Economy - overview:
The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$900 million (2000 est.)
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy

GDP (official exchange rate):
$633.4 million (2000)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
$12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Labor force:
38,450 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Unemployment rate:
8% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.8% (2000)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables and melons, fruits and nuts, ornamental plants, livestock, poultry and eggs, fish and aquaculture products

Industries:
banking, construction, fishing, garment, tourism, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
60,600 kWh (January 2009)

Electricity - consumption:
48,300 kWh (January 2009)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Exports:
$98.2 million (2008)

Exports - commodities:
garments

Imports:
$214.4 million c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Debt - external:
$NA