The 1999 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

The 1999 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency


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side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

      Economy

      Economy—overview: The economy, one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1997. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.

      GDP: purchasing power parity—$183 million (1997 est.)

      GDP—real growth rate: 4.7% (1997)

      GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity?$10,000 (1997 est.)

      GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 1.4% services: 97.6% (1991–95 average)

      Population below poverty line: NA%

      Household income or consumption by percentage share:

       lowest 10%: NA%

       highest 10%: NA%

      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.5% (1997)

      Labor force: 4,911 (1980)

      Labor force—by occupation: tourism NA%

      Unemployment rate: 3% (1995)

      Budget:

       revenues: $121.5 million

       expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA

       (1997)

      Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete

       block, offshore financial center

      Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1985)

      Electricity—production: 42 million kWh (1996)

      Electricity—production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

      Electricity—consumption: 42 million kWh (1996)

      Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

      Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

      Agriculture—products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

      Exports: $23.9 million (1996)

      Exports—commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

      Exports—partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

      Imports: $121.5 million (1996)

      Imports—commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

      Imports—partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

      Debt—external: $34.8 million (1996)

      Economic aid—recipient: $2.6 million (1995)

      Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

      Exchange rates: US currency is used

      Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March

      Communications

      Telephones: 6,291 (1990 est.)

      Telephone system: worldwide telephone service

       domestic: NA

       international: submarine cable to Bermuda

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

      Radios: 9,000 (1992 est.)

      Television broadcast stations: 1 (in addition, there is one cable company) (1997)

      Televisions: 4,000 (1992 est.)

      Transportation

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 113 km (1995 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

      Ports and harbors: Road Town

      Merchant marine: none

      Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

      Airports—with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

      Airports—with unpaved runways:

       total: 1

       914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

      Military

      Military—note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

      Transnational Issues

      Disputes—international: none

      ======================================================================

      @Brunei———

      Geography

      Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and

       Malaysia

      Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E

      Map references: Southeast Asia

      Area:

       total: 5,770 sq km

       land: 5,270 sq km

       water: 500 sq km

      Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

      Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

      Coastline: 161 km

      Maritime claims:

       exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

       territorial sea: 12 nm

      Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy

      Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

      Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

      Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

      Land use:

       arable land: 1%

       permanent crops: 1%

       permanent pastures: 1%

       forests and woodland: 85%

       other: 12% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

      Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are

       very rare

      Environment—current issues: seasonal smoke/haze resulting from

       forest fires in Indonesia

      Environment—international agreements:

       party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer

       Protection, Ship Pollution

       signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Geography—note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea

       linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by

       Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

      People

      Population: 322,982 (July 1999 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 33% (male 54,154; female 51,766)

       15–64 years: 63% (male 106,492; female 95,921)

      


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