Svalbard (2005) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,202; female 3,094)
15-64 years: 63.7% (male 6,484; female 5,848) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 321; female 401) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 4 (2004 est.) | 8 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than West Virginia | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 23.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | Longyearbyen | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 3,587 km | 389 km |
Constitution | - | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) | $4.1 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox. | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002 but appeared to be picking up at yearend. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 4.65 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Ethnic groups | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) | black 90%, mixed, European, or north American 10% |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001) and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the 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 is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $NA | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | - | US, UK |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Norway is used | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 78 00 N, 20 00 E | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
Geography - note | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $NA | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | - | US, UK |
Independence | none (territory of Norway) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 16.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4% (1995) |
International organization participation | none | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 14 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court |
Labor force | NA | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (2001) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Norwegian, Russian | English (official) |
Legal system | NA | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 74 years
male: 71.82 years female: 76.3 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
Map references | Arctic Region | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920 | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | NA | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | - | noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 12.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
Political parties and leaders | - | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 2,701 (July 2005 est.) | 19,350 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.02% (2005 est.) | 3.14% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
Sex ratio | NA% | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 3,000 (1994) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
Terrain | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 3.15 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |