Compare Virgin Islands (2007) - Iraq (2002)

Compare Virgin Islands (2007) z Iraq (2002)

	Virgin Islands (2007)	Iraq (2002)

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	18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah, At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan, Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit
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: 41.1% (male 5,003,755; female 4,849,238) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 6,794,265; female 6,624,662) 65 years and over: 3% (male 341,520; female 388,376) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle	wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep
Airports	2 (2007)	108 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)	total: 77 over 3,047 m: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 73 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Area	total: 1,910 sq km land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km	total: 437,072 sq km land: 432,162 sq km water: 4,910 sq km
Area - comparative	twice the size of Washington, DC	slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
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.	Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991. The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.
Birth rate	13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	34.2 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
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)	Baghdad
Climate	subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November	mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
Coastline	188 km	58 km
Constitution	Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954	22 September 1968, effective 16 July 1970 (provisional constitution); new constitution drafted in 1990 but not adopted
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 Iraq conventional short form: Iraq local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah local short form: Al Iraq
Currency	-	Iraqi dinar (IQD)
Death rate	6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	6.02 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$62.2 billion (2001 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)	none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Polish Embassy in Baghdad; address: P. O. Box 2051 Hay Babel, Baghdad; telephone: [964] (1) 718-9267; FAX: [964] (1) 718-9297
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of the US)	none; note - Iraq has an Interest Section in the Algerian Embassy headed by Akram AL DOURI; address: Iraqi Interests Section, Algerian Embassy, 1801 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500; FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066
Disputes - international	none	despite restored diplomatic relations in 1990, lacks maritime boundary with Iran and disputes land boundary, navigation channels, and other issues from eight-year war; in November 1994, Iraq formally accepted the UN-demarcated border with Kuwait which had been spelled out in Security Council Resolutions 687 (1991), 773 (1993), and 883 (1993); this formally ends earlier claims to Kuwait and to Bubiyan and Warbah islands although the government continues periodic rhetorical challenges; dispute over water development plans by Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	$327.5 million (1995) (1995)
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.	Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings. In the 1980s financial problems caused by massive expenditures in the eight-year war with Iran and damage to oil export facilities by Iran led the government to implement austerity measures, borrow heavily, and later reschedule foreign debt payments; Iraq suffered economic losses from the war of at least $100 billion. After hostilities ended in 1988, oil exports gradually increased with the construction of new pipelines and restoration of damaged facilities. Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting large military and internal security forces and allocating resources to key supporters of the regime have hurt the economy, implementation of the UN's oil-for-food program in December 1996 has helped improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. For the first six, six-month phases of the program, Iraq was allowed to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999 the UN Security Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as required to meet humanitarian needs. Oil exports are now more than three-quarters prewar level. However, 28% of Iraq's export revenues under the program are deducted to meet UN Compensation Fund and UN administrative expenses. The drop in GDP in 2001 was largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil prices. Per capita food imports have increased significantly, while medical supplies and health care services are steadily improving. Per capita output and living standards are still well below the prewar level, but any estimates have a wide range of error.
Electricity - consumption	926.4 million kWh (2005)	25.389 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	996.1 million kWh (2005)	27.3 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 98% hydro: 2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Haji Ibrahim 3,600 m
Environment - current issues	lack of natural freshwater resources	government water control projects have drained most of the inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Shi'a Muslims, who have inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate supplies of potable water; development of Tigris-Euphrates Rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups	black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)	Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 0.3109 (fixed official rate since 1982); black market rate - Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 2,000 (December 2001), 1,910 (December 1999), 1,815 (December 1998), 1,530 (December 1997), 910 (December 1996); note - subject to wide fluctuations
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 SADDAM Husayn (since 16 July 1979); Vice Presidents Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF (since 21 April 1974) and Taha Yasin RAMADAN (since 23 March 1991) head of government: Prime Minister SADDAM Husayn (since 29 May 1994); Deputy Prime Ministers Tariq Mikhail AZIZ (since NA 1979), Hikmat Mizban Ibrahim al-AZZAWI (since 30 July 1999), Ahmad Husayn al-KHUDAYIR (since NA July 2001), and Abd al-Tawab Mullah al-HUWAYSH (since NA July 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; note - there is also a Revolutionary Command Council or RCC with eight members as of 2001 (Chairman SADDAM Husayn, Vice Chairman Izzat IBRAHIM al-Duri) which controls the ruling Ba'th Party; the RCC is the highest executive and legislative body and the most powerful political entity in the country; new RCC members must come from the Regional Command Leadership of the Ba'th Party elections: president and vice presidents elected by a two-thirds majority of the Revolutionary Command Council; regular election last held 17 October 1995 (next scheduled for 2002); note - in place of the 2002 election, a presidential referendum was held on 15 October 2002 in which the presidency of SADDAM Husayn was extended for a fifth consecutive seven-year term election results: SADDAM Husayn reelected president; percent of vote - 99%; Taha Muhyi al-Din MARUF and Taha Yasin RAMADAN elected vice presidents; percent of vote - NA%; note - in a presidential referendum held 15 October 2002, SADDAM Husayn's term was extended for another seven years
