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Compare Swaziland (2007) - British Virgin Islands (2008)

Compare Swaziland (2007) z British Virgin Islands (2008)

 Swaziland (2007)British Virgin Islands (2008)
 SwazilandBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 40.3% (male 230,238/female 226,184)


15-64 years: 56.1% (male 304,899/female 331,036)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 15,870/female 24,839) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,410/female 2,337)


15-64 years: 74.5% (male 9,004/female 8,534)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 665/female 602) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 18 (2007) 3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2007)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
total: 153 sq km


land: 153 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, the world's last ruling monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection. First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Birth rate 26.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $977 million


expenditures: $1.034 billion (2006 est.)
revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
Capital name: Mbabane


geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
name: Road Town


geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate varies from tropical to near temperate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 80 km
Constitution signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006 13 June 2007
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland


local long form: Umbuso weSwatini


local short form: eSwatini
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
Death rate 30.35 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $484 million (2006 est.) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lynn ALLISON


embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE


chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002


FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa none
Economic aid - recipient $46.03 million (2005) $NA
Economy - overview In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS. The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption 1.3 billion kWh (2005) 41.85 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 872 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 460 million kWh (2005) 45 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Environment - current issues limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups African 97%, European 3% black 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed)
Exchange rates emalangeni per US dollar - 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)


head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
Exports NA bbl/day 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2006) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.9%


industry: 46.1%


services: 41.9% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.1% (2006 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 30 S, 31 30 E 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Geography - note landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.6%


highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering
Imports NA bbl/day 604.3 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2006) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Independence 6 September 1968 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 3.7% (FY95/96) NA%
Industries coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.7% (2006 est.) 2% (2005)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Irrigated land 500 sq km (2003) NA
Judicial branch High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force 300,000 (2006) 12,770 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
Land boundaries total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10.25%


permanent crops: 0.81%


other: 88.94% (2005)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
Languages English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official) English (official)
Legal system based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations English law
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 32.23 years


male: 31.84 years


female: 32.62 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


female: 78.07 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2007) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.7% (2006) -
National holiday Independence Day, 6 September (1968) Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Nationality noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards drought hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc NEGL
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president] Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,133,066


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
23,552 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 69% (2006) NA%
Population growth rate -0.337% (2007 est.) 1.923% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
-
Religions Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30% Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.921 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female


total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.055 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.105 male(s)/female


total population: 1.053 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 44,000 (2006) 11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 250,000 (2006) 8,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004) 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 3.43 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 40% (2006 est.) 3.6% (1997)
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