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Compare Virgin Islands (2004) - Western Sahara (2007)

Compare Virgin Islands (2004) z Western Sahara (2007)

 Virgin Islands (2004)Western Sahara (2007)
 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: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)


15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895)


65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish
Airports 2 (2003 est.) 9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


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


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
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 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Birth rate 14.49 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) NA
Budget revenues: $560


expenditures: NA (2003)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
Capital Charlotte Amalie none


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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) -
Death rate 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) NA
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 Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria
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 depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006, the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara.
Electricity - consumption 957.9 million kWh (2001) 79.05 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.03 billion kWh (2001) 85 million kWh (2005)
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 - 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002)
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 bbl/day
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 (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 -
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


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


industry: NA%


services: 40%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) -
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 the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
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%
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
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 (2006)
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.)
total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2003) NA%
International organization participation Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU none
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) -
Labor force 48,900 (2003 est.) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.) agriculture: 50%


industry and services: 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: 0.02%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 99.98% (2005)
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.)
total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
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 -
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: Sahrawi, 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.) 382,617


note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate -0.05% (2004 est.) NA
Ports and harbors Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port Alucroix -
Radio broadcast stations AM 5, FM 11, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
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.)
NA
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 not yet 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: country code - 212; 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.) NA
Unemployment rate 9.3% (2003 est.) NA%
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