Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Eritrea (2004) - British Virgin Islands (2001)

Compare Eritrea (2004) z British Virgin Islands (2001)

 Eritrea (2004)British Virgin Islands (2001)
 EritreaBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub, Debubawi K'eyih Bahri, Gash Barka, Ma'akel, Semenawi Keyih Bahri none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 998,404; female 993,349)


15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,140,892; female 1,166,481)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 72,776; female 75,405) (2004 est.)
0-14 years:
22.77% (male 2,399; female 2,339)

15-64 years:
72.31% (male 7,741; female 7,309)

65 years and over:
4.92% (male 555; female 469) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 18 (2003 est.) 3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 13


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Area total: 121,320 sq km


land: 121,320 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
150 sq km

land:
150 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative slightly larger than Pennsylvania about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections. First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were soon after (1672) annexed by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Birth rate 39.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $235.7 million


expenditures: $375 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)
revenues:
$121.5 million

expenditures:
$115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital Asmara (formerly Asmera) Road Town
Climate hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km 80 km
Constitution the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented 1 June 1977
Country name conventional long form: State of Eritrea


conventional short form: Eritrea


local long form: Hagere Ertra


local short form: Ertra


former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
British Virgin Islands

abbreviation:
BVI
Currency nakfa (ERN) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $311 million (2000 est.) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI


embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara


mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara


telephone: [291] (1) 120004


FAX: [291] (1) 127584
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom


chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991


FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304


consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea Border Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but demarcation has been delayed, despite intense international intervention, by Ethiopian insistence that the decision ignored "human geography," made technical errors in the delimitation, and incorrectly awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, and other areas to Eritrea and Eritrea's insistence on not deviating from the commission's decision; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) continues to monitor a 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999 none
Economic aid - recipient $77 million (1999) $2.6 million (1995)
Economy - overview Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth. The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. 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. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1997. 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, is expected to make 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 dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption 205.1 million kWh (2001) 39.1 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh NA kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh NA kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 220.5 million kWh (2001) 42 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m


highest point: Soira 3,018 m
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mount Sage 521 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare 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 catchment)
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3% black 90%, white, Asian
Exchange rates nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - NA (2003), 13.9582 (2002), 11.3095 (2001), 9.5 (2000), 7.6 (1999) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)


election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA)

head of government:
Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995)

cabinet:
Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
Exports NA (2001) $6.2 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000) rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners Malaysia 65.1%, Italy 10.4%, France 4.4% (2003) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle 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)
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 12.4%


industry: 25.3%


services: 62.4% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
1.8%

industry:
6.2%

services:
92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 N, 39 00 E 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Geography - note strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993 strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Highways total: 4,010 km


paved: 874 km


unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)
total:
132 km

paved:
132 km

unpaved:
0 km (1997)
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
Imports NA (2001) $220 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000) building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners US 39.7%, Italy 19.1%, Turkey 6.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.7% (2003) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA 4% (1985)
Industries food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 75.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 83.03 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 12.3% (2003) 2% (2000)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 16 (2000)
Irrigated land 220 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts 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
Labor force NA (1999) 4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,626 km


border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 4.95%


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 95.02% (2001)
arable land:
20%

permanent crops:
7%

permanent pastures:
33%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
33% (1993 est.)
Languages Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages English (official)
Legal system primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law English law
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)


elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 52.7 years


male: 51.32 years


female: 54.12 years (2004 est.)
total population:
75.64 years

male:
74.74 years

female:
76.59 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 58.6%


male: 69.9%


female: 47.6% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
97.8% (1991 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan Caribbean, 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 fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
Merchant marine total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT


by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT

ships by type:
passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $77.9 million (2003) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 11.8% (2003) -
Military manpower - fit for military service NA (2004) -
National holiday Independence Day, 24 May (1993) Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality noun: Eritrean(s)


adjective: Eritrean
noun:
British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective:
British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards frequent droughts; locust swarms hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish NEGL
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2004 est.)
11.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it 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 pressure groups and leaders Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob] NA
Population 4,447,307 (July 2004 est.) 20,812 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 53% (1993/94) NA%
Population growth rate 2.57% (2004 est.) 2.22% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa) Road Town
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 9,000 (1997)
Railways total: 306 km


narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge


note: railway is being rebuilt; 117 km open (2003)
0 km
Religions Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: inadequate


domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)


international: country code - 291; note - international connections exist
general assessment:
worldwide telephone service

domestic:
NA

international:
submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use 38,100 (2003) 10,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Terrain dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 5.67 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA (2003 est.) 3% (1995)
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.