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Compare Virgin Islands (2003) - Macau (2008)

Compare Virgin Islands (2003) z Macau (2008)

 Virgin Islands (2003)Macau (2008)
 Virgin IslandsMacau
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 (special administrative region of China)
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: 15.4% (male 36,413/female 33,981)


15-64 years: 76.6% (male 166,797/female 183,088)


65 years and over: 8% (male 15,541/female 21,169) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important; some of the catch is exported to Hong Kong
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: 28.2 sq km


land: 28.2 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC less than one-sixth 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. Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 15.8 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.57 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $364.4 million


expenditures: $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990 est.)
revenues: $4.6 billion


expenditures: $3.4 billion (2006)
Capital Charlotte Amalie -
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline 188 km 41 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 Basic Law, approved on 31 March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies
conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Macau


local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)


local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Currency US dollar (USD) -
Death rate 5.68 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $0 (2006)
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 special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of the US) the US has no offices in Macau; US Consulate General in Hong Kong is accredited to Macau
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of the US) none (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $NA $13.7 million (2004)
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. Macau's economy has enjoyed strong growth in recent years on the back of its expanding tourism and gaming sectors. Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, the territory has attracted 10s of billions of dollars in foreign investment that have helped transform it into the world's largest gaming center. In 2006, Macau's gaming revenue surpassed that of the Las Vegas strip, and gaming-related taxes accounted for 75% of total government revenue. The expanding casino sector, and China's decision beginning in 2002 to relax travel restrictions, have reenergized Macau's tourism industry, which saw total visitors grow to 27 million in 2007, up 62% in three years. Macau's strong economic growth has put pressure its labor market prompting businesses to look abroad to meet their staffing needs. The resulting influx of non-resident workers, who totaled one-fifth of the workforce in 2006, has fueled tensions among some segments of the population. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has been in a slow decline. In 2006, exports of textiles and garments generated only $1.8 billion compared to $6.9 billion in gross gaming receipts. Macau's textile industry will continue to move to the mainland because of the termination in 2005 of the Multi-Fiber Agreement, which provided a near guarantee of export markets, leaving the territory more dependent on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. However, the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland. Macau's currency, the Pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory.
Electricity - consumption 957.9 million kWh (2001) 2.37 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 964.4 million kWh (2006)
Electricity - production 1.03 billion kWh (2001) 1.67 billion kWh (2006)
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: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources NA
Environment - international agreements - party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)
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 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)
Exchange rates the US dollar is used patacas per US dollar - 8.011 (2007), 8.0015 (2006), 8.011 (2005), 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003)
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 of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, three legislators, four businessmen, one pro-Beijing unionist, and one pro-Beijing educator


elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected received 296 votes; three members submitted blank ballots; one member was absent
Exports NA (2001) 21 bbl/day (2005)
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico US 44.1%, China 14.8%, Hong Kong 11.3%, Germany 7.3%, UK 4.1% (2006)
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 light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 3.9%


services: 96% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $19,000 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2001 est.) 16.6% (2006)
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 22 10 N, 113 33 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 essentially urban; an area of land reclaimed from the sea measuring 5.2 sq km and known as Cotai now connects the islands of Coloane and Taipa; the island area is connected to the mainland peninsula by three bridges
Heliports - 1 (2007)
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%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for drugs going into mainland China; consumer of opiates and amphetamines
Imports NA (2001) 13,870 bbl/day (2006)
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico China 45.2%, Hong Kong 10.2%, Japan 8.4%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1%, France 4% (2006)
Independence - none (special administrative region of China)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3.8%
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
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: 4.33 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (1992) 7.2% (2006)
International organization participation ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 50 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
Judicial branch US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Labor force 49,000 (2002 est.) 275,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (1990 est.) manufacturing 11.1%, construction 11.7%, transport and communications 6.3%, wholesale and retail trade 13.7%, restaurants and hotels 11.3%, gambling 19.8%, public sector 7.7%, financial services 2.6%, other services and agriculture 15.7% (2006)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 0.34 km


regional border: China 0.34 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 Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)
Legal system based on US laws based on Portuguese civil law system
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 Legislative Assembly (29 seats; 12 members elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 September 2005 (next in September 2009)


election results: percent of vote - New Democratic Macau Association 18.8%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16.6%, Union for Development 13.3%, Union for Promoting Progress 9.6%, Macau Development Alliance 9.3%, others 32.4%; seats by political group - New Democratic Macau Association 2, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, Union for Development 2, Union for Promoting Progress 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, others 3; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.59 years


male: 74.73 years


female: 82.68 years (2003 est.)
total population: 82.27 years


male: 79.44 years


female: 85.25 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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


total population: 91.3%


male: 95.3%


female: 87.8% (2001 census)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Southeast Asia
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
not specified
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US defense is the responsibility of China
Military branches - no regular military forces
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun: Chinese


adjective: Chinese
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes typhoons
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf NEGL
Net migration rate 0.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces


note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 124,778 (July 2003 est.) 456,989 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.02% (2003 est.) 0.841% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix -
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways 0 km -
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
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: 1.072 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.734 male(s)/female


total population: 0.918 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services


domestic: termination of monopoly over mobile-cellular telephone services in 2001 spurred sharp increase in subscriptions with mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 140 per 100 persons in 2006; fixed-line teledensity about 40 per 100 persons


international: country code - 853; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; HF radiotelephone communication facility; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 65,000 (1997) 178,013 (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (1992) 794,323 (2007)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2002) 1 (2006)
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land generally flat
Total fertility rate 2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.03 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 4.9% (March 1999) 3.1% (2006)
Waterways none -
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