Compare Virgin Islands (2002) - Kiribati (2008)

Compare Virgin Islands (2002) z Kiribati (2008)

	Virgin Islands (2002)	Kiribati (2008)

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	3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Age structure	0-14 years: 26.7% (male 16,926; female 16,012) 15-64 years: 64.2% (male 35,801; female 43,443) 65 years and over: 9.1% (male 4,851; female 6,465) (2002 est.)	0-14 years: 38.2% (male 20,886/female 20,322) 15-64 years: 58.4% (male 31,083/female 31,884) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,554/female 2,088) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle	copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Airports	2 (2001)	19 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Area	total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km	total: 811 sq km land: 811 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
Area - comparative	twice the size of Washington, DC	four times the size of Washington, DC
Background	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.	The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.
Birth rate	15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	30.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)	revenues: $55.52 million expenditures: $59.71 million (FY05)
Capital	Charlotte Amalie	name: Tarawa geographic coordinates: 1 19 N, 172 58 E time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November	tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	188 km	1,143 km
Constitution	Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954	12 July 1979
Country name	conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies	conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati conventional short form: Kiribati local long form: Republic of Kiribati local short form: Kiribati note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss former: Gilbert Islands
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	8.12 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$10 million (1999 est.)
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	none (territory of the US)	the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of the US)	Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	$27.84 million largely from UK and Japan (2005)
Economy - overview	Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of 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 a small but growing component 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, support construction projects in the private sector, expand tourist facilities, reduce crime, and protect the environment.	A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. Private sector initiatives and a financial sector are in the early stages of development. Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China equals more than 10% of GDP. Remittances from seamen on merchant ships abroad account for more than $5 million each year. Kiribati receives around $15 million annually for the government budget from an Australian trust fund.
Electricity - consumption	948.6 million kWh (1999)	8.37 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (1999)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (1999)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	1.02 billion kWh (1999)	9 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Environment - current issues	lack of natural freshwater resources	heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	black 80%, white 15%, other 5% note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%	Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)
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 Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999) and Lieutenant Governor Gererd LUZ James II (since 5 January 1999) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor; percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John de Jongh 24.4%	chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President Teima ONORIO cabinet: 12-member cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for two more terms); election last held 17 October 2007 (next to be held in 2011); vice president appointed by the president election results: Anote TONG 63.7%, Nabuti MWEMWENIKARAWA 32.9%
Exports	$NA	0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	refined petroleum products	copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners	US, Puerto Rico	US 22.8%, Belgium 21.5%, Japan 14.3%, Samoa 7.8%, Australia 7.5%, Malaysia 6.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Denmark 4.6% (2006)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	NA
Flag description	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	the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean
GDP	purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 8.9% industry: 24.2% services: 66.8% (2004)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	0.3% (2005)
Geographic coordinates	18 20 N, 64 50 W	1 25 N, 173 00 E
Geography - note	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	21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru
Highways	total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US posession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2000)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	$NA	216.4 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports - partners	US, Puerto Rico	Australia 33%, Fiji 27.1%, Japan 18.1%, NZ 6.9% (2006)
Independence	-	12 July 1979 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	0.7% (1991 est.)
Industries	tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics	fishing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	9.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 46.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 51.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	NA%	0.5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation	ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC	ACP, ADB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	50 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	NA
Judicial branch	US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)	Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president
Labor force	48,356	7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)	agriculture: 2.7% industry: 32% services: 65.3% (2000)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.)	arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 47.95% other: 49.31% (2005)
Languages	English (official), Spanish, Creole	I-Kiribati, English (official)
Legal system	based on US laws	NA
Legislative branch	unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM NA, no party affiliation NA note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected	unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (46 seats; 44 members elected by popular vote, 1 ex officio member - the attorney general, 1 nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders (representing Banaba Island); to serve four-year terms) elections: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 22 August 2007 and the second round on 30 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, other 2 (includes attorney general)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.43 years male: 74.55 years female: 82.53 years (2002 est.)	total population: 62.45 years male: 59.41 years female: 65.63 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%	definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Location	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico	Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Oceania
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	total: 7 ships (1000 GRT or over) 28,435 GRT/42,682 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 3, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Malaysia 1, Singapore 1, Turkey 1) (2007)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ
Military branches	-	no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA
National holiday	Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)	Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Nationality	noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander	noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural) adjective: I-Kiribati
Natural hazards	several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes	typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level
Natural resources	sun, sand, sea, surf	phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Net migration rate	0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	0 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]	Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG] note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	123,498 (July 2002 est.)	107,817 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	1.04% (2002 est.)	2.235% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (may be inactive) (2002)
Radios	107,000 (1997)	-
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%	Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, other (includes Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, Church of God) 8% (1999)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2002 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.028 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.744 male(s)/female total population: 0.986 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA	general assessment: generally good quality national and international service domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati (Christmas Island); connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless service available in Tarawa since 1999 international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	62,000 (1997)	4,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2,000 (1992)	600 (2004)
Television broadcast stations	2 (2002)	1 (possibly inactive) (2002)
Terrain	mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land	mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Total fertility rate	2.24 children born/woman (2002 est.)	4.12 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	4.9% (March 1999)	2% official rate; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Waterways	none	5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2007)

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