Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) - Virgin Islands (2007)

Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) z Virgin Islands (2007)

	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003)	Virgin Islands (2007)

Administrative divisions	-	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: 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	-	fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Airports	none (2002)	2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands	total: 1,910 sq km land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Rhode Island	twice the size of Washington, DC
Background	The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.	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	-	13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	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	variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow	subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Coastline	NA km	188 km
Constitution	adopted 3 October 1985	Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Country name	conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none	conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies abbreviation: USVI
Death rate	-	6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$NA
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base	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	none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international	briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$NA
Economy - overview	Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.	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	-	926.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	-	996.1 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
Environment - current issues	NA	lack of natural freshwater resources
Ethnic groups	-	black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
Exchange rates	-	the US dollar is used
Executive branch	-	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
Exports - commodities	-	refined petroleum products
Exports - partners	-	US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Fiscal year	-	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)	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: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	54 30 S, 37 00 W	18 20 N, 64 50 W
Geography - note	the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia	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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	-	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	-	crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners	-	US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Independence	-	none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA%
Industries	-	tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Infant mortality rate	-	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)	-	2.2% (2003)
International organization participation	-	IOC, UPU
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	NA
Judicial branch	-	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	-	43,980 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005)
Languages	-	English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court	based on US laws
Legislative branch	-	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: 79.2 years male: 75.4 years female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90-95% est. male: NA% female: NA% (2005 est.)
Location	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references	Antarctic Region	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	defense is the responsibility of the US
National holiday	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)	Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Nationality	-	noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens) adjective: Virgin Islander
Natural hazards	the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism	several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Natural resources	fish	sun, sand, sea, surf
Net migration rate	-	-8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003 est.)	108,448 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA% (2002)
Population growth rate	-	-0.171% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Grytviken	-
Radio broadcast stations	0 (2003)	AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)
Religions	-	Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Sex ratio	-	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	-	18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken	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	-	71,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	80,300 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	0 (2003)	5 (2006)
Terrain	most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes	mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Total fertility rate	-	2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	6.2% (2004)
Waterways	none	-

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