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Compare Hong Kong (2006) - Virgin Islands (2007)
Compare Hong Kong (2006) z Virgin Islands (2007)
| Hong Kong (2006) | Virgin Islands (2007) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | 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: 13.5% (male 488,607/female 445,593)
15-64 years: 73.7% (male 2,495,679/female 2,620,336) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 413,031/female 477,186) (2006 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 | fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle |
| Airports | 3 (2006) | 2 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Area | total: 1,092 sq km
land: 1,042 sq km water: 50 sq km |
total: 1,910 sq km
land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km |
| Area - comparative | six times the size of Washington, DC | twice the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | 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. | 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 | 7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $31.31 billion
expenditures: $32.3 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2005 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
| Capital | - | 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 | subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November |
| Coastline | 733 km | 188 km |
| Constitution | Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 |
| Country name | 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 |
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI |
| Death rate | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | $72.04 billion (2005 est.) | $NA |
| Dependency status | special administrative region of China | 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 | chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2845-1598 |
none (territory of the US) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (special administrative region of China) | none (territory of the US) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
| Economy - overview | Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) 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 made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2005. | 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 | 39.22 billion kWh (2004) | 926.4 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports | 3.086 billion kWh (2004) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports | 9.84 billion kWh (2004) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - production | 37.3 billion kWh (2004) | 996.1 million kWh (2005) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m |
| Environment - current issues | air and water pollution from rapid urbanization | lack of natural freshwater resources |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Marine Dumping (associate member) | - |
| Ethnic groups | Chinese 95%, other 5% | black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) |
| Exchange rates | Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001) | the US dollar is used |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005) cabinet: Executive Council consists of 14 official members and 15 non-official members elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005; Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25 May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005 and 24 June 2005; TSANG was elected on 16 June 2005 to fill final two years of TUNG's term (next election to be held in March 2007) |
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 bbl/day | NA bbl/day |
| Exports - commodities | electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material | refined petroleum products |
| Exports - partners | China 45%, US 16.1%, Japan 5.3% (2005) | US, Puerto Rico (2006) |
| Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 October - 30 September |
| Flag description | red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center | 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: 0.1%
industry: 9.2% services: 90.6% (2005 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 7.3% (2005 est.) | 2% (2002 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 22 15 N, 114 10 E | 18 20 N, 64 50 W |
| Geography - note | more than 200 islands | 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 |
| Heliports | 3 (2006) | - |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people | - |
| Imports | NA bbl/day | NA bbl/day |
| Imports - commodities | raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported) | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials |
| Imports - partners | China 45%, Japan 11%, Taiwan 7.2%, Singapore 5.8%, US 5.1%, South Korea 4.4% (2005) | US, Puerto Rico (2006) |
| Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | none (territory of the US) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -0.6% (2005 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 2.95 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 3.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 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) | 0.9% (2005 est.) | 2.2% (2003) |
| International organization participation | APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO | IOC, UPU |
| Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
| Judicial branch | Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | 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 | 3.61 million (October 2005) | 43,980 (2004 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.9%, financing, insurance, and real estate 19.6%, transport and communications 7.1%, community and social services 18.8%
note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001) |
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005) |
| Languages | Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official | English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) |
| Legal system | based on English common law | based on US laws |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group 62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10, independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11, Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; non-voting LEGCO president 1 |
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: 81.59 years
male: 78.9 years female: 84.5 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 79.2 years
male: 75.4 years female: 83.22 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.) |
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | total: 924 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,838,025 GRT/51,957,682 DWT
by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 495, cargo 121, chemical tanker 44, container 133, liquefied gas 22, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 76, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 8 foreign-owned: 562 (Australia 1, Belgium 3, Canada 28, China 274, Denmark 6, Germany 6, Greece 27, Indonesia 4, Japan 67, South Korea 6, Norway 26, Philippines 16, Portugal 1, Singapore 24, Syria 1, Taiwan 6, UAE 2, UK 43, US 21) registered in other countries: 417 (Bahamas 8, Belize 8, Bermuda 10, Cambodia 15, China 7, Cyprus 1, France 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 2, Greece 1, Honduras 2, India 1, Liberia 37, Malaysia 14, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 7, Norway 55, Panama 169, Philippines 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 50, Taiwan 3, Tuvalu 8, unknown 7) (2006) |
- |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of China | defense is the responsibility of the US |
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes 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 - dollar figure | Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
| National holiday | 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 | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) |
| Nationality | noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong |
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
| Natural hazards | occasional typhoons | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes |
| Natural resources | outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar | sun, sand, sea, surf |
| Net migration rate | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Political parties and leaders | Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [MA Lik]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat]; Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing]; Liberal Party [James TIEN Pei-chun]
note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - ADPL, Democratic Party, Frontier Party; pro-Beijing - DAB, Liberal Party |
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Article 45 Concern Group (pro-democracy); Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries; Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong, executive councilor]; 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]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member] | NA |
| Population | 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.) | 108,448 (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% (2002) |
| Population growth rate | 0.59% (2006 est.) | -0.171% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) |
| Religions | eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10% | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 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 | 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 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies | 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
| Telephone system | general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services
domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network international: country code - 852; 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 |
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; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 3,794,600 (2005) | 71,700 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 8.693 million (2005) | 80,300 (2005) |
| Television broadcast stations | 55 low power stations
note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006) |
5 (2006) |
| Terrain | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land |
| Total fertility rate | 0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 6.2% (2004) |
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