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Compare Virgin Islands (2007) - Finland (2008)

Compare Virgin Islands (2007) z Finland (2008)

 Virgin Islands (2007)Finland (2008)
 Virgin IslandsFinland
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 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 449,548/female 433,253)


15-64 years: 66.7% (male 1,768,996/female 1,727,143)


65 years and over: 16.4% (male 344,798/female 514,722) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish
Airports 2 (2007) 148 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 76


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 27


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 22


under 914 m: 15 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 72


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 68 (2007)
Area total: 1,910 sq km


land: 346 sq km


water: 1,564 sq km
total: 338,145 sq km


land: 304,473 sq km


water: 33,672 sq km
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Montana
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. Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries, and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. A member of the European Union since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999.
Birth rate 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.42 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $124.2 billion


expenditures: $114 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Charlotte Amalie


geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Helsinki


geographic coordinates: 60 10 N, 24 56 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes
Coastline 188 km 1,250 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 1 March 2000
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies


abbreviation: USVI
conventional long form: Republic of Finland


conventional short form: Finland


local long form: Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland


local short form: Suomi/Finland
Death rate 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.93 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $271.2 billion (30 June 2007)
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 Marilyn WARE


embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki


mailing address: APO AE 09723


telephone: [358] (9) 616250


FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of the US) chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU


chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800


FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international none various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $850.5 million (2005)
Economic aid - recipient $NA -
Economy - overview Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable 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. Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem. In 2007 Russia announced plans to impose high tariffs on raw timber exported to Finland. The Finnish pulp and paper industry will be threatened if these duties are put into place in 2008 and 2009, and the matter is now being handled by the European Union.
Electricity - consumption 926.4 million kWh (2005) 81.11 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 933 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 17.92 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 996.1 million kWh (2005) 67.09 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m


highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma (Gypsy) 0.2%, Sami 0.1%
Exchange rates the US dollar is used euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (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 John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)


cabinet: NA


elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)


election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 19 April 2007)


cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 January 2006 (next to be held in January 2012); the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must approve the appointment; Prime Minister VANHANEN reelected 17 April 2007


election results: percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 46.3%, Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 24.1%, Matti Vanhanen (Kesk) 18.6%, Heidi HAUTALA (VIHR) 3.5%; a runoff election between HALONEN and NIINISTO was held 29 January 2006 - HALONEN 51.8%, NIINISTO 48.2%; Matti VANHANEN relected prime minister; election results 121-71


note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP
Exports NA bbl/day 118,300 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999)
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico (2006) Germany 11.3%, Sweden 10.5%, Russia 10.1%, UK 6.5%, US 6.5%, Netherlands 5.1% (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 white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 2.5%


industry: 31.7%


services: 65.9% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 3.9% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 64 00 N, 26 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 long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 22.6% (2000)
Imports NA bbl/day 333,400 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico (2006) Germany 15.6%, Russia 14%, Sweden 13.7%, Netherlands 6.6%, China 5.4%, UK 4.7%, Denmark 4.5% (2006)
Independence none (territory of the US) 6 December 1917 (from Russia)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2.5% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing
Infant mortality rate total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 3.84 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.2% (2003) 2.7% (2007 est.)
International organization participation IOC, UPU ADB (nonregional members), AfDB, Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land NA 640 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)
Labor force 43,980 (2004 est.) 2.68 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 17.5%, construction 6%, commerce 22%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%, transport and communications 8%, public services 30.2% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,681 km


border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km
Land use arable land: 5.71%


permanent crops: 2.86%


other: 91.43% (2005)
arable land: 6.54%


permanent crops: 0.02%


other: 93.44% (2005)
Languages English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)
Legal system based on US laws civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3


note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 18 March 2007 (next to be held March 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 23.1%, Kok 22.3%, SDP 21.4%, VAS 8.8%, VIHR 8.5%, KD 4.9%, SFP 4.5%, True Finns 4.1%, other 3.4%; seats by party - Kesk 51, Kok 50, SDP 45, VAS 17, VIHR 15, SFP 9, KD 7, True Finns 5, other 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.2 years


male: 75.4 years


female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)
total population: 78.66 years


male: 75.15 years


female: 82.31 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90-95% est.


male: NA%


female: NA% (2005 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 100%


male: 100%


female: 100% (2000 est.)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine - total: 92 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,362,014 GRT/1,002,280 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 26, chemical tanker 6, container 3, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 23, vehicle carrier 2


foreign-owned: 5 (Germany 2, Norway 1, Sweden 2)


registered in other countries: 43 (Bahamas 8, Germany 4, Gibraltar 3, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 14, Norway 1, Sweden 10, UK 1) (2007)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US -
Military branches - Finnish Defense Forces (FDF): Army, Navy (includes coastal defense forces), Air Force (Suomen Ilmavoimat) (2006)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (2005 est.)
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) Independence Day, 6 December (1917)
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun: Finn(s)


adjective: Finnish
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes NA
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone
Net migration rate -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 694 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green Party or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left Alliance or VAS [Martti KORHONEN] (composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative); National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Stefan WALLIN]; True Finns [Timo SOINI]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA -
Population 108,448 (July 2007 est.) 5,238,460 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% (2002) NA%
Population growth rate -0.171% (2007 est.) 0.127% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 5,741 km


broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2006)
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Lutheran Church of Finland 84.2%, Orthodox Church 1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female


total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.038 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female


total population: 0.958 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: full range of services available


international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA
general assessment: modern system with excellent service


domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive cellular network provide domestic needs


international: country code - 358; submarine cables provide links to Estonia and Sweden; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)
Telephones - main lines in use 71,700 (2005) 1.92 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 80,300 (2005) 5.67 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 5 (2006) 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills
Total fertility rate 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.2% (2004) 6.6% (2007 est.)
Waterways - 7,842 km


note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased from Russia (2006)
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