Compare Virgin Islands (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)

Compare Virgin Islands (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)

	Virgin Islands (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2007)

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	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 26% (male 16,685; female 15,794) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 36,241; female 44,157) 65 years and over: 9.5% (male 5,078; female 6,823) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle	-
Airports	2 (2002)	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 352 sq km land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative	twice the size of Washington, DC	land area is about 0.3 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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $364.4 million expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)	-
Capital	Charlotte Amalie	-
Climate	subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	188 km	698 km
Constitution	Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954	-
Country name	conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$NA	-
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	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of the US)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of the US)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	none	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	-
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.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption	957.9 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	1.03 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	lack of natural freshwater resources	NA
Ethnic groups	black 78%, white 10%, other 12% note: West Indian 81% (49% born in the Virgin Islands and 32% born elsewhere in the West Indies), US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 4%, other 2%	-
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	-
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 Vargrave RICHARDS (since NA January 2003) 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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	refined petroleum products	-
Exports - partners	US, Puerto Rico	-
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	-
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	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	2% (2001 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	18 20 N, 64 50 W	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 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	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Highways	total: 856 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: the only US possession 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%	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials	-
Imports - partners	US, Puerto Rico	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 9 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2% (1992)	-
International organization participation	ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	50 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	0 sq km
Judicial branch	US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)	-
Labor force	49,000 (2002 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 15% permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Languages	English (official), Spanish, Creole	-
Legal system	based on US laws	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.59 years male: 74.73 years female: 82.68 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	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	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
National holiday	Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)	-
Nationality	noun: Virgin Islander(s) adjective: Virgin Islander	-
Natural hazards	several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes	NA
Natural resources	sun, sand, sea, surf	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	124,778 (July 2003 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	1.02% (2003 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 0 (1998)
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%	-
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: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	-
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: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	65,000 (1997)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	2,000 (1992)	-
Television broadcast stations	2 (2002)	1 (1997)
Terrain	mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	4.9% (March 1999)	-
Waterways	none	-

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