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

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

 British Virgin Islands (2008)Swaziland (2002)
 British Virgin IslandsSwaziland
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
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: 45.5% (male 254,573; female 256,677)


15-64 years: 51.9% (male 281,645; female 301,071)


65 years and over: 2.6% (male 12,027; female 17,612) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 3 (2007) 18 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (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: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than New Jersey
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. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy.
Birth rate 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 39.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
revenues: $448 million


expenditures: $506.9 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (FY01/02 )
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)
Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 80 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 13 June 2007 none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12 April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland
Currency - lilangeni (SZL)
Death rate 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 23.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $336 million (2001 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 James D. McGEE


embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA


chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683


FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
Disputes - international none Swaziland continues to press South Africa into ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $NA $104 million (2001)
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. In this small landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. Prospects for 2002 are strengthened by the country's status as a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative.
Electricity - consumption 41.85 million kWh (2005) 900.66 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 564 million kWh


note: supplied by South Africa (2000)
Electricity - production 45 million kWh (2005) 362 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 56%


hydro: 44%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 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) limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) African 97%, European 3%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used emalangeni per US dollar - 11.5808 (January 2002), 8.4933 (2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032 (1997); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand; emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni
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: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Sibusiso Barnabas DLAMINI (since 9 August 1996)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $702 million f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) South Africa 72%, EU 12%, UK 6%, Mozambique 4%, US 4% (1999)
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) three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP - purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 10%


industry: 43%


services: 47% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 2.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Highways - total: 3,800 km


paved: 1,064 km


unpaved: 2,736 km (2002)
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 604.3 bbl/day (2004) $850 million f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) South Africa 89%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2% (2000)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel
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.)
109.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2005) 7.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 6 (2001)
Irrigated land NA 690 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 High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force 12,770 (2004) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
NA
Land boundaries 0 km total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
arable land: 9.77%


permanent crops: 0.7%


other: 89.53% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official) English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system English law based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


female: 78.07 years (2007 est.)
total population: 37 years


male: 36.35 years


female: 37.66 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: 78.3%


male: 78%


female: 78.4% (1999 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal Swaziland Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $20 million (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 4.75% (FY00/01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 253,510 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 146,805 (2002 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July (1956) Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) drought
Natural resources NEGL asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations - Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 23,552 (July 2007 est.) 1,123,605


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.923% (2007 est.) 1.63% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios - 170,000 (1999)
Railways - total: 297 km


narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge


note: includes 71 km which are not in use (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) Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
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: 0.99 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age
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: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 38,500 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 45,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (1997) 34% (2000 est.)
Waterways - none
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