Compare Sao Tome and Principe (2006) - Virgin Islands (2004)

Compare Sao Tome and Principe (2006) z Virgin Islands (2004)

	Sao Tome and Principe (2006)	Virgin Islands (2004)

Administrative divisions	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995	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: 47.5% (male 46,478/female 45,302) 15-64 years: 48.8% (male 45,631/female 48,661) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 3,368/female 3,973) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 23.8% (male 13,116; female 12,770) 15-64 years: 66% (male 33,944; female 37,870) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 4,855; female 6,220) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish	fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Airports	2 (2006)	2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km
Area - comparative	more than five times the size of Washington, DC	twice the size of Washington, DC
Background	Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.	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	40.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $26.39 million expenditures: $59.48 million; including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.)	revenues: $560 expenditures: NA (2003)
Capital	name: Sao Tome geographic coordinates: 0 12 N, 6 39 E time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Charlotte Amalie
Climate	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)	subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November
Coastline	209 km	188 km
Constitution	approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990	Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Country name	conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe	conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies
Currency	-	US dollar (USD)
Death rate	6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$318 million (2002)	NA
Dependency status	-	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	the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands	none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA chancery: 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 317-0580 FAX: [1] (212) 935-7348 consulate(s): Atlanta	none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program	NA
Economy - overview	This small, poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, and is expected to benefit from an additional round of HIPC debt relief in early 2006, to help bring down the country's $300 million debt burden. In August 2005, Sao Tome signed on to a new 3-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program worth $4.3 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria. The first production licenses were sold in 2004, though a dispute over licensing with Nigeria delayed Sao Tome's receipt of more than $20 million in signing bonuses for almost a year. Real GDP growth reached 6% in 2004, and also probably in 2005, as a result of increases in public expenditures and oil-related capital investment.	Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject 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	13.95 million kWh (2003)	957.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	15 million kWh (2003)	1.03 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion	lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	-
Ethnic groups	mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)	black 78%, white 10%, other 12% note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%, other 2%
Exchange rates	dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2005), (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001)	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Tome Soares da VERA CRUZ (since 21 April 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 30 July 2006 (next to be held July 2011); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president; percent of vote - Fradique DE MENEZES 60%, Patrice TROVOADA 38.5%	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de JONGH 24.4%
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil	refined petroleum products
Exports - partners	Netherlands 61.1%, Belgium 9.2%, Turkey 5.5%, South Korea 4% (2005)	US, Puerto Rico
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia	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	-	purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 16.7% industry: 14.8% services: 68.4% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	6% (2004 est.)	2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	1 00 N, 7 00 E	18 20 N, 64 50 W
Geography - note	the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous	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
Highways	-	total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products	crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners	UK 94.2%, Portugal 2.7%, US 1% (2005)	US, Puerto Rico
Independence	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	NA
Industries	light construction, textiles, soap, beer, fish processing, timber	tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Infant mortality rate	total: 41.83 deaths/1,000 live births male: 43.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 39.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	15.2% (2005 est.)	2.2% (2003)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)	Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
Irrigated land	100 sq km (2003)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)	US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
Labor force	35,050	48,900 (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	note: population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; shortages of skilled workers	agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 8.33% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 42.71% (2005)	arable land: 11.76% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 85.29% (2001)
Languages	Portuguese (official)	English (official), Spanish, Creole
Legal system	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on US laws
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 26 March 2006 (next to be held March 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - MDFM-PCD 37.2%, MLSTP 28.9%, ADI 20.0%, NR 4.7%, other 9.2%; seats by party - MDFM-PCD 23, MLSTP 19, ADI 12, NR 1	unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 67.31 years male: 65.73 years female: 68.95 years (2006 est.)	total population: 78.75 years male: 74.91 years female: 82.82 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)	definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Location	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references	Africa	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 21,527 GRT/29,823 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 7 foreign-owned: 3 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Lebanon 1) (2006)	none
Military - note	Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resources at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as initial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is exercised from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)	defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches	Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$581,729 (2005 est.)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.8% (2005 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 12 July (1975)	Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Nationality	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean	noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander
Natural hazards	NA	several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Natural resources	fish, hydropower	sun, sand, sea, surf
Net migration rate	-2.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement or MDFM; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition; other small parties	Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	193,413 (July 2006 est.)	108,775 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	54% (2004 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	3.15% (2006 est.)	-0.05% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)	AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)
Religions	Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)	Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system	general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: NA domestic: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA
Telephones - main lines in use	7,000 (2004)	69,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	12,000 (2005)	41,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	2 (2002)	2 (2002)
Terrain	volcanic, mountainous	mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Total fertility rate	5.62 children born/woman (2006 est.)	2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	9.3% (2003 est.)

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