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Compare Antigua and Barbuda (2004) - Gabon (2004)

Compare Antigua and Barbuda (2004) z Gabon (2004)

 Antigua and Barbuda (2004)Gabon (2004)
 Antigua and BarbudaGabon
Administrative divisions 6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*, Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint Peter, Saint Philip 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure 0-14 years: 28.1% (male 9,761; female 9,429)


15-64 years: 67.6% (male 23,179; female 23,023)


65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,151; female 1,777) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184)


15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132)


65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts, cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports 3 (2003 est.) 56 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 11


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 45


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
Area total: 443 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)


land: 443 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km
total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Colorado
Background The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981. Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. In addition, recent strikes have underscored the popular disenchantment with the political system. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Birth rate 17.7 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $123.7 million


expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $1.771 billion


expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)
Capital Saint John's (Antigua) Libreville
Climate tropical; little seasonal temperature variation tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 153 km 885 km
Constitution 1 November 1981 adopted 14 March 1991
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic


conventional short form: Gabon


local long form: Republique Gabonaise


local short form: Gabon
Currency East Caribbean dollar (XCD) Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $231 million (1999) $3.284 billion (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados, Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER, is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD


embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville


mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville


telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92


FAX: [241] 74 55 07
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel A. HURST


chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016


telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122


FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225


consulate(s) general: Miami
chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA


chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000


FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668


consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international none creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s
Economic aid - recipient $2.3 million (1995) $331 million (1995)
Economy - overview Tourism continues to dominate the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist arrivals. Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.
Electricity - consumption 97.89 million kWh (2001) 742.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 105.3 million kWh (2001) 798.4 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues water management - a major concern because of limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to run off quickly deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Exchange rates East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000), 2.7 (1999), 2.7 (1998) (fixed rate since 1976) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993)


head of government: Prime Minister Baldwin SPENCER (since 24 March 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)


head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%, machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%, other 8% crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners Germany 84.9%, UK 3.8%, US 3.3% (2003) US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising sun in the black band three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP purchasing power parity - $750 million (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.9%


industry: 19.2%


services: 76.8% (2002)
agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 48.8%


services: 43.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2002 est.) 1.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 17 03 N, 61 48 W 1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
Highways total: 250 km (1999 est.) total: 8,464 km


paved: 838 km


unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center -
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners US 26.5%, Singapore 10%, Poland 7%, Germany 6.1%, UK 6.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.4% (2003) France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)
Independence 1 November 1981 (from UK) 17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 6% (1997 est.) 1.6% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, construction, light manufacturing (clothing, alcohol, household appliances) petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement
Infant mortality rate total: 20.18 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 24.29 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.4% (2000 est.) 0.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts
Labor force 30,000 610,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 7%, industry 11%, services 82% (1983) agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,551 km


border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Land use arable land: 18.18%


permanent crops: 4.55%


other: 77.27% (2001)
arable land: 1.26%


permanent crops: 0.66%


other: 98.08% (2001)
Languages English (official), local dialects French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system based on English common law based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 12, contested 1; note - new election will decide the contested seat
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.6 years


male: 69.26 years


female: 74.07 years (2004 est.)
total population: 56.46 years


male: 54.85 years


female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling


total population: 89%


male: 90%


female: 88% (1960 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 63.2%


male: 73.7%


female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 867 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,873,626 GRT/7,683,143 DWT


by type: bulk 25, cargo 477, chemical tanker 13, container 284, liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large load carrier 15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 32, vehicle carrier 1


foreign-owned: Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 3, Colombia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 818, Greece 2, Iceland 5, Latvia 1, Lebanon 1, Lithuania 2, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 19, New Zealand 1, Norway 2, Portugal 1, Slovenia 5, Sweden 2, Switzerland 5, Turkey 3, United States 10


registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
-
Military branches Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force (including Coast Guard) Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $149.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 2% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 13,462 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day (National Day), 1 November (1981) Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)


adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October); periodic droughts NA
Natural resources NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate -6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD]; Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP, Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor Movement or PLM) Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL] NA
Population 68,320 (July 2004 est.) 1,355,246


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA
Population growth rate 0.6% (2004 est.) 2.5% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Saint John's Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Railways - total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some Roman Catholic) Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: good automatic telephone system


international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system


domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations


international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Telephones - main lines in use 38,000 (2002) 38,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 38,200 (2002) 300,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 2 (1997) 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate 2.27 children born/woman (2004 est.) 4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 11% (2001 est.) 21% (1997 est.)
Waterways - 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)
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