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Compare Comoros (2005) - Virgin Islands (2008)

Compare Comoros (2005) z Virgin Islands (2008)

 Comoros (2005)Virgin Islands (2008)
 ComorosVirgin Islands
Administrative divisions 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488)


65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Airports 4 (2004 est.) 2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 2,170 sq km


land: 2,170 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,910 sq km


land: 346 sq km


water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC twice the size of Washington, DC
Background Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May of 2002. During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
Birth rate 37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
Capital Moroni name: Charlotte Amalie


geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Coastline 340 km 188 km
Constitution 23 December 2001 Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Country name conventional long form: Union of the Comoros


conventional short form: Comoros


local long form: Union des Comores


local short form: Comores
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies


abbreviation: USVI
Death rate 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $232 million (2000 est.) $NA
Dependency status - organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)


chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711


FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte none
Economic aid - recipient $10 million (2001 est.) $NA
Economy - overview One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.
Electricity - consumption 22.17 million kWh (2002) 926.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 23.84 million kWh (2002) 996.1 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
Exchange rates Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000)


note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002


election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)


cabinet: NA


elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)


election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
Exports NA 397,400 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra refined petroleum products
Exports - partners US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004) US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 10 S, 44 15 E 18 20 N, 64 50 W
Geography - note important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
Highways total: 880 km


paved: 673 km


unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA 493,000 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004) US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries tourism, perfume distillation tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Infant mortality rate total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2001 est.) 2.2% (2003)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO IOC, UPU
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic) US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
Labor force 144,500 (1996 est.) 43,980 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 35.87%


permanent crops: 23.32%


other: 40.81% (2001)
arable land: 5.71%


permanent crops: 2.86%


other: 91.43% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
Legal system French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code based on US laws
Legislative branch unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);


elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: NA
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3


note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 61.96 years


male: 59.65 years


female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)
total population: 79.2 years


male: 75.4 years


female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 56.5%


male: 63.6%


female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90-95% est.


male: NA%


female: NA% (2005 est.)
Location Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches Comoran Security Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $11.6 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2004) -
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Nationality noun: Comoran(s)


adjective: Comoran
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)


adjective: Virgin Islander
Natural hazards cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Natural resources NEGL sun, sand, sea, surf
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 671,247 (July 2005 est.) 108,448 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2002 est.) 28.9% (2002)
Population growth rate 2.91% (2005 est.) -0.171% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Mayotte, Moutsamoudou -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female


total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations


domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
general assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: full range of services available


international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable connections to US, the Caribbean, Central and South America; satellite earth stations - NA
Telephones - main lines in use 13,200 (2003) 71,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (2003) 80,300 (2005)
Television broadcast stations NA 5 (2006)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Total fertility rate 5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 6.2% (2004)
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