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Compare Virgin Islands (2002) - South Africa (2001)

Compare Virgin Islands (2002) z South Africa (2001)

 Virgin Islands (2002)South Africa (2001)
 Virgin IslandsSouth Africa
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 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
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:
32.01% (male 7,023,639; female 6,928,559)

15-64 years:
63.11% (male 13,264,654; female 14,244,484)

65 years and over:
4.88% (male 798,914; female 1,325,847) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 2 (2001) 741 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
total:
142

over 3,047 m:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
47

914 to 1,523 m:
71

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
599

1,524 to 2,437 m:
33

914 to 1,523 m:
304

under 914 m:
262 (2000 est.)
Area total: 352 sq km


land: 349 sq km


water: 3 sq km
total:
1,219,912 sq km

land:
1,219,912 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
Birth rate 15.85 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $364.4 million


expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
revenues:
$31.1 billion

expenditures:
$34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY01/02)
Capital Charlotte Amalie Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 188 km 2,798 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies
conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa

conventional short form:
South Africa

former:
Union of South Africa

abbreviation:
RSA
Currency US dollar (USD) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 5.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $25.6 billion (2000 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) chief of mission:
Ambassador Delano E. LEWIS, Sr.

embassy:
877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address:
P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone:
[27] (12) 342-1048

FAX:
[27] (12) 342-2244

consulate(s) general:
Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of the US) chief of mission:
Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU

chancery:
3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-4400

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $NA $676.3 million
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. South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) 172.393 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 3.884 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 2.457 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) 186.903 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
92.74%

hydro:
0.39%

nuclear:
6.87%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, 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%
black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used rand per US dollar - 7.60 (March 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996)
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 Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004)

election results:
Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

note:
ANC-IFP governing coalition
Exports $NA $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September 1 April - 31 March
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 two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

note:
prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.8 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $369 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture:
5%

industry:
30%

services:
65% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 29 00 S, 24 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 South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
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)
total:
358,596 km

paved:
59,753 km (including 1927 km of expressways)

unpaved:
298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
1.1%

highest 10%:
45.9% (1994)
Illicit drugs - transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana
Imports $NA $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico Germany, US, UK, Japan
Independence - 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2.4% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 9.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 60.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 5.3% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 50 (2000) 44 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 48,356 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
4,750 km

border countries:
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land: 15%


permanent crops: 6%


other: 79% (1998 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
67%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
15% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official), Spanish, Creole 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system based on US laws based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution

elections:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.43 years


male: 74.55 years


female: 82.53 years (2002 est.)
total population:
48.09 years

male:
47.64 years

female:
48.56 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
81.8%

male:
81.9%

female:
81.7% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650 GRT/268,604 DWT

ships by type:
container 6, petroleum tanker 2 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches - South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $2 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.5% (FY99/00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
11,469,812 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
6,977,328 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
466,399 (2001 est.)
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun:
South African(s)

adjective:
South African
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes prolonged droughts
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP) [Anthony LEON, leader]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 123,498 (July 2002 est.) 43,586,097

note:
South Africa took a census October 1996 which showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); 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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 1.04% (2002 est.) 0.26% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 107,000 (1997) 13.75 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
21,431 km

narrow gauge:
20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
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:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 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:
the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa

domestic:
consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international:
2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 62,000 (1997) 5.075 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (1992) over 2,000,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2002) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.24 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.9% (March 1999) 30% (2000 est.)
Waterways none NA
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