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Compare Virgin Islands (2004) - Haiti (2005)

Compare Virgin Islands (2004) z Haiti (2005)

 Virgin Islands (2004)Haiti (2005)
 Virgin IslandsHaiti
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 9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.8% (male 13,116; female 12,770)


15-64 years: 66% (male 33,944; female 37,870)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 4,855; female 6,220) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 1,741,622/female 1,721,436)


15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,137,225/female 2,242,639)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 124,383/female 154,317) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood
Airports 2 (2003 est.) 13 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Area total: 352 sq km


land: 349 sq km


water: 3 sq km
total: 27,750 sq km


land: 27,560 sq km


water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
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 native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Birth rate 14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 36.59 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $560


expenditures: NA (2003)
revenues: $330.2 million


expenditures: $529.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital Charlotte Amalie Port-au-Prince
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Coastline 188 km 1,771 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies
conventional long form: Republic of Haiti


conventional short form: Haiti


local long form: Republique d'Haiti


local short form: Haiti
Currency US dollar (USD) -
Death rate 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 12.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external NA $1.2 billion (2004 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 James B. FOLEY


embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince


mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince


telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327


FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of the US) chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November 2004)


chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090


FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international none since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican Republic and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island
Economic aid - recipient NA $150 million (FY04 est.)
Economy - overview Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and 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, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the population lives in abject poverty, and natural disasters frequently sweep the nation. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence farming. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU - suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001, 0.9% in 2002, grew 0.4% in 2003, and shrank by 3.5% in 2004. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In early 2005 Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way to reengagement with the Bank. The resumption of aid flows from all donors is alleviating but not ending the nation's bitter economic problems. Civil strife in 2004 combined with extensive damage from flooding in southern Haiti in May 2004 and Tropical Storm Jeanne in northwestern Haiti in September 2004 further impoverished Haiti.
Electricity - consumption 957.9 million kWh (2001) 574.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 1.03 billion kWh (2001) 618 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
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%
black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used gourdes per US dollar - 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002), 24.429 (2001), 21.171 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5 January 1999)


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: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29 February 2004)


note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February 2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally succeeded Aristide


head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12 March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly


election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%
Exports NA (2001) NA
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico US 81.2%, Dominican Republic 7.3%, Canada 4.1% (2004)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September 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 two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 30%


industry: 20%


services: 50% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) -3.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 19 00 N, 72 25 W
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 shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
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: 4,160 km


paved: 1,011 km


unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption
Imports NA (2001) NA
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico US 34.8%, Netherlands Antilles 18%, Malaysia 5.1%, Colombia 4.7% (2004)
Independence - 1 January 1804 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA NA
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly industries based on imported parts
Infant mortality rate total: 8.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.31 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 73.45 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 79.92 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 66.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2003) 22% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU ACCT, ACP, Caricom (suspended), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 750 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 Cour de Cassation
Labor force 48,900 (2003 est.) 3.6 million


note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.) agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 360 km


border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Land use arable land: 11.76%


permanent crops: 2.94%


other: 85.29% (2001)
arable land: 28.3%


permanent crops: 11.61%


other: 60.09% (2001)
Languages English (official), Spanish, Creole French (official), Creole (official)
Legal system based on US laws based on Roman civil law system; accepts 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 2 November 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3


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 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioning in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of sitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; the President is currently ruling by decree


elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000 with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November 2000 (next to be held in 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1, vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.75 years


male: 74.91 years


female: 82.82 years (2004 est.)
total population: 52.92 years


male: 51.58 years


female: 54.31 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 52.9%


male: 54.8%


female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Merchant marine none -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US -
Military branches - the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless they are constitutionally abolished
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $26 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.9% (2003)
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun: Haitian(s)


adjective: Haitian
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Net migration rate -8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; National Congress of Democratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; Nationalist Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; Democratic Movement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE]; Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH) [Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark PARENT]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Lavalas Family or FL [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Michael MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE]; National Progressive Democratic Party or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party (Parti Louvri Bayre) or PLB [leader NA]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, or Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; MNP28 [Dejean BELIZAIRE]; KOMBA [Evans LESCOUFLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti
Population 108,775 (July 2004 est.) 8,121,622


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 80% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate -0.05% (2004 est.) 2.26% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix Cap-Haitien
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)


note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 1-340; submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite earth stations - NA
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service


international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 69,400 (2002) 130,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 41,000 (2002) 140,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2002) 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land mostly rough and mountainous
Total fertility rate 2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.) 5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 9.3% (2003 est.) widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
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