Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

	British Virgin Islands (2002)	Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

Administrative divisions	none (overseas territory of the UK)	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
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: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007) 15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports	3 (2001)	2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC	more than five times the size of 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.	Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate	15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)	revenues: $27.94 million expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.)
Capital	Road Town	Sao Tome
Climate	subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline	80 km	209 km
Constitution	1 June 1977	approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI	conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$36.1 million (1997)	$318 million (2002)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	NA	$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
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.	This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, but lacking a formal poverty reduction program with the IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao Tome's external debt stands at over $300 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea. The first production license was sold to a consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the sale of additional production licenses.
Electricity - consumption	39.1 million kWh (1999)	15.81 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)	17 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: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 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 and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed	mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)
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 Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7 June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
Exports	$6.2 million	NA
Exports - commodities	rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand	cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners	Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US	Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, 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)	three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP	purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2% industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.)	agriculture: 16.5% industry: 15.4% services: 68.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	4.4% (2000 est.)	6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 30 N, 64 30 W	1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note	strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico	the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Highways	total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)	total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)
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	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners	Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US	Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)
Independence	none (overseas territory of the UK)	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate	4% (1985)	NA
Industries	tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center	light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
Infant mortality rate	19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.3% (2000)	14% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	16 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	100 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 (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force	4,911 (1980)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.)	arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001)
Languages	English (official)	Portuguese (official)
Legal system	English law	based on Portuguese legal system and customary 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	unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 75.85 years male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)	total population: 66.99 years male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 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 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location	Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Africa
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines 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) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
Military branches	-	Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$700,000 (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	0.8% (2004)
National holiday	Territory Day, 1 July	Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards	hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)	NA
Natural resources	NEGL	fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-2.51 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]	Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	21,272 (July 2002 est.)	187,410 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	2.16% (2002 est.)	3.16% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Road Town	Sao Tome
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
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)	Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (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: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 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: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	10,000 (1996)	7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA	4,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus one cable company) (1997)	2 (2002)
Terrain	coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly	volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate	1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.)	5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	3% (1995)	NA
Waterways	none	-

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