Virgin Islands (2003) | Finland (2002) | |
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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 | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani |
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: 17.9% (male 471,920; female 454,082)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,752,493; female 1,717,544) 65 years and over: 15.2% (male 306,216; female 481,290) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle | barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish |
Airports | 2 (2002) | 160 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 74
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 12 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 76
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 72 (2002) |
Area | total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
total: 337,030 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km water: 31,560 sq km |
Area - comparative | twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Montana |
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. | Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and fend off invasions by the Soviet Union and Germany. In the subsequent half century, the Finns have made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999. |
Birth rate | 15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.6 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
revenues: $36.1 billion
expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Charlotte Amalie | Helsinki |
Climate | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November | cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes |
Coastline | 188 km | 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations) |
Constitution | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 | 17 July 1919 |
Country name | conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen Tasavalta local short form: Suomi |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | euro (EUR); markka (FIM)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
Death rate | 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 9.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $30 billion (December 1993) |
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 Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 171931 FAX: [358] (9) 174681 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $379 million (1997) |
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. | Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the euro monetary system (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2002 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2003 provided the world economy suffers no further blows. |
Electricity - consumption | 957.9 million kWh (2001) | 81.961 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 326 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 12.206 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.03 billion kWh (2001) | 75.356 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel: 41%
hydro: 19% nuclear: 28% other: 12% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m |
Environment - current issues | lack of natural freshwater resources | air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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% |
Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); markkaa per US dollar - 5.3441 (1998), 5.1914 (1997) |
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: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Paavo LIPPONEN (since 13 April 1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Ville ITALA (since 31 August 2001) cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4% note: government coalition - SDP, Kok, Leftist Alliance (People's Democratic Union and Democratic Alternative), SFP, and Green League |
Exports | NA (2001) | $40.1 billion f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | refined petroleum products | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp |
Exports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | Germany 12.4%, US 9.7%, UK 9.6%, Sweden 8.4%, Russia 5.9%, France 4.6% (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year |
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 a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $136.2 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 4%
industry: 34% services: 62% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $26,200 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | 1.1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 20 N, 64 50 W | 64 00 N, 26 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 | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain |
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: 77,831 km
paved: 49,789 km (including 444 km of expressways) unpaved: 28,042 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 22% (1991) (1991) |
Imports | NA (2001) | $31.8 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains |
Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.2%, Russia 9.6%, US 6.9%, UK 6.4%, France 4.5% (2001) |
Independence | - | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5% (2002 est.) |
Industries | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics | metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing |
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.) |
3.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (1992) | 1.9% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 50 (2000) | 3 (2002) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 640 sq km (1998 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) | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 49,000 (2002 est.) | 2.6 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) | public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km |
Land use | arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 6.98%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 93.01% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Spanish, Creole | Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities |
Legal system | based on US laws | civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; 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 |
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - SDP 22.9%, Kesk 22.5%, Kok 21.0%, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 10.9%, SFP 5.1%, Green League 7.2%, SKL 4.2%; seats by party - SDP 51, Kesk 48, Kok 46, Leftist Alliance (Communist) 20, SFP 11, Green League 11, SKL 10, other 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.59 years
male: 74.73 years female: 82.68 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.75 years
male: 74.1 years female: 81.52 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM) |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 98 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,172,404 GRT/1,144,139 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 36, short-sea passenger 10 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1.8 billion (FY98/99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2% (FY98/99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,240,762 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,024,379 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 17 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 33,883 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) |
Nationality | noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
Natural hazards | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes | NA |
Natural resources | sun, sand, sea, surf | timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver |
Net migration rate | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 580 km |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] | Center Party or Kesk [Esko AHO]; Finnish Christian Democratic Party or SKL [C. P. Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Leftist Alliance (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]; True Finns [Timo SOINI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 124,778 (July 2003 est.) | 5,183,545 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.02% (2003 est.) | 0.14% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 7.7 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 5,865 km
broad gauge: 5,865 km 1.524-m gauge (2,234 km electrified; 480 km double- or multiple-track) (2000 est.) |
Religions | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% | Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% |
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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 65,000 (1997) | 2,847,900 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,000 (1992) | 3,728,600 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2002) | 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) |
Terrain | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills |
Total fertility rate | 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.7 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.9% (March 1999) | 8.5% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | none | 6,675 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships |