Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / British Virgin Islands (2008) - Cape Verde (2003) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##
Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) - Cape Verde (2003)
Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) z Cape Verde (2003)
| British Virgin Islands (2008) | Cape Verde (2003) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,410/female 2,337)
15-64 years: 74.5% (male 9,004/female 8,534) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 665/female 602) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 41% (male 85,254; female 83,716)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 103,690; female 111,992) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 10,498; female 16,987) (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish | bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts; fish |
| Airports | 3 (2007) | 9
note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2002) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (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 islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke |
total: 4,033 sq km
land: 4,033 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Rhode Island |
| Background | First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. 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 uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one. Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. |
| Birth rate | 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 26.95 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $204.7 million
expenditures: $180.4 million (2004) |
revenues: $112 million
expenditures: $198 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
| Capital | name: Road Town
geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Praia |
| Climate | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds | temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic |
| Coastline | 80 km | 965 km |
| Constitution | 13 June 2007 | new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica) |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
conventional short form: Cape Verde local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde local short form: Cabo Verde |
| Currency | - | Cape Verdean escudo (CVE) |
| Death rate | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 6.86 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $36.1 million (1997) | $325 million (2002) |
| 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 Donald C. JOHNSON
embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia telephone: [238] 61 56 16, 61 56 17 FAX: [238] 61 13 55 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820 FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207 consulate(s) general: Boston |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $136 million (1999) |
| 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 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. 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, made 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 US dollar as its currency since 1959. | This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of agriculture in GDP in 2001 was only 11%, of which fishing accounts for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Prospects for 2003 depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the government's development program. |
| Electricity - consumption | 41.85 million kWh (2005) | 39.08 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 45 million kWh (2005) | 42.03 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island) |
| 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; demand for wood used as fuel has resulted in deforestation; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing |
| Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) | Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1% |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - NA (2002), 123.21 (2001), 115.88 (2000), 102.7 (1999), 98.16 (1998) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)
head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly 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 premier by the governor |
chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote - Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the election was won by only twelve votes |
| Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand | fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides |
| Exports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) | Portugal 38.5%, UK 26.4%, France 23.1%, US 8.2% (2002) |
| 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 light blue (top, double width), white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $600 million (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 17% services: 72% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2002 est.) | 4% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 30 N, 64 30 W | 16 00 N, 24 00 W |
| Geography - note | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico | strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site |
| Highways | - | total: 1,100 km
paved: 858 km unpaved: 242 km (1999 est.) |
| 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 | used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
| Imports | 604.3 bbl/day (2004) | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery | foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels |
| Imports - partners | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) | Portugal 49.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Germany 5.7% (2002) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 5 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
| Industries | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center | food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt mining, ship repair |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 50.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2005) | 3% (2002) |
| International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2002) |
| Irrigated land | NA | 30 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 Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia |
| Labor force | 12,770 (2004) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 0.6%
industry: 40% services: 59.4% (2005) |
- |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (2005) |
arable land: 9.68%
permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | English (official) | Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words) |
| Legal system | English law | derived from the legal system of Portugal |
| Legislative branch | unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1 |
unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%, ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.86 years
male: 75.71 years female: 78.07 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 69.83 years
male: 66.53 years female: 73.23 years (2003 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: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Political Map of the World |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
| Military branches | - | Army, Coast Guard |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $9.3 million (FY02) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.6% (FY02) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 95,450 (2003 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.) |
| National holiday | Territory Day, 1 July (1956) | Independence Day, 5 July (1975) |
| Nationality | noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
noun: Cape Verdean(s)
adjective: Cape Verdean |
| Natural hazards | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) | prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active |
| Natural resources | NEGL | salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish |
| Net migration rate | 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -12.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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] | African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA, president]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 23,552 (July 2007 est.) | 412,137 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | 30% (2000) |
| Population growth rate | 1.923% (2007 est.) | 0.79% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 0, FM 15 (and 17 repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| 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%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) | Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.055 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.105 male(s)/female total population: 1.053 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2003 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; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2007) |
general assessment: effective system, being improved
domestic: interisland microwave radio relay system with both analog and digital exchanges; work is in progress on a submarine fiber-optic cable system which is scheduled for completion in 2003 international: 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 11,700 (2002) | 60,935 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 8,000 (2002) | 28,119 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) | 1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002) |
| Terrain | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly | steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic |
| Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.77 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% (1997) | 21% (2000 est.) |
| Waterways | - | none |
Sitemap:
Compare countries listing (map site) |
Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.