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Compare Switzerland (2008) - British Virgin Islands (2003)

Compare Switzerland (2008) z British Virgin Islands (2003)

 Switzerland (2008)British Virgin Islands (2003)
 SwitzerlandBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 630,341/female 584,167)


15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,596,996/female 2,553,108)


65 years and over: 15.8% (male 489,895/female 700,154) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 21.9% (male 2,401; female 2,358)


15-64 years: 73.1% (male 8,181; female 7,709)


65 years and over: 5% (male 578; female 503) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 65 (2007) 3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 42


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 16 (2007)
total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 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 island of Anegada
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. 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 9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $155.5 billion


expenditures: $154.2 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $121.5 million


expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital name: Bern


geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Road Town
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 80 km
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 1 June 1977
Country name conventional long form: Swiss Confederation


conventional short form: Switzerland


local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)


local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
Currency - US dollar (USD)
Death rate 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.46 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $1.34 trillion (30 June 2007) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY


embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, CH-3001 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER


chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900


FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) -
Economic aid - recipient - NA%
Economy - overview Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05, and jumped to 2.9% in 2006, and 2.6% in 2007. Unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. 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 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. 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, is expected to make 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 dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption 58.26 billion kWh (2005) 35.43 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 32 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 38.35 billion kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 56.1 billion kWh (2005) 38.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m


highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council


head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008)


cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term


elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 12 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2008)


election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 80.0%; Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)


head of government: Chief Minister Orlando SMITH (since 17 June 2003)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from 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 or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Exports 11,360 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners Germany 19.7%, US 11.1%, Italy 8.8%, France 8.6%, UK 4.8% (2006) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag 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 - purchasing power parity - $320 million (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 34%


services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.6% (2007 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 18 30 N, 64 30 W
Geography - note landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Heliports 2 (2007) -
Highways - total: 177 km


paved: 177 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center
Imports 267,000 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners Germany 31.7%, Italy 10.6%, France 10%, US 6.2%, Netherlands 4.7%, Austria 4.3% (2006) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 6.5% (2006 est.) NA
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 18.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.6% (2007 est.) 2.5% (2002)
International organization participation ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 16 (2000)
Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) 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 3.85 million (2007 est.) 4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 4.6%


industry: 26.3%


services: 69.1% (1998)
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 9.91%


permanent crops: 0.58%


other: 89.51% (2005)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (1998 est.)
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)


note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages
English (official)
Legal system civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations English law
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)


elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13; note - seating for the Council of States as of December 2007 is CVP 16, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 2
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NDP 8, VIP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.62 years


male: 77.8 years


female: 83.59 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.06 years


male: 75.07 years


female: 77.1 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Europe Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims none (landlocked) exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine total: 32 ships (1000 GRT or over) 577,765 GRT/918,974 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, container 6, specialized tanker 1


registered in other countries: 121 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 2, Cyprus 3, France 3, Indonesia 3, Italy 5, Liberia 11, Malta 22, Marshall Islands 14, Panama 26, Paraguay 1, Portugal 2, Russia 6, Singapore 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 12, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 2) (2007)
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 19,203 GRT/28,864 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (2005 est.) -
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt NEGL
Net migration rate 2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 1,781 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2007) -
Political parties and leaders Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER]; and other minor parties 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 7,554,661 (July 2007 est.) 21,730 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.381% (2007 est.) 2.1% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors - Road Town
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways total: 4,839 km


standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) 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%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.079 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.969 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female


total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services


domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use 5.04 million (2006) 10,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 7.418 million (2006) NA
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 1.44 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.1% (2007 est.) 3% (1995)
Waterways 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003) none
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