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Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) - Zimbabwe (2005)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2002) z Zimbabwe (2005)

 British Virgin Islands (2002)Zimbabwe (2005)
 British Virgin IslandsZimbabwe
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands
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: 39.2% (male 2,522,609/female 2,474,131)


15-64 years: 57.1% (male 3,686,354/female 3,592,662)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 235,478/female 235,756) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep, goats, pigs
Airports 3 (2001) 404 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 17


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 387


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 186


under 914 m: 196 (2004 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: 390,580 sq km


land: 386,670 sq km


water: 3,910 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Montana
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 UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their brutal repression of regime opponents.
Birth rate 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 29.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $1.325 billion


expenditures: $1.593 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital Road Town Harare
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)
Coastline 80 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 1 June 1977 21 December 1979
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe


conventional short form: Zimbabwe


former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia
Currency US dollar (USD) -
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 24.66 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $4.086 billion (2004 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 Joseph G. SULLIVAN


embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare


mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare


telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594


FAX: [263] (4) 796488
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO


chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100


FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326
Disputes - international none Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Economic aid - recipient NA $178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)
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 government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 133% at the end of 2004, while the exchange rate fell from 24 Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar to 6,200 in the same time period. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.
Electricity - consumption 39.1 million kWh (1999) 11.22 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 3 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 42 million kWh (1999) 8.839 billion 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: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m


highest point: Inyangani 2,592 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; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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 African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2004), 697.424 (2003), 55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001), 44.418 (2000)


note: these are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary significantly
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: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly


elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote for a 6-year term; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2008); co-vice presidents appointed by the president


election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%
Exports $6.2 million NA
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US South Africa 31.5%, Switzerland 7.4%, UK 7.3%, China 6.1%, Germany 4.3% (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) seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native people
GDP purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 2%


industry: 6%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 18.1%


industry: 24.3%


services: 57.7% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) -8.2% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 20 00 S, 30 00 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 18,338 km


paved: 8,692 km


unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 1.97%


highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets
Imports $230 million (2000 est.) NA
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals, fuels
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US South Africa 46.9%, Botswana 3.6%, UK 3.4% (2004)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 18 April 1980 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4% (1985) -7.8% (2004 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages
Infant mortality rate 19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 67.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 70.32 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.3% (2000) 133% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,170 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; High Court
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 4.23 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 3,066 km


border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 8.32%


permanent crops: 0.34%


other: 91.34% (2001)
Languages English (official) English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects
Legal system English law mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
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 House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)


elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.85 years


male: 74.9 years


female: 76.84 years (2002 est.)
total population: 39.13 years


male: 40.2 years


female: 38.03 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 English


total population: 90.7%


male: 94.2%


female: 87.2% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT


ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $217 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 4.3% (2004)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day, 18 April (1980)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Zimbabwean(s)


adjective: Zimbabwean
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
Natural resources NEGL coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals
Net migration rate 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2005 est.)
Pipelines - refined products 261 km (2004)
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] Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]
Population 21,272 (July 2002 est.) 12,746,990


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 70% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 2.16% (2002 est.) 0.51% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Binga, Kariba
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 9,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 3,077 km


narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2004)
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) syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%
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: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 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: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines


domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones


international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 300,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 379,100 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 16 (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 70% (2002 est.)
Waterways none on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)
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