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international: country code - 84; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios:

8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

67 (includes 61 relay, provincial, and city TV stations) (2006)

Televisions:

3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:

.vn

Internet hosts:

106,772 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

5 (2000)

Internet users:

17.87 million (2007)

Transportation Vietnam

Airports:

44 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 37

over 3,047 m: 9

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 7

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m: 3 (2007)

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 432 km; gas 510 km; oil 49 km; refined products 206 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 2,600 km

standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge

dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (2006)

Roadways:

total: 222,179 km

paved: 42,167 km

unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)

Waterways:

17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 314 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,739,927 GRT/2,681,003 DWT

by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 26, cargo 238, chemical tanker 7, container 6, liquefied gas 6, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1

registered in other countries: 33 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Honduras 1, South Korea 1, Liberia 3, Mongolia 14, Panama 10, Tuvalu 3, unknown 2) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Military Vietnam

Military branches:

People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes People's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard), Air and Air Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command), People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 24,586,328

females age 16-49: 24,335,132 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 18,849,274

females age 16-49: 20,575,884 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 903,734

females age 16-49: 845,306 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international:

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Illicit drugs:

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns

This page was last updated on 15 July, 2008

The World Factbook

Virgin Islands

Introduction Virgin Islands

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.

Geography Virgin Islands

Location:

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 1,910 sq km

land: 346 sq km

water: 1,564 sq km

Area - comparative:

twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

188 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November

Terrain:

mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m

Natural resources:

sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use:

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 2.86%

other: 91.43% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Natural hazards:

several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:

lack of natural freshwater resources

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

People Virgin Islands

Population:

108,210 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 21.2% (male 11,546/female 11,354)

15-64 years: 66.4% (male 34,096/female 37,760)

65 years and over: 12.4% (male 5,961/female 7,493) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 38.3 years

male: 37.2 years

female: 39.1 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.27% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

13.43 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-9.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 7.53 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 79.34 years

male: 75.56 years

female: 83.35 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.14 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:

black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Religions:

Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:

English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 90-95% est.

male: NA%

female: NA% (2005 est.)

Government Virgin Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands

conventional short form: Virgin Islands

former: Danish West Indies

abbreviation: USVI

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

Government type:

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)

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

Independence:

none (territory of the US)

National holiday:

Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution:

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:

based on US laws

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

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; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; 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%

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)

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)

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

International organization participation:

IOC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (territory of the US)

Flag description:

white field 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

Economy Virgin Islands

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.577 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$14,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Labor force:

43,980 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 19%

services: 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.2% (2004)

Population below poverty line:

28.9% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.2% (2003)

Budget:

revenues: $NA

expenditures: $NA

Agriculture - products:

fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries:

tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

996.1 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

926.4 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

17,620 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

98,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

397,400 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

493,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

NA

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Exports:

$4.234 billion (2001)

Exports - commodities:

refined petroleum products

Exports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico (2006)

Imports:

$4.609 billion (2001)

Imports - commodities:

crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico (2006)