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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Saudi Arabia (2001)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Saudi Arabia (2001)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Saudi Arabia (2001)
 British Virgin IslandsSaudi Arabia
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk
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:
42.52% (male 4,932,465; female 4,743,908)

15-64 years:
54.8% (male 7,290,840; female 5,179,393)

65 years and over:
2.68% (male 334,981; female 275,505) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports 3 (2001) 206 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total:
70

over 3,047 m:
31

2,438 to 3,047 m:
11

1,524 to 2,437 m:
23

914 to 1,523 m:
3

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total:
136

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
77

914 to 1,523 m:
39

under 914 m:
15 (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:
1,960,582 sq km

land:
1,960,582 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
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. In 1902 Abdul al-Aziz Ibn SAUD captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues:
$66 billion

expenditures:
$66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Road Town Riyadh
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
Coastline 80 km 2,640 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form:
Saudi Arabia

local long form:
Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

local short form:
Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
Currency US dollar (USD) Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $26.3 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 Wyche FOWLER, Jr.

embassy:
Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh

mailing address:
American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693

telephone:
[966] (1) 488-3800

FAX:
[966] (1) 488-7360

consulate(s) general:
Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud

chancery:
601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

telephone:
[1] (202) 342-3800

consulate(s) general:
Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none a final border resolution was agreed to with Qatar in March of 2001; location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, de facto boundary reflects a 1974 agreement; a June 2000 treaty delimited the boundary with Yemen, but final demarcation requires adjustments based on tribal considerations
Economic aid - donor - pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 1993, Saudi Arabia has committed $208 million for assistance to the Palestinians
Economic aid - recipient 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. This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 40% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 35% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Saudi Arabia was a key player in the successful efforts of OPEC and other oil producing countries to raise the price of oil in 1999-2000 to its highest level since the Gulf war by reducing production. Riyadh expects to have a moderate budget deficit in 2001, in part because of increased spending for education and other social programs. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 111.6 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) 120 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
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:
Persian Gulf 0 m

highest point:
Jabal Sawda' 3,133 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) desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)
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:
King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports $6.2 million $81.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Japan 18%, US 18%, France 4%, South Korea, Singapore, India (1999)
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) green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $232 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture:
6%

industry:
47%

services:
47% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports - 5 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total:
146,524 km

paved:
44,104 km

unpaved:
102,420 km (1997 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 death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) $30.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 25%, Japan 10%, Germany 7%, Italy 5%, France, UK (1999)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) 1% (1997 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 51.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 0.5% (2000)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 42 (2001)
Irrigated land NA sq km 4,350 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 Council of Justice
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 7 million

note:
35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
4,415 km

border countries:
Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land:
2%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
56%

forests and woodland:
1%

other:
41% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official) Arabic
Legal system English law based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; 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
a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


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

male:
66.4 years

female:
69.85 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 can read and write

total population:
62.8%

male:
71.5%

female:
50.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Middle East
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
contiguous zone:
18 NM

continental shelf:
not specified

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:
71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,154,619 GRT/1,533,732 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 11, chemical tanker 8, container 5, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 8 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $18.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 13% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
5,894,691 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
3,291,185 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
233,402 (2001 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun:
Saudi(s)

adjective:
Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 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] none allowed
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 22,757,092

note:
includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 3.27% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 9,000 (1997) 6.25 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
1,390 km

standard gauge:
1,390 km 1.435-m gauge (448 km double track) (1992)
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) Muslim 100%
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:
1.41 male(s)/female

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

total population:
1.23 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment:
modern system

domestic:
extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems

international:
microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 3.1 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 1 million

note:
in 1998, the government contracted for the installation of 575,000 additional Group Speciale Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone lines over 15 months to raise the total number of subscribers to more than one million; Riyadh planned to further expand the GSM system in 1999 by adding an additional one million lines (1998)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 117 (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 6.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) NA%
Waterways none none
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