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Compare Virgin Islands (2004) - Western Sahara (2001)

Compare Virgin Islands (2004) z Western Sahara (2001)

 Virgin Islands (2004)Western Sahara (2001)
 Virgin IslandsWestern Sahara
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 (under de facto control of Morocco)
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:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)
Airports 2 (2003 est.) 11 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
8

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total: 352 sq km


land: 349 sq km


water: 3 sq km
total:
266,000 sq km

land:
266,000 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC about the size of Colorado
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. Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.
Birth rate 14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Budget revenues: $560


expenditures: NA (2003)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Charlotte Amalie none
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline 188 km 1,110 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 -
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Western Sahara

former:
Spanish Sahara
Currency US dollar (USD) Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Death rate 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Debt - external NA $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 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of the US) none
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of the US) none
Disputes - international none claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991
Economic aid - recipient NA $NA
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. Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption 957.9 million kWh (2001) 83.7 million 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) 90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
lowest point:
Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point:
unnamed location 463 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements - party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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%
Arab, Berber
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996)
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%
none
Exports NA (2001) $NA
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products phosphates 62%
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


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

industry:
NA%

services:
40%-45% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 24 30 N, 13 00 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 -
Heliports - 1 (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:
6,200 km

paved:
1,350 km

unpaved:
4,850 km (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports NA (2001) $NA
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Industrial production growth rate NA NA%
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics phosphate mining, handicrafts
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.)
-
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2003) NA%
International organization participation Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (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) -
Labor force 48,900 (2003 est.) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.) animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Land boundaries 0 km total:
2,046 km

border countries:
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use arable land: 11.76%


permanent crops: 2.94%


other: 85.29% (2001)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
19%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
81%
Languages English (official), Spanish, Creole Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Legal system based on US laws -
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
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.75 years


male: 74.91 years


female: 82.82 years (2004 est.)
-
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Merchant marine none -
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US -
Military branches - NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) -
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective:
Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate -8.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] -
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 108,775 (July 2004 est.) 250,559 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate -0.05% (2004 est.) -
Ports and harbors Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 56,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Muslim
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.)
-
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
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:
sparse and limited system

domestic:
NA

international:
tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use 69,400 (2002) about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular 41,000 (2002) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2002) NA
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate 2.21 children born/woman (2004 est.) -
Unemployment rate 9.3% (2003 est.) NA%
Waterways - none
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