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Compare Sri Lanka (2003) - Virgin Islands (2006)

Compare Sri Lanka (2003) z Virgin Islands (2006)

 Sri Lanka (2003)Virgin Islands (2006)
 Sri LankaVirgin Islands
Administrative divisions 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern 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: 25.2% (male 2,543,336; female 2,431,223)


15-64 years: 67.9% (male 6,518,145; female 6,890,424)


65 years and over: 6.9% (male 641,708; female 717,603) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 12,261/female 12,056)


15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,174/female 37,949)


65 years and over: 11.2% (male 5,385/female 6,780) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Airports 15 (2002) 2 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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Area total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
total: 1,910 sq km


land: 346 sq km


water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia twice the size of Washington, DC
Background The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam began a ceasefire in December 2001, with Norway brokering peace negotiations. 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 16.12 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 13.96 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.8 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
Capital Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative 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 tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Coastline 1,340 km 188 km
Constitution adopted 16 August 1978 Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


former: Serendib, Ceylon
conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies


abbreviation: USVI
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) -
Death rate 6.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $9.8 billion (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 chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS


embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3


mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo


telephone: [94] (1) 448007


FAX: [94] (1) 437345
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE



chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)


FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $577 million (1998) $NA
Economy - overview In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to 3.2% in 2002. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a year. 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 small but growing components 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 5.915 billion kWh (2001) 967.3 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 6.36 billion kWh (2001) 1.04 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 51.7%


hydro: 48.3%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
-
Ethnic groups Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
Exchange rates Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 95.66 (2002), 89.38 (2001), 77.01 (2000), 70.64 (1999), 64.45 (1998) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)


election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
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 Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999)


cabinet: NA


elections: under the US Consitution, 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 and takes office in January 2007; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products refined petroleum products
Exports - partners US 39.1%, UK 12.9%, Belgium 4.7%, Germany 4.5% (2002) US, Puerto Rico (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels 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 - $73.7 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 20%


industry: 26%


services: 54% (2001)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 3.2% (2002 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 81 00 E 18 20 N, 64 50 W
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes 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: 96,695 km


paved: 91,860 km


unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners India 11%, Hong Kong 7.6%, Singapore 7.1%, China 6.3%, Taiwan 5.9%, South Korea 5.7%, Japan 5.3%, Iran 4.2% (2002) US, Puerto Rico (2004)
Independence 4 February 1948 (from UK) -
Industrial production growth rate 1.1% (2002) NA%
Industries rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Infant mortality rate total: 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 7.86 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.6% (2002 est.) 2.2% (2003)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO IOC, UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 5 (2000) -
Irrigated land 6,510 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president 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 6.6 million (1998) 43,980 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.) agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 13.43%


permanent crops: 15.78%


other: 70.79% (1998 est.)
arable land: 5.71%


permanent crops: 2.86%


other: 91.43% (2005)
Languages Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%


note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
Legal system a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on US laws
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)


elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, TNA 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, TNA 15, PLOTE 1
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); results - Donna M. CHRISTENSEN (Democrat) reelected
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.62 years


male: 70.09 years


female: 75.29 years (2003 est.)
total population: 79.05 years


male: 75.24 years


female: 83.09 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.3%


male: 94.8%


female: 90% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90-95% est.


male: NA%


female: NA% (2005 est.)
Location Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 62,157 GRT/84,898 DWT


ships by type: cargo 13, container 1, petroleum tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, UAE 1 (2002 est.)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $719 million (FY98) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY98) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 5,383,661 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 4,172,921 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 186,691 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 4 February (1948) Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Nationality noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)


adjective: Virgin Islander
Natural hazards occasional cyclones and tornadoes several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Natural resources limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower sun, sand, sea, surf
Net migration rate -1.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -8.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987) -
Political parties and leaders All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups NA
Population 19,742,439 (2003 est.)


note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of yearend 2000, approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2003 est.)
108,605 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1997 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 0.83% (2003 est.) -0.12% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee -
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2006)
Railways total: 1,508 km


broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2002)
-
Religions Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999) Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)


domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)


international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
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 494,509 (1998) 70,900 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular 228,604 (1999) 64,200 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 21 (1997) 5 (2006)
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Total fertility rate 1.9 children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.17 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 8% (2002) 6.2% (2004)
Waterways 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft) -
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