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Background: |
The territory was originally inhabited by Caribs and Arawaks. In
1648, the Dutch established the first permanent European
Community. In 1666, British planters took control of the islands
which became a British colony in 1672. A ministerial system of
government was introduced in 1967. |
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Geography: |
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Location: |
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
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Geographic coordinates:
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18 30 N, 64 30 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 150 sq km
land: 150 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes the island of Anegada
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Area - comparative:
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about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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80 km
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate:
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subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade
winds
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Terrain:
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coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep,
hilly
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
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Natural resources:
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Land use:
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arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 7%
permanent pastures: 33%
forests and woodland: 7%
other: 33% (1993 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes and tropical storms (June to
October)
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Environment - current issues:
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limited natural fresh water
resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most
of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)
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Geography - note:
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strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico
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People
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Population:
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20,254 (2002) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 20% (male 2,022; female 1,975)
15-64 years: 75% (male 7,517; female 7,102)
65 years and over: 5% (male 545; female 454) (2000 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.34% (2000 est.)
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Birth rate:
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15.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.59 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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12.08
migrant's)/1,000 population (2000
est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05
male/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male/female
65 years and over: 1.2 male/female
total population: 1.06 male/female (2000 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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21.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2000
est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.44 years
male: 74.57 years
female: 76.35 years (2000 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.72 children born/woman (2000 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: British Virgin
Islander's
adjective: British Virgin Islander
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Ethnic groups:
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black 90%, white, Asian
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Religions:
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Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church
of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%,
other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
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Languages:
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English (official)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
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Data code:
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VI
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of the UK
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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Road Town
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Administrative divisions:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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National holiday:
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Territory Day, 1 July
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Constitution:
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1 June 1977
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Legal system:
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English law
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Highest National Award: |
BVI Badge of Honour |
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Date of CARICOM Associate: |
2 July 1991 |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by
His Excellency Thomas Macan, Governor
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;
members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9
electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve five-year terms)
Elections last held 16 May 2003
(next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
VIP 6, CCM 2, UP 2, independents 3
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Judicial branch:
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Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of
the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal; (one judge of the
Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High
Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
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Elections:
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Elections last held 16 May 2003
(next to be held in 2007) |
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Ruling Party: |
National Democratic Party (NDP) |
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Major Political Parties: |
National Democratic Party (NDP),
Virgin Islands Party (VIP). |
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Head of Government: |
Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith
Chief Minister born 28 August 1944.
Education:
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1984: DPH, Diploma in Public Health, UK
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1984: MSc in Community Health, UK
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1974: FRCS: Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, UK
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1969: MDDS in Medicine, University of the West Indies, Jamaica
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International organization participation:
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Caricom (associate),
CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate),
UNESCO (associate)
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of
the UK)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory
of the UK)
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Flag description:
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blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the
outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either
side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the
Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
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Economy
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Overview:
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The economy, one of the most prosperous in
the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an
estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists,
mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. 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.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $287 million (1999 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6.8% (1999 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1999 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2%
services: 92% (1996 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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5.3% (1998)
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Labor force:
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4,911 (1980)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture NA%, industry NA%,
services NA%
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Unemployment rate:
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3% (1995)
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Budget:
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revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997)
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Industries:
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tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete
block, offshore financial center
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4% (1985)
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Electricity - production:
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42 million kWh (1998)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)
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Electricity - consumption:
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39 million kWh (1998)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (1998)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (1998)
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Agriculture - products:
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fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry;
fish
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Exports:
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$6 million (1998)
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Exports - commodities:
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rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel,
sand
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Exports - partners:
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Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
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Imports:
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$175 million (1998)
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Imports - commodities:
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building materials, automobiles,
foodstuffs, machinery
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Imports - partners:
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Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
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Debt - external:
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$36.1 million (1997)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$2.6 million (1995)
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Currency:
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1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
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Exchange rates:
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US currency is used
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March
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Communications
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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9,000 (1994)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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NA
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Telephone system:
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worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA
international: submarine cable to Bermuda
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 4,
short-wave 0 (1998)
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Radios:
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9,000 (1997)
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
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Televisions:
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4,000 (1997)
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (1999)
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Transportation
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Railways:
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0 km
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Highways:
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total: 113 km (1995 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
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Ports and harbors:
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Road Town
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Merchant marine:
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none (1999 est.)
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Airports:
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3 (1999 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
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Military
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Defense is the responsibility of the UK
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