Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) - Hong Kong (2003)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) z Hong Kong (2003)

 British Virgin Islands (2008)Hong Kong (2003)
 British Virgin IslandsHong Kong
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) none (special administrative region of China)
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: 17.3% (male 680,973; female 599,309)


15-64 years: 71.7% (male 2,619,929; female 2,679,430)


65 years and over: 11% (male 375,058; female 439,471) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish fresh vegetables; poultry, fish, pork
Airports 3 (2007) 3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
-
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: 1,092 sq km


land: 1,042 sq km


water: 50 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC six times the size of Washington, DC
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. Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
revenues: $22.8 billion


expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY02/03)
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)
-
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall
Coastline 80 km 733 km
Constitution 13 June 2007 Basic Law approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Hong Kong


local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu


local short form: Xianggang


abbreviation: HK
Currency - Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.19 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $49.5 billion (2002 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Consul General James KEITH


consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong


mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006


telephone: [852] 2523-9011


FAX: [852] 2524-0860
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) none (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international none none
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. Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Imports and exports, including reexports, each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997 it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has increased competitive pressure on Hong Kong's service industries, and Hong Kong's re-export business from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP compares with the level in the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% in 1989-1997, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past 6 years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn of 2001-2002. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak has also battered Hong Kong's economy but the resumption of strong growth began in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 41.85 million kWh (2005) 37.12 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 1.581 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 10.36 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 45 million kWh (2005) 30.48 billion 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: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 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 and water pollution from rapid urbanization
Environment - international agreements - party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
Ethnic groups black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) Chinese 95%, other 5%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.8 (2002), 7.8 (2001), 7.79 (2000), 7.76 (1999), 7.75 (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 of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive TUNG Chee-hwa (since 1 July 1997)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex-officio members and 10 appointed members; ex-officio members are: Chief Secretary Donald TSANG Yam-kuen (since 1 May 2001), Financial Secretary Antony LEUNG (since 1 May 2001), and Secretary of Justice Elsie LEUNG (since 1 July 1997)


elections: TUNG Chee-Hwa was elected to a second term in March 2002 by an 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces; the next election is scheduled to be held in 2007
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) China 34%, US 19.5%, UK 5.5%, Japan 4.8% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
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) red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center
GDP - purchasing power parity - $198.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 13.4%


services: 86.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 22 15 N, 114 10 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico more than 200 islands
Heliports - 2 (2002)
Highways - total: 1,831 km


paved: 1,831 km


unpaved: 0 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 Makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces serious challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides a conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people
Imports 604.3 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery foodstuffs, transport equipment, raw materials, semimanufactures, petroleum, plastics, machinery, electrical equipment; a large share is reexported
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) China 37.5%, Japan 12.2%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 6.2%, Singapore 5.3%, South Korea 5% (2002)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -9.7% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks
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: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.44 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2005) 3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU APEC, AsDB, BIS, ESCAP (associate), ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 17 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 20 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 Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Labor force 12,770 (2004) 3.52 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 31%, financing, insurance, and real estate 13%, community and social services 12%, manufacturing 6%, transport and communications 6%, construction 5%, other 25% (2002 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 30 km


border countries: China 30 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
arable land: 5.05%


permanent crops: 1.01%


other: 93.94% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Legal system English law based on English common law
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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; 30 indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 24 elected by popular vote, and 6 elected by an 800-member election committee; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 10 September 2000 (next to be held in September 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 12, Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong 10, Liberal Party 7, Frontier Party 5, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance 4, New Century Forum 2, Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 1, independents 19
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


female: 78.07 years (2007 est.)
total population: 79.93 years


male: 77.23 years


female: 82.83 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 has ever attended school


total population: 94%


male: 97.1%


female: 90.5% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine - total: 549 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,176,728 GRT/27,119,764 DWT


ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 315, cargo 66, chemical tanker 15, combination bulk 2, container 86, liquefied gas 16, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 40, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 2, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 5, Belize 1, British Virgin Islands 1, China 115, Denmark 2, Germany 19, Greece 2, India 8, Japan 8, Liberia 1, Malaysia 7, Norway 1, Panama 2, Philippines 5, Singapore 7, South Korea 2, Taiwan 1, UK 27, Virgin Islands (UK) 1


note: (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK defense is the responsibility of China
Military branches - no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) including elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,033,716 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 47,477 (2003 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July (1956) National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Chinese


adjective: Chinese
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) occasional typhoons
Natural resources NEGL outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar
Net migration rate 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 7.64 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] Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong [Jasper TSANG Yok-sing, chairman]; Democratic Party [Martin LEE Chu-ming, chairman]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood [leader NA]; Hong Kong Progressive Alliance [Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]; New Century Forum [NQ Ching-fai, chairman]


note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, Citizens Party, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party, New Century Forum
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions (pro-China) [LEE Chark-tim, president]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG Man-kwong, president]; Liberal Democratic Federation [HU Fa-kuang, chairman]
Population 23,552 (July 2007 est.) 7,394,170 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.923% (2007 est.) 1.22% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Hong Kong
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 7, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways - total: 34 km


standard gauge: 34 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified and double-tracked)


note: connects to China railway system at Hong Kong-China border (2001)
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) eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
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: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 100,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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 facilities provide excellent domestic and international services


domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 3.839 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 3.7 million (December 1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) 4 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (1997) 7.5% (2002 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.