Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002) - Gabon (2004)

Compare Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002) z Gabon (2004)

	Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2002)	Gabon (2004)

Administrative divisions	-	9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure	-	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	-	cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports	-	56 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	-	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: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island	total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative	about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC	slightly smaller than Colorado
Background	These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983 it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.	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	-	36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $1.771 billion expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)
Capital	-	Libreville
Climate	tropical	tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline	74.1 km	885 km
Constitution	-	adopted 14 March 1991
Country name	conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands	conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon
Currency	-	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate	-	11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$3.284 billion (2003 est.)
Dependency status	territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of Australia)	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	none (territory of Australia)	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	-	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	-	$331 million (1995)
Economy - overview	no economic activity	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	-	742.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	-	798.4 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues	NA	deforestation; poaching
Environment - international 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	-	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	-	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: 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)
Exports - commodities	-	crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners	-	US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)
Fiscal year	-	calendar year
Flag description	the flag of Australia is used	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	1.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	12 14 S, 123 05 E	1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note	Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983	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: 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
Imports	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners	-	France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)
Independence	-	17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	-	1.6% (2002 est.)
Industries	-	petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement
Infant mortality rate	-	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)	-	0.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	-	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	0 sq km (1998 est.)	150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	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	-	610,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation	-	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: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (1998 est.)	arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)
Languages	-	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system	the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply	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 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: 56.46 years male: 54.85 years female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of Australia	Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Map references	Southeast Asia	Africa
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force	-
Military branches	-	Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$149.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	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	-	Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
Nationality	-	noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards	surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards	NA
Natural resources	fish	petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate	-	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
People - note	the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem	-
Pipelines	-	gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	-	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	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh waster at Ashmore Reef's West Island	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
Population growth rate	-	2.5% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	none; offshore anchorage only	Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil
Radio broadcast stations	-	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 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio	-	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	-	21 years of age; universal
Telephone system	-	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	-	38,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	300,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	-	4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	low with sand and coral	narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate	-	4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	21% (1997 est.)
Waterways	none	1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

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