cannabis; trace amounts of coca cultivation in the Amazon region,
used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale
eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment
country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for
Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air
transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related
violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian,
Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics proceeds earned in
Brazil are often laundered through the financial system; significant
illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@British Indian Ocean Territory
Introduction
British Indian Ocean Territory
Background:
Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of
Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established
as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands
of the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it
attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only
of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
uninhabited. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers,
earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to
Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and
1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British
Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as
Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of
lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation
and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British
court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the
2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from
the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego
Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in
the UK, ruled in favor of the British Goverment by overturning the
lower court rulings and finding no right of return on the part of
the Chagossians.
Geography
British Indian Ocean Territory
Location:
archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about halfway
between Africa and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates:
6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Map references:
Political Map of the World
Area:
total: 54,400 sq km
land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km
water: 54,340 sq km
note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative:
land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
698 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Natural resources:
coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Geography - note:
archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost
island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island
is site of joint US-UK military facility
People
British Indian Ocean Territory
Population:
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
November 2004, approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and
civilian contractors were living on the island of Diego Garcia
Government
British Indian Ocean Territory
Country name:
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none
abbreviation: BIOT
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,
resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Legal system:
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Colin ROBERTS (since July 2008);
Administrator Joanne YEADON (since December 2007); note - both
reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding
British Forces on Diego Garcia
cabinet: NA
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
administrator appointed by the monarch
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is
in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm
tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
Economy
British Indian Ocean Territory
Economy - overview:
All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego
Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located.
Construction projects and various services needed to support the
military installation are performed by military and contract
employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There
are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When
the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane
production and fishing. The territory earns foreign exchange by
selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh
Currency (code):
US Dollar (USD)
Communications
British Indian Ocean Territory
Telephones - main lines in use:
NA
Telephone system:
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public
needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
connection to the Internet
international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international
telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
NA
Television broadcast stations:
1 (1997)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.io
Internet hosts:
89 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Transportation
British Indian Ocean Territory
Airports:
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
note: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego
Garcia
Ports and terminals:
Diego Garcia
Military
British Indian Ocean Territory
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego
Garcia expires in 2016
Transnational Issues
British Indian Ocean Territory
Disputes - international:
Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in
2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in
1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK
citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2007, the UK Court
of Appeals upheld the May 2006 High Court of London judgment
reversing the UK government's 2004 Orders of Council that banned
habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited
Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the
exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to
the largest viable island in the chain
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@British Virgin Islands
Introduction
British Virgin Islands
Background:
First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin
Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the
English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the
Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967.
The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US
Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Geography
British Virgin Islands
Location:
Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
18 30 N, 64 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda,
Jost van Dyke
Area - comparative:
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Terrain:
coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67%
other: 73.33% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues:
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)
Geography - note:
strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
People
British Virgin Islands
Population:
24,041 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 2,432/female 2,366)
15-64 years: 74.4% (male 9,178/female 8,715)
65 years and over: 5.6% (male 697/female 653) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 32 years
male: 32.1 years
female: 31.9 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.88% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
14.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 15.2 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.07 years
male: 75.88 years
female: 78.32 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.71 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: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups:
black 83.4%, white 7%, mixed 5.4%, Indian 3.4%, other 0.8% (1991
census)
Religions:
Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991)
Languages:
English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 15 years
female: 19 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
Government
British Virgin Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
abbreviation: BVI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Road Town
geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Territory Day, 1 July (1956)
Constitution:
13 June 2007
Legal system:
English law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)
head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
the House of Assembly
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
premier by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex
officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by
direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts,
4 at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%,
independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1
Judicial branch:
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
Political parties and leaders:
Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory
MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Family Support Network; The Women's Desk
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO
(associate), UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
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)
Economy
British Virgin Islands
Economy - overview:
The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean,
is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the
national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US,
visited the islands in 2005. 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. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by
yearend 2000. 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, made 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 US dollar as
its currency since 1959.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$853.4 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$839.7 million (2003)
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$38,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2%
services: 92% (1996 est.)
Labor force:
12,770 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 0.6%
industry: 40%
services: 59.4% (2005)
Unemployment rate:
3.6% (1997)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $204.7 million
expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2005)
Agriculture - products:
fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Industries:
tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore
financial center
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
45 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
41.85 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
650 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
649.8 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
$134.3 million (1999)
Exports:
$25.3 million (2002)
Exports - commodities:
rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Imports:
$187 million (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners:
Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$NA
Debt - external:
$36.1 million (1997)
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Communications
British Virgin Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
11,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
8,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable
to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable
provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean
(2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:
9,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997)
Televisions:
4,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
.vg
Internet hosts:
465 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
4,000 (2002)
Transportation
British Virgin Islands
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 200 km
paved: 200 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Road Town
Military
British Virgin Islands
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,101 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,921 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 184
female: 179 (2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
British Virgin Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US
and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to
money laundering
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@Brunei
Introduction
Brunei
Background:
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th
centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest
Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a
period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.
Geography
Brunei
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:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
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: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
8.5 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.09
per capita: 243 cu m/yr (1994)
Natural hazards:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Environment - current issues:
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, 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 within Malaysia
People
Brunei
Population:
381,371 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 53,400/female 50,333)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 132,895/female 132,391)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 5,927/female 6,425) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.5 years
male: 27.5 years
female: 27.5 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.785% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
18.39 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.28 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
2.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.69 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.19 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.52 years
male: 73.32 years
female: 77.83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.94 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.)
Religions:
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes
indigenous beliefs) 10%
Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.7%
male: 95.2%
female: 90.2% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.2% of GDP (2000)
Government
Brunei
Country name:
conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
local short form: Brunei
Government type:
constitutional sultanate
Capital:
name: Bandar Seri Begawan
geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence:
1 January 1984 (from UK)
National holiday: