Compare British Virgin Islands (2005) - French Polynesia (2006)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2005) z French Polynesia (2006)

	British Virgin Islands (2005)	French Polynesia (2006)

Administrative divisions	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia
Age structure	0-14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358) 15-64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish	coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products
Airports	3 (2004 est.)	51 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 39 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (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: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
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 French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Birth rate	14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	revenues: $121.5 million expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)	revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
Capital	Road Town	name: Papeete geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds	tropical, but moderate
Coastline	80 km	2,525 km
Constitution	1 June 1977	4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI	conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania
Death rate	4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	$36.1 million (1997)	$NA
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing	overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (overseas lands of France)
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	NA	$580 million (2004)
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.	Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.
Electricity - consumption	33.74 million kWh (2002)	459.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	36.28 million kWh (2002)	493.7 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Sage 521 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 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)	NA
Ethnic groups	black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed	Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005) head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits)
Exports	NA	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand	cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Exports - partners	Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US	France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (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)	two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)	agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2002)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $38,500 (2004 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	1% (2002 est.)	NA% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 30 N, 64 30 W	15 00 S, 140 00 W
Geography - note	strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico	includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru
Government - note	-	under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister
Heliports	-	1 (2006)
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%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
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	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery	fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners	Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US	France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)
Independence	none (overseas territory of the UK)	none (overseas lands of France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	NA%
Industries	tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center	tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
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 (2005 est.)	total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.5% (2003)	1.1% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU	FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO
Irrigated land	NA	10 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	Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif
Labor force	12,770 (2004)	65,870 (December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 20% permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2001)	arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)
Languages	English (official)	French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Legal system	English law	based on French system
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 Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.49 years male: 75.41 years female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)	total population: 76.1 years male: 73.69 years female: 78.63 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 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)
Location	Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico	Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 7 (2005)	total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches	-	no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
National holiday	Territory Day, 1 July	Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality	noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander	noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian
Natural hazards	hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)	occasional cyclonic storms in January
Natural resources	NEGL	timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Net migration rate	10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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]	Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	22,643 (July 2005 est.)	274,578 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	2.06% (2005 est.)	1.48% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors	Road Town	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
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)	Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 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: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	11,700 (2002)	53,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	8,000 (2002)	87,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus one cable company) (1997)	7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly	mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Total fertility rate	1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)	2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	3% (1995)	11.8% (1994)

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