Compare Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008) - Cook Islands (2007)

Compare Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008) z Cook Islands (2007)

	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2008)	Cook Islands (2007)

Administrative divisions	6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick	none
Age structure	0-14 years: 25.9% (male 15,596/female 15,027) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 41,259/female 38,620) 65 years and over: 6.5% (male 3,358/female 4,289) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)
Agriculture - products	bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish	copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports	6 (2007)	9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 236.7 sq km land: 236.7 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	twice the size of Washington, DC	1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Resistance by native Caribs prevented colonization on St. Vincent until 1719. Disputed between France and the United Kingdom for most of the 18th century, the island was ceded to the latter in 1783. Between 1960 and 1962, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was a separate administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in 1979.	Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Birth rate	16.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)
Budget	revenues: $94.6 million expenditures: $85.8 million (2000 est.)	revenues: $70.95 million expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
Capital	name: Kingstown geographic coordinates: 13 09 N, 61 14 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Avarua geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)	tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
Coastline	84 km	120 km
Constitution	27 October 1979	4 August 1965
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands
Death rate	5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	NA
Debt - external	$223 million (2004)	$141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status	-	self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international	joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea	none
Economic aid - recipient	$4.89 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (2005)	$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Economy - overview	Economic growth slowed slightly in 2007 after reaching a 10 year high of nearly 7% in 2006, but is expected to remain robust, hinging upon seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors and a recent increase in construction activity. This lower-middle-income country is vulnerable to natural disasters - tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002. In 2005, the islands had more than 160,000 tourist arrivals, mostly to the Grenadines. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high debt burden - 25 percent of current revenues are directed towards debt servicing.	Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
Electricity - consumption	107 million kWh (2005)	27.9 million kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	115 million kWh (2005)	30 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: La Soufriere 1,234 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Environment - current issues	pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%	Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Exchange rates	East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)	NZ dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets	copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners	France 26.2%, Greece 21.3%, Italy 18.9%, Russia 7.2%, UK 6.8% (2006)	Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern	blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 15.1% industry: 9.6% services: 75.3% (2004)
GDP - real growth rate	4.4% (2007 est.)	0.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates	13 15 N, 61 12 W	21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note	the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays	the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
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 drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation	-
Imports	1,468 bbl/day (2004)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels	foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners	Singapore 17.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.1%, US 11.1%, Italy 11%, Spain 9.5%, Turkey 4.6%, Germany 4.4% (2006)	NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2006)
Independence	27 October 1979 (from UK)	none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
Industrial production growth rate	-0.9% (1997 est.)	1% (2002)
Industries	food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch	fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	total: 14.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.25 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1% (2005 est.)	2.1% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO	ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Irrigated land	10 sq km (2003)	NA
Judicial branch	Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)	High Court
Labor force	41,680 (1991 est.)	6,820 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 26% industry: 17% services: 57% (1980 est.)	agriculture: 29% industry: 15% services: 56% (1995)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 17.95% permanent crops: 17.95% other: 64.1% (2005)	arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 8.33% other: 75% (2005)
Languages	English, French patois	English (official), Maori
Legal system	based on English common law	based on New Zealand law and English common law
Legislative branch	unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and six appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - ULP 55.3%, NDP 44.7%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3	bicameral Parliament consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (25 seats, 24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands, 1 seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 74.09 years male: 72.21 years female: 76.04 years (2007 est.)	total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.)	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	total: 582 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,598,917 GRT/8,255,014 DWT by type: bulk carrier 92, cargo 353, carrier 19, chemical tanker 4, container 17, liquefied gas 6, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 11, petroleum tanker 19, refrigerated cargo 31, roll on/roll off 21, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 536 (Austria 2, Bangladesh 1, Barbados 1, Belgium 9, Bulgaria 13, Canada 6, China 106, Croatia 7, Cyprus 3, Czech Republic 1, Denmark 16, Egypt 4, Estonia 20, France 7, Germany 3, Greece 81, Guyana 2, Hong Kong 7, Iceland 15, India 5, Iran 1, Israel 4, Italy 19, Kenya 2, Latvia 20, Lebanon 7, Lithuania 7, Malta 1, Monaco 6, Montenegro 1, Netherlands 5, Norway 19, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Poland 1, Portugal 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 19, Singapore 6, Slovenia 5, Sweden 2, Switzerland 12, Syria 11, Turkey 20, Ukraine 12, UAE 12, UK 9, US 21) (2007)	total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 112,129 GRT/126,160 DWT by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 11 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 9) (2007)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Military branches	no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Coast Guard (2007)	no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 27 October (1979)	Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality	noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian	noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards	hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat	typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources	hydropower, cropland	NEGL
Net migration rate	-7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
People - note	-	2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
Political parties and leaders	New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)	Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	118,149 (July 2007 est.)	21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.248% (2007 est.)	-1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions	Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, other (includes Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant) 12%	Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.068 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.783 male(s)/female total population: 1.039 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	NA years of age; universal (adult)
Telephone system	general assessment: adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines; mobile-cellular teledensity about 75 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 1-784; the East Caribbean Fiber Optic System (ECFS) and Southern Caribbean fiber optic system (SCF) submarine cables carry international calls; connectivity also provided by VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia	general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	22,600 (2006)	6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	87,600 (2006)	1,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2004)	1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Terrain	volcanic, mountainous	low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate	1.81 children born/woman (2007 est.)	3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)
Unemployment rate	15% (2001 est.)	13.1% (2005)

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