Economy Of The British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview: The economy of the British Virgin Islands, 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 United States, 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 U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. GDP: purchasing power parity - $287 million (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 6.8% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.8%
industry: 6.2%
services: 92% (1996 est.) Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.3% (1998) Labor force: 4,911 (1980) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services 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 GWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998) Electricity - consumption: 39 GWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish Exports: $6 million (1998) Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand Exports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Imports: $175 million (1998) Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery Imports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997) 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 British Virgin Islands

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
demographics of bosnia and herzegovina
politics of bosnia and herzegovina
economy of bosnia and herzegovina
communications of bosnia and herzegovina
transportation in bosnia and herzegovina
military of bosnia and herzegovina
foreign relations of bosnia and herzegovina
geography of botswana
demographics of botswana
politics of botswana
economy of botswana
communications in botswana
transport in botswana
military of botswana
foreign relations of botswana
geography of brazil
demographics of brazil
politics of brazil
economy of brazil
communications in brazil
transportation in brazil
military of brazil
foreign relations of brazil
geography of the british virgin islands
demographics of the british virgin islands
politics of the british virgin islands
communications on the british virgin islands
transportation on the british virgin islands
military of the british virgin islands
geography of brunei
demographics of brunei
politics of brunei
economy of brunei
communications in brunei
transportation in brunei
military of brunei
foreign relations of brunei
geography of bulgaria
politics of bulgaria
economy of bulgaria
communications in bulgaria
transportation in bulgaria
military of bulgaria
foreign relations of bulgaria