21.5%, Fiji 14.8%, Singapore 13.2%, Australia 8.6%, Japan 8.6%, US 6.2%, Indonesia 5%, China 4.4% (2006)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) 2.8% (2000)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center food processing, building materials, auto parts
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 3.3% (2005)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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 Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 90,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 21.13%


permanent crops: 24.3%


other: 54.57% (2005)
Languages English (official) Samoan (Polynesian), English
Legal system English law based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; 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 Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)


elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
total population: 71.3 years


male: 68.49 years


female: 74.26 years (2007 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: 99.7%


male: 99.6%


female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 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: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT


by type: cargo 1


foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2007)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship
Military branches - no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Samoan(s)


adjective: Samoan
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Natural resources NEGL hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -9.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 214,265


note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 1.291% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 5, 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) Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
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: 1.037 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.819 male(s)/female


total population: 1.061 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: adequate


domestic: NA


international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 19,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 24,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 2 (2002)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 4.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) NA%
Waterways none -
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