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Compare Jamaica (2004) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)

Compare Jamaica (2004) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)

 Jamaica (2004)British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)
 JamaicaBritish Indian Ocean Territory
Administrative divisions 14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland


note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation
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Age structure 0-14 years: 28.2% (male 390,966; female 372,961)


15-64 years: 65% (male 883,053; female 880,296)


65 years and over: 6.9% (male 82,788; female 103,066) (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables, poultry, goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks -
Airports 35 (2003 est.) 1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)
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Area total: 10,991 sq km


land: 10,831 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total: 54,400 sq km


land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km


water: 54,340 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Political violence marred elections during the 1990s. Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate 16.94 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Budget revenues: $2.596 billion


expenditures: $3.111 billion, including capital expenditures of $236 million (2003 est.)
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Capital Kingston -
Climate tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline 1,022 km 698 km
Constitution 6 August 1962 -
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Jamaica
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
Currency Jamaican dollar (JMD) -
Death rate 5.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Debt - external $4.962 billion (2003 est.) -
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB


embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859


FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY


chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660


FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient $16 million (2003) -
Economy - overview The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for 70% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. The global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy rebounded moderately in 2003, with one of the best tourist seasons on record. But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding, exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade deficit; large-scale unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The ratio of debt to GDP is close to 150%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Depressed economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government faces the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth. All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption 5.833 billion kWh (2001) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) -
Electricity - production 6.272 billion kWh (2001) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions NA
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Ethnic groups black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1% -
Exchange rates Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 57.7409 (2003), 48.4159 (2002), 45.9962 (2001), 42.7011 (2000), 39.0435 (1999) -
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)


head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports NA (2001) -
Exports - commodities alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels -
Exports - partners US 29.6%, UK 11%, Canada 10.8%, France 7.9%, Norway 6.8%, Germany 6.2%, China 6%, Netherlands 4.4% (2003) -
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March -
Flag description diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side) white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.61 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6.7%


industry: 37.2%


services: 56.2% (2003 est.)
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GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.9% (2003 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 18 15 N, 77 30 W 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Geography - note strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Highways total: 18,700 km


paved: 13,109 km


unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.7%


highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)
-
Illicit drugs major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions -
Imports NA (2001) -
Imports - commodities food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials -
Imports - partners US 39.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.7%, Germany 5.6%, Venezuela 4.5%, France 4.5%, Japan 4.2% (2003) -
Independence 6 August 1962 (from UK) -
Industrial production growth rate -2% (2000 est.) -
Industries tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearing apparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications -
Infant mortality rate total: 12.81 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
-
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10.3% (2003 est.) -
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO -
Irrigated land 250 sq km (1998 est.) 0 sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal -
Labor force 1.13 million (2003) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 21%, industry 19%, services 60% (1998) -
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 16.07%


permanent crops: 10.16%


other: 73.77% (2001)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
Languages English, patois English -
Legal system based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26
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Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.07 years


male: 74.04 years


female: 78.21 years (2004 est.)
-
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 87.9%


male: 84.1%


female: 91.6% (2003 est.)
-
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Political Map of the World
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWT


by type: bulk 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, short-sea/passenger 1


foreign-owned: Greece 2, Iceland 1, Latvia 1, United States 2 (2004 est.)
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Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $31 million (2003) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.4% (2003) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 764,266 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 533,768 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 27,126 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962) -
Nationality noun: Jamaican(s)


adjective: Jamaican
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Natural hazards hurricanes (especially July to November) NA
Natural resources bauxite, gypsum, limestone coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate -4.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Political parties and leaders Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON] -
Political pressure groups and leaders New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists) -
Population 2,713,130 (July 2004 est.) no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
Population below poverty line 19.7% (2002 est.) -
Population growth rate 0.66% (2004 est.) -
Ports and harbors Alligator Pond, Discovery Bay, Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Rocky Point, Port Esquivel (Longswharf) -
Radio broadcast stations AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 272 km


standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge


note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)
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Religions Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7% -
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
-
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal -
Telephone system general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 444,400 (2002) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.4 million (2002) -
Television broadcast stations 7 (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate 1.98 children born/woman (2004 est.) -
Unemployment rate 15.9% (2003 est.) -
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