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Compare Nepal (2003) - British Virgin Islands (2004)

Compare Nepal (2003) z British Virgin Islands (2004)

 Nepal (2003)British Virgin Islands (2004)
 NepalBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 39.7% (male 5,424,396; female 5,080,171)


15-64 years: 56.7% (male 7,692,134; female 7,320,059)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 468,697; female 484,112) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 21.5% (male 2,402; female 2,361)


15-64 years: 73.5% (male 8,395; female 7,911)


65 years and over: 5% (male 594; female 524) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 45 (2002) 3 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 28 (2002)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km
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 island of Anegada
Area - comparative slightly larger than Arkansas about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Background In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified future date. First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 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 32.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 14.96 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 99/00 est.)
revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)
Capital Kathmandu Road Town
Climate varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 80 km
Constitution 9 November 1990 1 June 1977
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
Currency Nepalese rupee (NPR) US dollar (USD)
Death rate 9.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.55 billion (FY 00/01) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA


chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534


consulate(s) general: New York
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international joint border commission continues to work on small disputed sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents none
Economic aid - recipient $424 million (FY 00/01) NA
Economy - overview Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with 42% of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and carpet production, accounting for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted in 2001-02 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US have led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. Since 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements to simplify investment procedures, reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth. 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 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. 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, 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 1.764 billion kWh (2001) 35.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 95 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 227 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.755 billion kWh (2001) 38.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 8.5%


hydro: 91.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999)
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Environment - current issues deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions 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)
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
-
Ethnic groups Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995) black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
Exchange rates Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 77.88 (2002), 74.95 (2001), 71.09 (2000), 68.24 (1999), 65.98 (1998) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)


head of government: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur THAPA (since 4 June 2003); note - Prime Minister CHAND resigned 30 May 2003


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch


note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)


head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June 2003)


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


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 chief minister by the governor
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners India 47.5%, US 27.6%, Germany 7.5% (2002) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year 16 July - 15 July 1 April - 31 March
Flag description red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun 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 - $37.32 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 20%


services: 40% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -0.6% (2002 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 28 00 N, 84 00 E 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Geography - note landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Highways total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)
total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.2%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners India 21.2%, China 13%, UAE 11.1%, Singapore 8.5%, Hong Kong 5.9%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.1% (2002) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 8.7% (FY 99/00) NA
Industries tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 70.57 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 68.95 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 72.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2001 est.) 2.5% (2002)
International organization participation AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 6 (2000) -
Irrigated land 11,350 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council) 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 10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3% agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Land boundaries total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 20.27%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 79.24% (1998 est.)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2001)
Languages Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995) English (official)
Legal system based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction English law
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA)


note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1
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 four-year terms)


elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 59 years


male: 59.36 years


female: 58.63 years (2003 est.)
total population: 76.27 years


male: 75.24 years


female: 77.36 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 45.2%


male: 62.7%


female: 27.6% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA


female: NA
Location Southern Asia, between China and India Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT


by type: cargo 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: Norway 1


registered in other countries: 32 (2004 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $57.22 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.1% (FY02) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,674,014 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 17 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 303,222 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946) Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


adjective: Nepalese
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore NEGL
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president; Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary] 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 Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL also known as Prahanda, chairman; and chief negotiator, Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist]; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups NA
Population 26,469,569 (July 2003 est.) 22,187 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 42% (1995-96) NA
Population growth rate 2.26% (2003 est.) 2.06% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors none Road Town
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)
-
Religions Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%


note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
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%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network


domestic: NA


international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use 236,816 (January 2000) 11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 8,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998) 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Terrain Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 4.39 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 47% (2001 est.) 3% (1995)
Waterways none -
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