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Compare British Virgin Islands (2003) - Romania (2002)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2003) z Romania (2002)

 British Virgin Islands (2003)Romania (2002)
 British Virgin IslandsRomania
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality* (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti*, Buzau, Calarasi, Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati, Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov, Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 2,401; female 2,358)


15-64 years: 73.1% (male 8,181; female 7,709)


65 years and over: 5% (male 578; female 503) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,992,505; female 1,898,122)


15-64 years: 68.8% (male 7,618,801; female 7,726,300)


65 years and over: 13.8% (male 1,274,881; female 1,807,121) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes; eggs, sheep
Airports 3 (2002) 61 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 25


over 3,047 m: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 37


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 23 (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: 237,500 sq km


land: 230,340 sq km


water: 7,160 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Oregon
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. Soviet occupation following World War II led to the formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU and his Securitate police state became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former communists dominated the government until 1996 when they were swept from power by a fractious coalition of center-right parties. Currently, the Social Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government, which governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. Much economic restructuring remains to be carried out before Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union.
Birth rate 15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: $11.7 billion


expenditures: $12.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital Road Town Bucharest
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms
Coastline 80 km 225 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 8 December 1991
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Romania


local long form: none


local short form: Romania
Currency US dollar (USD) leu (ROL)
Death rate 4.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $11.6 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 Michael GUEST


embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest


mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)


telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042


FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395


branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU


chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851


FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none Romania and Ukraine have yet to resolve claims over Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and delimitation of Black Sea maritime boundary, despite 1997 bilateral treaty to find a solution in two years and numerous talks; because of a shift in the Danube course since the last correction of the boundary in 1920, a joint Bulgarian-Romanian team will recommend sovereignty changes to several islands and redefine the boundary
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. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. 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. Romania, one of the poorest countries of Central and Eastern Europe, began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Over the past decade economic restructuring has lagged behind most other countries in the region. Consequently, living standards have continued to fall - real wages are down perhaps 40%. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets, and despite the global slowdown in 2001, strong domestic activity in construction, agriculture, and consumption led to 4.8% growth. A standby agreement with the IMF - covering the period October 2001 to March 2003 - provides a key opportunity for vigorous privatization, regulatory reform, deficit reduction, and the curbing of inflation. The government in the past has not been able to fully implement IMF agreements; its degree of success in this case will affect prospects for joining the EU.
Electricity - consumption 35.43 million kWh (2001) 45.677 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 1.4 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 775 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 38.1 million kWh (2001) 49.787 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 53%


hydro: 37%


nuclear: 10%


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


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 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 and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002)
Exchange rates the US dollar is used lei per US dollar - 35,052.0 (January 2002), 29,060.8 (2001), 21,708.7 (2000), 15,332.8 (1999), 8,875.6 (1998), 7,167.9 (1997); note - lei is the plural form of leu
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 Orlando SMITH (since 17 June 2003)


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 Ion ILIESCU (since 20 December 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Adrian NASTASE (since 29 December 2000)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 November 2000, with runoff between the top two candidates held 10 December 2000 (next to be held NA November/December 2004); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Ion ILIESCU 66.84%, Corneliu Vadim TUDOR 33.16%
Exports NA (2001) $11.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand textiles and footwear 26%, metals and metal products 15%, machinery and equipment 11%, minerals and fuels 6% (1999)
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Italy 22%, Germany 16%, France 7%, Turkey 6%, US (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 vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova
GDP purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $152.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 30%


services: 55% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 4.8% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 46 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 153,359 km


paved: 103,671 km (including 133 km of expressways)


unpaved: 49,688 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 23% (1994)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for Western Europe
Imports NA (2001) $14.4 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment 23%, fuels and minerals 12%, chemicals 9%, textile and products 19% (1999)
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Italy 19%, Germany 15%, Russia 9%, France 6% (2000)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from Turkey; independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin; kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881; republic proclaimed 30 December 1947)
Industrial production growth rate NA 6.5% (2001)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food processing, petroleum refining
Infant mortality rate total: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
18.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2002) 34.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 16 (2000) 38 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 28,800 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 of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates)
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 9.9 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 40%, industry 25%, services 35% (1998)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,508 km


border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km, Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
arable land: 40.57%


permanent crops: 2.4%


other: 57.03% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Romanian, Hungarian, German
Legal system English law former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
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 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (140 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (345 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004); Chamber of Deputies - last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in the fall of 2004)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDSR 37.1%, PRM 21.0%, PD 7.6%, PNL 7.5%, UDMR 6.9%; seats by party - PDSR 65, PRM 37, PD 13, PNL 13, UDMR 12; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PDSR 36.6%, PRM 19.5%, PD 7.0%, PNL, 6.9%, UDMR 6.8%; seats by party - PDSR 155, PRM 84, PD 31, PNL 30, UDMR 27, ethnic minorities 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.06 years


male: 75.07 years


female: 77.1 years (2003 est.)
total population: 70.39 years


male: 66.62 years


female: 74.39 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: 97%


male: 98%


female: 95% (1992 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Ukraine
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/28,864 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
total: 70 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 561,470 GRT/754,836 DWT


ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 47, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 4


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1, Italy 5 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR), Paramilitary Forces, Civil Defense, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $985 million (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2.47% (2002)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 5,906,601 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 4,970,496 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 179,951 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Romanian(s)


adjective: Romanian
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure and climate promote landslides
Natural resources NEGL petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower
Net migration rate 10.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 2,800 km; petroleum products 1,429 km; natural gas 6,400 km (1992)
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 Party or PD [Traian BASESCU]; Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party or PNL [Valeriu STOICA]; Romania Mare Party (Greater Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Adrian NASTASE], formerly known as the Party of Social Democracy in Romania or PDSR
Political pressure groups and leaders NA various human rights and professional associations
Population 21,730 (July 2003 est.) 22,317,730 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 45% (2000)
Population growth rate 2.1% (2003 est.) -0.21% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Braila, Constanta, Galati, Mangalia, Sulina, Tulcea
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios - 7.2 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)


standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge


broad gage: 60 km 1.524-m gauge


narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2001)
Religions Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 87%, Protestant 6.8%, Catholic 5.6%, other (mostly Muslim) 0.4%, unaffiliated 0.2% (2002)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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: poor domestic service, but improving


domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages have no service


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several international telecommunication network projects (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,000 (1996) 3.777 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 645,500 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.35 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 9.1% (2001)
Waterways none 1,724 km (1984)
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