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Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) - Finland (2002)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) z Finland (2002)

 British Virgin Islands (2008)Finland (2002)
 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: 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: 17.9% (male 471,920; female 454,082)


15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,752,493; female 1,717,544)


65 years and over: 15.2% (male 306,216; female 481,290) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Airports 3 (2007) 160 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 74


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: 12 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 76


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 72 (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: 337,030 sq km


land: 305,470 sq km


water: 31,560 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Montana
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. 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 finally won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have 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 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
revenues: $36.1 billion


expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
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)
Helsinki
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 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations)
Constitution 13 June 2007 17 July 1919
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


local short form: Suomi
Currency - euro (EUR); markka (FIM)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $30 billion (December 1993)
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 Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER


embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki


mailing address: APO AE 09723


telephone: [358] (9) 171931


FAX: [358] (9) 174681
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI


chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800


FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $379 million (1997)
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 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. 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, with exports equaling almost one-third of GDP. 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 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2002 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2003 provided the world economy suffers no further blows.
Electricity - consumption 41.85 million kWh (2005) 81.961 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 326 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 12.206 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 45 million kWh (2005) 75.356 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 41%


hydro: 19%


nuclear: 28%


other: 12% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Halti 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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997)
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 Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001)


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


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections


election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%


note: government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) Germany 12.4%, US 9.7%, UK 9.6%, Sweden 8.4%, Russia 5.9%, France 4.6% (2001)
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 - $136.2 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 4%


industry: 34%


services: 62% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 1.1% (2002 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: 77,831 km


paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways)


unpaved: 28,042 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: 22% (1991) (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 604.3 bbl/day (2004) $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
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 (2006) Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.2%, Russia 9.6%, US 6.9%, UK 6.4%, France 4.5% (2001)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
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.)
3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2005) 1.9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 3 (2002)
Irrigated land NA 640 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 Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Labor force 12,770 (2004) 2.6 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,628 km


border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
arable land: 6.98%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 93.01% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Legal system English law civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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 Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)


election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


female: 78.07 years (2007 est.)
total population: 77.75 years


male: 74.1 years


female: 81.52 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: 100% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


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


exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden


territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM)
Merchant marine - total: 98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,404 GRT/1,144,139 DWT


ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 36, short-sea passenger 10


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1.8 billion (FY98/99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (FY98/99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,240,762 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,024,379 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 33,883 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July (1956) 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, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver
Net migration rate 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - natural gas 580 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] Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA -
Population 23,552 (July 2007 est.) 5,183,545 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.923% (2007 est.) 0.14% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 7.7 million (1997)
Railways - total: 5,865 km


broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234 km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (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%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1%
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.64 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: 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: modern system with excellent service


domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs


international: 1 submarine cable; 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) 2,847,900 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 3,728,600 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 1 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 (2007 est.) 1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (1997) 8.5% (2002 est.)
Waterways - 6,675 km


note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships
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