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Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) - Liberia (2001)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2008) z Liberia (2001)

 British Virgin Islands (2008)Liberia (2001)
 British Virgin IslandsLiberia
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 13 counties; Bomi, Bong, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, Sinoe
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:
43.21% (male 698,178; female 695,599)

15-64 years:
53.34% (male 840,103; female 880,403)

65 years and over:
3.45% (male 56,073; female 55,481) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber
Airports 3 (2007) 46 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total:
2

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total:
44

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
5

under 914 m:
36 (2000 est.)
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:
111,370 sq km

land:
96,320 sq km

water:
15,050 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Tennessee
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. Seven years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1996 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. The years of fighting coupled with the flight of most businesses have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country.
Birth rate 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 46.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
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)
Monrovia
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers
Coastline 80 km 579 km
Constitution 13 June 2007 6 January 1986
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form:
Republic of Liberia

conventional short form:
Liberia
Currency - Liberian dollar (LRD)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 16.36 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $3 billion (1999 est.)
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 Bismarck MYRICK

embassy:
111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, Monrovia

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[231] 226-370 through 226-380

FAX:
[231] 226-148
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador William BULL

chancery:
5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:
[1] (202) 723-0437

FAX:
[1] (202) 723-0436

consulate(s) general:
New York
Disputes - international none large refugee population from civil war in Sierra Leone
Economic aid - recipient $NA $200 million pledged (1998)
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. A civil war in 1989-96 destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some returned during 1997. Many will not return. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products, while local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The democratically elected government, installed in August 1997, inherited massive international debts and currently relies on revenues from its maritime registry to provide the bulk of its foreign exchange earnings. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies of the new government, including the encouragement of foreign investment. Recent growth has been from a low base, and continued growth will require major policy successes.
Electricity - consumption 41.85 million kWh (2005) 401.8 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 45 million kWh (2005) 432 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Wuteve 1,380 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) tropical rain forest subject to deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Liberian dollars per US dollar - 39.8100 (December 2000), 41.0483 (2000), 41.9025 (1999), 41.5075 (1998), 1.0000 (officially fixed rate 1940-97); market exchange rate: Liberian dollars per US dollar - 40 (December 1998), 50 (October 1995)

note:
until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market determined
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 Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA July 2003)

election results:
Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $55 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand diamonds, iron ore, rubber, timber, coffee, cocoa
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) Belgium 53%, Switzerland 9%, US 6%, France 4% (1999)
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) 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.35 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture:
60%

industry:
10%

services:
30% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 15% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 6 30 N, 9 30 W
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico -
Highways - total:
10,600 km

paved:
657 km

unpaved:
9,943 km

note:
(there is major deterioration on all highways due to heavy rains and lack of maintenance) (1996 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 increasingly a transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets
Imports 604.3 bbl/day (2004) $170 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; rice and other foodstuffs
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) South Korea 30%, Italy 24%, Japan 15%, Germany 9% (1999)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 26 July 1847
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center rubber processing, palm oil processing, diamonds
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.)
132.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2005) 5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 20 sq km (1993 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
Labor force 12,770 (2004) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
1,585 km

border countries:
Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
3%

permanent pastures:
59%

forests and woodland:
18%

other:
19% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official) English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Legal system English law dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
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
bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA 2003)

election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note - the Alliance of Political Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the Liberia Unification Party or LUP
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


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

male:
49.96 years

female:
52.91 years (2001 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:
38.3%

male:
53.9%

female:
22.4% (1995 est.)

note:
these figures are increasing because of the improving school system
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea:
200 NM
Merchant marine - total:
1,478 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 49,456,361 GRT/76,620,648 DWT

ships by type:
barge carrier 3, bulk 324, cargo 97, chemical tanker 163, combination bulk 20, combination ore/oil 38, container 245, liquefied gas 97, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 24, petroleum tanker 310, refrigerated cargo 74, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 45

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 8, Australia 1, Ashmore and Cartier Islands 1, Austria 5, Bermuda 5, Belgium 5, Burma 1, Brazil 8, Canada 1, China 28, Chile 7, Costa Rica 8, Cyprus 27, Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Germany 117, Greece 83, Hong Kong 54, Croatia 9, Indonesia 2, India 8, Israel 1, Italy 8, Japan 85, South Korea 8, Latvia 15, Monaco 28, Mexico 6, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Netherlands 7, Norway 86, Netherlands Antilles 1, NZ 1, Poland 2, Portugal 2, Philippines 1, Russia 22, Saudi Arabia 20, South Africa 1, Slovenia 1, Singapore 30, Spain 1, Sweden 8, Switzerland 23, UAE 5, Taiwan 10, UK 15, US 85, Uruguay 1, Vietnam 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Air Force, Navy
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $1 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
715,753 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
385,460 (2001 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July (1956) Independence Day, 26 July (1847)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun:
Liberian(s)

adjective:
Liberian
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)
Natural resources NEGL iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower
Net migration rate 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note:
by the end of 1999, all Liberian refugees, who had fled the domestic strife, were assumed to have returned
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] All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Lusinee KAMARA]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [Cletus WOTORSON]; Liberian National Union or LINU [Henry MONIBA, chairman]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Togba-Nah TIPOTEH, chairman]; National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [Isaac DAKINAH]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Charles Ghankay TAYLOR] - governing party; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Chea CHEAPOO, chairman]; Reformation Alliance Party or RAP [Henry Boimah FAHNBULLEH, chairman]; True Whig Party or TWP [Rudolph SHERMAN, chairman]; United People's Party or UPP [Gabriel Baccus MATTHEWS, chairman]; Unity Party or UP [Charles Clarke]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 23,552 (July 2007 est.) 3,225,837 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 80%
Population growth rate 1.923% (2007 est.) 1.92% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 0, FM 6, shortwave 4 (1999)
Radios - 790,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
490 km (328 km single track); note - three rail systems owned and operated by foreign steel and financial interests in conjunction with the Liberian Government; one of these, the Lamco Railroad, closed in 1989 after iron ore production ceased; the other two were shut down by the civil war; large sections of the rail lines have been dismantled; approximately 60 km of railroad track was exported for scrap

standard gauge:
345 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
145 km 1.067-m gauge
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) indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%
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 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 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:
telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 6,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 0 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) 2 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2000)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) 6.36 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (1997) 70%
Waterways - none
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