Exports	NA bbl/day	$15.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities	refined petroleum products	crude oil
Exports - partners	US, Puerto Rico (2006)	US 46.2%, Italy 12.2%, France 9.6%, Spain 8.6% (2000)
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	three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria which has two stars but no script and the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $59 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 6% industry: 13% services: 81% (1993 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2% (2002 est.)	-5.7% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 20 N, 64 50 W	33 00 N, 44 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	strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the Persian Gulf
Heliports	-	5 (2002)
Highways	-	total: 45,550 km paved: 38,400 km unpaved: 7,150 km (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	NA bbl/day	$11 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities	crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials	food, medicine, manufactures
Imports - partners	US, Puerto Rico (2006)	France 22.5%, Australia 22%, China 5.8%, Russia 5.8% (2000)
Independence	none (territory of the US)	3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	NA%
Industries	tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics	petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food processing
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.)	57.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.2% (2003)	60% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	IOC, UPU	ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EAPC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	NA	35,250 sq km (1998 est.)
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)	Court of Cassation
Labor force	43,980 (2004 est.)	4.4 million (1989) (1989)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 3,650 km border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Land use	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005)	arable land: 11.89% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 87.33% (1998 est.)
Languages	English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)	Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Legal system	based on US laws	based on Islamic law in special religious courts, civil law system elsewhere; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (250 seats; 30 appointed by the president to represent the three northern provinces of Dahuk, Arbil, and As Sulaymaniyah; 220 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 79.2 years male: 75.4 years female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)	total population: 67.38 years male: 66.31 years female: 68.5 years (2002 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: 58% male: 70.7% female: 45% (1995 est.)
Location	Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Middle East
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 186,709 GRT/278,575 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
Military branches	-	Army, Republican Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, Border Guard Force, Fedayeen Saddam
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$1.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	NA%
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 6,135,847 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 3,430,819 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 274,035 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)	Revolution Day, 17 July (1968)
Nationality	noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens) adjective: Virgin Islander	noun: Iraqi(s) adjective: Iraqi
Natural hazards	several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes	dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Natural resources	sun, sand, sea, surf	petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur
Net migration rate	-8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	-	crude oil 4,350 km; petroleum products 725 km; natural gas 1,360 km
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]	Ba'th Party [SADDAM Husayn, central party leader]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	any formal political activity must be sanctioned by the government; opposition to regime from Kurdish groups and southern Shi'a dissidents
Population	108,448 (July 2007 est.)	24,001,816 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA% (2002)	NA%
Population growth rate	-0.171% (2007 est.)	2.82% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Umm Qasr, Khawr az Zubayr, and Al Basrah have limited functionality
Radio broadcast stations	AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)	AM 19 (5 are inactive), FM 51, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios	-	4.85 million (1997)
Railways	-	total: 2,339 km standard gauge: 2,339 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Religions	Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%	Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%
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: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 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: reconstitution of damaged telecommunication facilities began after the Gulf war; most damaged facilities have been rebuilt domestic: the network consists of coaxial cables and microwave radio relay links international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey; Kuwait line is probably nonoperational
Telephones - main lines in use	71,700 (2005)	675,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	80,300 (2005)	NA; service available in northern Iraq (2001)
Television broadcast stations	5 (2006)	13 (1997)
Terrain	mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land	mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Total fertility rate	2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.)	4.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.2% (2004)	NA%
Waterways	-	1,015 km note: Shatt al Arab is usually navigable by maritime traffic for about 130 km; channel has been dredged to 3 m and is in use; Tigris and Euphrates Rivers have navigable sections for shallow-draft boats; Shatt al Basrah canal was navigable by shallow-draft craft before closing in 1991 because of the Gulf war

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