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Compare Virgin Islands (2003) - Christmas Island (2005)
Compare Virgin Islands (2003) z Christmas Island (2005)
| Virgin Islands (2003) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | none (territory of Australia) |
| 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.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
| Agriculture - products | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle | NA |
| Airports | 2 (2002) | 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | twice the size of Washington, DC | about three-quarters 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
| Birth rate | 15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
| Budget | revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
| Capital | Charlotte Amalie | The Settlement |
| Climate | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
| Coastline | 188 km | 138.9 km |
| Constitution | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
| Country name | conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
| Death rate | 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
| 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 | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA | 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future |
| Electricity - consumption | 957.9 million kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - production | 1.03 billion kWh (2001) | - |
| 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: Murray Hill 361 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% |
Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
| 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), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | NA (2001) | NA |
| Exports - commodities | refined petroleum products | phosphate |
| Exports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | Australia, NZ |
| Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | 1 July - 30 June |
| 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 flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | NA |
| Geographic coordinates | 18 20 N, 64 50 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 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 | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| 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) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Imports | NA (2001) | NA |
| Imports - commodities | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials | consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | principally Australia |
| Independence | - | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
| Industries | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| 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.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (1992) | - |
| International organization participation | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC | none |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 50 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA 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) | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | 49,000 (2002 est.) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) | NA |
| 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% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
| Languages | English (official), Spanish, Creole | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Legal system | based on US laws | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
| 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 Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.59 years
male: 74.73 years female: 82.68 years (2003 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
NA |
| Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 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 Australia |
| National holiday | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Nationality | noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
| Natural hazards | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Natural resources | sun, sand, sea, surf | phosphate, beaches |
| Net migration rate | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
| People - note | - | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
| Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| Population | 124,778 (July 2003 est.) | 361 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 1.02% (2003 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix | Flying Fish Cove |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Railways | 0 km | - |
| Religions | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| 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.) |
NA |
| 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: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 65,000 (1997) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,000 (1992) | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | 2 (2002) | NA |
| Terrain | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Total fertility rate | 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% (March 1999) | - |
| Waterways | none | - |
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