Virgin Islands (2003) | Indonesia (2001) | |
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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 | 27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - the province of Irian Jaya may have been divided into two new provinces - Central Irian Jaya and West Irian Jaya; with the implementation of decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies) may become the key administrative units
note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for independence which was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as a provisional name for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur; East Timor is under UN administration pending its formal independence |
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:
30.26% (male 35,144,702; female 33,973,879) 15-64 years: 65.11% (male 74,273,519; female 74,458,291) 65 years and over: 4.63% (male 4,641,816; female 5,945,663) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle | rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs |
Airports | 2 (2002) | 453 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
total:
136 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 37 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
317 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 283 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km water: 3 sq km |
total:
1,919,440 sq km land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than three times 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. | The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include: implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly elected government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Irian Jaya. On 30 August 1999 a provincial referendum for independence was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur. Concurrence followed by Indonesia's national legislature, and the name East Timor was provisionally adopted. The independent status of East Timor - now under UN administration - has yet to be formally established. |
Birth rate | 15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 22.26 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.) |
revenues:
$26 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Charlotte Amalie | Jakarta |
Climate | subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands |
Coastline | 188 km | 54,716 km |
Constitution | Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 | August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959 |
Country name | conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
conventional short form: Virgin Islands former: Danish West Indies |
conventional long form:
Republic of Indonesia conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Indonesian rupiah (IDR) |
Death rate | 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $144 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 Robert GELBARD embassy: Jalan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, APO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 3435-9922 consulate(s) general: Surabaya |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | chief of mission:
Ambassador DORODJATUN Kuntjoro-Jakti chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | Sipadan and Ligitan Islands in dispute with Malaysia |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing (1997-2000) |
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. | Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic problems, stemming from secessionist movements and the low level of security in the regions, the lack of reliable legal recourse in contract disputes, corruption, weaknesses in the banking system, and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these circumstances. Growth of 4.8% in 2000 is not sustainable, being attributable to favorable short-term factors, including high world oil prices, a surge in nonoil exports, and increased domestic demand for consumer durables. |
Electricity - consumption | 957.9 million kWh (2001) | 73.167 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.03 billion kWh (2001) | 78.674 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
80.36% hydro: 14.63% nuclear: 0% other: 5.01% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m |
Environment - current issues | lack of natural freshwater resources | deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
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% |
Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 10,000 (January 2001), 8,421.8 (2000), 7,855.2 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998), 2,909.4 (1997), 2,342.3 (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 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 Abdurrahman WAHID (since 20 October 1999) and Vice President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 21 October 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Abdurrahman WAHID (since 20 October 1999) and Vice President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 21 October 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected separately by the 700-member People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; election last held 20 and 21 October 1999 (next to be held by NA 2004) election results: Abdurrahman WAHID elected president, receiving 373 votes to 313 votes for MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected vice president, defeating Hamzah HAZ; vote totals NA note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 200 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve the broad outlines of national policy |
Exports | NA (2001) | $64.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | refined petroleum products | oil and gas, plywood, textiles, rubber |
Exports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | Japan 21%, US 14%, Singapore 10%, South Korea 7%, Netherlands 3%, Australia 3%, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan (1999 est.) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but starting with 2001, has been changed to 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 | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $654 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
21% industry: 35% services: 44% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2001 est.) | 4.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 20 N, 64 50 W | 5 00 S, 120 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 | archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean |
Heliports | - | 4 (2000 est.) |
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:
342,700 km paved: 158,670 km unpaved: 184,030 km (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
3.6% highest 10%: 30.3% (1996) |
Illicit drugs | - | illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin |
Imports | NA (2001) | $40.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials | machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico | Japan 12%, US 12%, Singapore 10%, Germany 6%, Australia 6%, South Korea 6%, Taiwan, China (1999 est.) |
Independence | - | 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 7.5% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics | petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and footwear; mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber; food; tourism |
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.) |
40.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (1992) | 9% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 50 (2000) | 24 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 45,970 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) | Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature) |
Labor force | 49,000 (2002 est.) | 99 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) | agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
2,602 km border countries: Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 km |
Land use | arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6% other: 79% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
10% permanent crops: 7% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 62% other: 14% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Spanish, Creole | Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese |
Legal system | based on US laws | based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held NA June 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDI-P 37.4%, Golkar 20.9%, PKB 17.4%, PPP 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14, other 30 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.59 years
male: 74.73 years female: 82.68 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
68.27 years male: 65.9 years female: 70.75 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total:
609 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,698,157 GRT/3,723,933 DWT ships by type: bulk 36, cargo 357, chemical tanker 10, container 25, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 117, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 15, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 5 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines
note: as of 1 July 2000, the National Police became an independent organization that reports directly to the president |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1 billion (FY98/99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.3% (FY98/99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
64,046,049 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
37,418,755 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
2,263,706 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) | Independence Day, 17 August (1945) |
Nationality | noun: Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander |
noun:
Indonesian(s) adjective: Indonesian |
Natural hazards | several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes | occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes |
Natural resources | sun, sand, sea, surf | petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver |
Net migration rate | 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989) |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] | Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA, chairman]; Development Unity Party or PPP (federation of former Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar TANJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party or PDI (federation of former Nationalist and Christian Parties) [Budi HARDJONO, chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Matori Abdul DJALIL, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 124,778 (July 2003 est.) | 228,437,870 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 20% (1998) |
Population growth rate | 1.02% (2003 est.) | 1.6% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix | Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) | AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998) |
Radios | - | 31.5 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
6,458 km narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (1995) |
Religions | Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% | Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998) |
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:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 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 | 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age |
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:
domestic service fair, international service good domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 65,000 (1997) | 5,588,310 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,000 (1992) | 1.07 million (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2002) | 41 (1999) |
Terrain | mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land | mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains |
Total fertility rate | 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.58 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.9% (March 1999) | 15%-20% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | 21,579 km total
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km |