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Compare British Virgin Islands (2004) - Finland (2006)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2004) z Finland (2006)

 British Virgin Islands (2004)Finland (2006)
 British Virgin IslandsFinland
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
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: 17.1% (male 455,420/female 438,719)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,766,674/female 1,724,858)


65 years and over: 16.2% (male 337,257/female 508,444) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Airports 3 (2003 est.) 148 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 76


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 14 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 72


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 67 (2006)
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: 338,145 sq km


land: 304,473 sq km


water: 33,672 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller 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. Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Birth rate 14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 10.45 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
revenues: $99.61 billion


expenditures: $97.14 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Road Town name: Helsinki


geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 58 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Coastline 80 km 1,250 km
Constitution 1 June 1977 1 March 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Republic of Finland


conventional short form: Finland


local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland


local short form: Suomi/Finland
Currency US dollar (USD) -
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $211.7 billion (30 June 2005)
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 Marilyn WARE


embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki


mailing address: APO AE 09723


telephone: [358] (9) 616250


FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU


chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800


FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international none various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $379 million (2001)
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. Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 12 countries joining the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.
Electricity - consumption 35.43 million kWh (2001) 78.94 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 7 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 11.9 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 38.1 million kWh (2001) 79.61 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 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) air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%, Sami 0.1%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
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 Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September 2005)


cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment


election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HOLONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%


note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
Exports NA (2001) 101,000 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%, Netherlands 4.8% (2005)
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) white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 2.8%


industry: 29.5%


services: 67.6% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 3% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 64 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Highways total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 4.2%


highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering -
Imports NA (2001) 318,300 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%, Denmark 4.6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Industrial production growth rate NA -2% (2005 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
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.)
total: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.5% (2002) 0.9% (2005 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land NA sq km 640 sq km (2003)
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 Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Labor force 4,911 (1980) 2.61 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,681 km


border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2001)
arable land: 6.54%


permanent crops: 0.02%


other: 93.44% (2005)
Languages English (official) Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)
Legal system English law civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, other 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.27 years


male: 75.24 years


female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)
total population: 78.5 years


male: 74.99 years


female: 82.17 years (2006 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: 100%


male: 100%


female: 100% (2000 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)


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


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden
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: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 25


foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1)


registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar 3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4, Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense forces), Air Force (2003)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (FY98/99)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Finn(s)


adjective: Finnish
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) NA
Natural resources NEGL timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Net migration rate 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines - gas 694 km (2006)
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] Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Martti KORHONEN]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA -
Population 22,187 (July 2004 est.) 5,231,372 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 2.06% (2004 est.) 0.14% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Road Town -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 5,741 km


broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)
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) Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
general assessment: modern system with excellent service


domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs


international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 2.12 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 5.231 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (1995) 8.4% (2005 est.)
Waterways - 7,842 km


note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2005)
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