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Compare British Virgin Islands (2004) - Ecuador (2002)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2004) z Ecuador (2002)

 British Virgin Islands (2004)Ecuador (2002)
 British Virgin IslandsEcuador
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361)


15-64 years: 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911)


65 years and over: 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 35.4% (male 2,415,764; female 2,337,095)


15-64 years: 60.2% (male 4,007,495; female 4,090,957)


65 years and over: 4.4% (male 276,482; female 319,701) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca), plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp
Airports 3 (2003 est.) 205 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 61


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 18


914 to 1,523 m: 18


under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 144


914 to 1,523 m: 31


under 914 m: 113 (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: 283,560 sq km


land: 276,840 sq km


water: 6,720 sq km


note: includes Galapagos Islands
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Nevada
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 "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
Birth rate 14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 25.47 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
revenues: $5.6 billion


expenditures: planned $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Road Town Quito
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands
Coastline 80 km 2,237 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 10 August 1998
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador


conventional short form: Ecuador


local long form: Republica del Ecuador


local short form: Ecuador
Currency US dollar (USD) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $14 billion (2001) (2001)
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 Kristie Anne KENNEY


embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito


mailing address: APO AA 34039


telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890


FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052


consulate(s) general: Guayaquil
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Ivonne A-BAKI


chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200


FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient NA $120 million (2001) (2001)
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. Ecuador has substantial oil resources and rich agricultural areas. Because the country exports primary products such as oil, bananas, and shrimp, fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic impact. Ecuador joined the World Trade Organization in 1996, but has failed to comply with many of its accession commitments. The aftermath of El Nino and depressed oil market of 1997-98 drove Ecuador's economy into a free-fall in 1999. The beginning of 1999 saw the banking sector collapse, which helped precipitate an unprecedented default on external loans later that year. Continued economic instability drove a 70% depreciation of the currency throughout 1999, which forced a desperate government to "dollarize" the currency regime in 2000. The move stabilized the currency, but did not stave off the ouster of the government. Gustavo NOBOA, who assumed the presidency in January 2000, has managed to pass substantial economic reforms and mend relations with international financial institutions. Ecuador completed its first standby agreement since 1986 when the IMF Board approved a 10 December 2001 disbursement of $96 million, the final installment of a $300 million standby credit agreement.
Electricity - consumption 35.43 million kWh (2001) 9.667 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 38.1 million kWh (2001) 10.395 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 25%


hydro: 75%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 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; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Galapagos Islands
Environment - international agreements - party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish and others 7%, black 3%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used sucres per US dollar - 25,000.0 (January 2002), 25,000.0 (2001), 24,988.4 (2000), 11,786.8 (1999), 5,446.6 (1998), 3,988.3 (1997)


note: on 13 March 2000, the National Congress approved a new exchange system whereby the US dollar was adopted as the main legal tender in Ecuador for all purposes; on 20 March 2000, the Central Bank of Ecuador started to exchange sucres for US dollars at a fixed rate of 25,000 sucres per US dollar; since 30 April 2000, all transactions are denominated in US dollars
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 D. 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 Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Lucio GUTIERREZ (since 15 January 2003); Vice President Alfredo PALACIO (since 15 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (no reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election held 24 November 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)


election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election - Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ 54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%
Exports NA (2001) $4.8 billion (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand petroleum, bananas, shrimp, coffee, cocoa, cut flowers, fish
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 38%, Peru 6%, Chile 5%, Colombia 5%, Italy 3% (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 horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia which is shorter and does not bear a coat of arms
GDP purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $39.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 25%


services: 64% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 4.3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 2 00 S, 77 30 W
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 43,197 km


paved: 8,165 km


unpaved: 35,032 km (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 34% (1995) (1995)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit narcotics; dollarization may raise the volume of money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents
Imports NA (2001) $4.8 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw materials, fuels; consumer goods
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US US 25%, Colombia 13%, Japan 8%, Venezuela 8%, Brazil 4% (2000)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 24 May 1822 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate NA 5.1% (2001 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center petroleum, food processing, textiles, metal work, paper products, wood products, chemicals, plastics, fishing, lumber
Infant mortality rate total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
33.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2002) 22% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 31 (2001)
Irrigated land NA sq km 8,650 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 or Corte Suprema (new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court)
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 3.7 million (urban)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,010 km


border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2001)
arable land: 5.69%


permanent crops: 5.15%


other: 89.16% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Legal system English law based on civil law system; 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 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (123 seats; 20 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to serve four-year terms; 103 members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3, MPD 2, CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held by the various parties
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.27 years


male: 75.24 years


female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)
total population: 71.61 years


male: 68.79 years


female: 74.57 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: 90.1%


male: 92%


female: 88.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru
Map references Central America and the Caribbean South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: claims continental shelf between mainland and Galapagos Islands


territorial sea: 200 NM
Merchant marine total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT


by type: cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: Norway 1


registered in other countries: 32 (2004 est.)
total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 239,876 GRT/393,680 DWT


ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 23, specialized tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 1, Greece 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy (including Marines), Air Force, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $720 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.4% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 3,468,678 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,337,944 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 132,978 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Ecuadorian(s)


adjective: Ecuadorian
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 800 km; petroleum products 1,358 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] Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]; Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PCE [Jacinto JIJON Y CAMANO]; Independent National Movement or MIN [Eliseo AZUERO]; Pachakutik-New Country or P-NP [Miguel LLUCO]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta]; Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE [Leonidas IZA, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]
Population 22,187 (July 2004 est.) 13,447,494 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 70% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.06% (2004 est.) 1.96% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar, San Lorenzo
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)
Radios - 5 million (2001)
Railways - total: 965 km


narrow gauge: 965 km 1.067-m gauge (2000 est.)
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) Roman Catholic 95%
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: 1.13 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded


domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 1,115,272 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 384,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.05 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 14%; note - widespread underemployment (2001 est.)
Waterways - 1,500 km
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