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Compare Barbados (2001) - Gabon (2003)

Compare Barbados (2001) z Gabon (2003)

 Barbados (2001)Gabon (2003)
 BarbadosGabon
Administrative divisions 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure 0-14 years:
21.68% (male 30,122; female 29,572)

15-64 years:
69.44% (male 93,283; female 97,915)

65 years and over:
8.88% (male 9,432; female 15,006) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 280,218; female 278,808)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 352,363; female 355,315)


65 years and over: 4.2% (male 22,786; female 32,070) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vegetables, cotton cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports 1 (2000 est.) 57 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
1

over 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 10


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 47


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Area total:
430 sq km

land:
430 sq km

water:
0 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 island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Its economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance. Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.
Birth rate 13.47 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$725.5 million

expenditures:
$750.6 million, including capital expenditures of $126.3 million (FY97/98 est.)
revenues: $1.8 billion


expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)
Capital Bridgetown Libreville
Climate tropical; rainy season (June to October) tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 97 km 885 km
Constitution 30 November 1966 adopted 14 March 1991
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Barbados
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic


conventional short form: Gabon


local long form: Republique Gabonaise


local short form: Gabon
Currency Barbadian dollar (BBD) Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate 8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $425 million (2000 est.) $3.8 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador James A. DALEY

embassy:
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown

mailing address:
P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; FPO AA 34055

telephone:
[1] (246) 436-4950

FAX:
[1] (246) 429-5246
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 Michael KING

chancery:
2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 939-9200

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-7467

consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York

consulate(s):
Los Angeles
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 small islets on Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s
Economic aid - recipient $9.1 million (1995) $331 million (1995)
Economy - overview Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into manufacturing and tourism. The start of the Port Charles Marina project in Speightstown helped the tourism industry continue to expand in 1996-2000. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners, and there is also a light manufacturing sector. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, encourage direct foreign investment, and privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. Growth should remain steady in 2001, with new tourist facilities a plus factor. 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 667.7 million kWh (1999) 742.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 718 million kWh (1999) 798.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 34.5%


hydro: 65.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Hillaby 336 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements party to:
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:
Biodiversity
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups black 80%, white 4%, other 16% 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 Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)

head of government:
Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 6 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Billie MILLER (since 6 September 1994)

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

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed 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 $260 million (2000 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components, clothing crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners UK 14.8%, US 11.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.6%, Venezuela 6.1%, Jamaica 5.8% (1998) US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8% (2002)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident) three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP purchasing power parity - $4 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
4%

industry:
16%

services:
80% (1998)
agriculture: 15%


industry: 60%


services: 25% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.8% (2000 est.) 0.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 10 N, 59 32 W 1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note easternmost Caribbean island 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:
1,600 km

paved:
1,578 km

unpaved:
22 km (1998)
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 one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US -
Imports $800.3 million (2000 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners US 30.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 10.2%, Japan 8.3%, UK 7.7%, Canada 2.2% (1998) France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002)
Independence 30 November 1966 (from UK) 17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 0.8% (1996) 1.6% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement.
Infant mortality rate 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2000 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 19 (2000) 1 (2001)
Irrigated land NA sq km 150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services) 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 136,000 (1998 est.) 600,000
Labor force - by occupation services 75%, industry 15%, agriculture 10% (1996 est.) agriculture 60%, services 25%, industry 15%
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:
37%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
5%

forests and woodland:
12%

other:
46% (1993 est.)
arable land: 1.26%


permanent crops: 0.66%


other: 98.08% (1998 est.)
Languages English French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts 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 (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
House of Assembly - last held 20 January 1999 (next to be held by January 2004)

election results:
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BLP 26, DLP 2
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 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)


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:
73.25 years

male:
70.66 years

female:
75.86 years (2001 est.)
total population: 57.12 years


male: 55.45 years


female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
97.4%

male:
98%

female:
96.8% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 63.2%


male: 73.7%


female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela 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 exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 671,545 GRT/1,125,635 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 10, cargo 28, combination bulk 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Canada 2, Hong Kong 1 (2000 est.)
-
Military branches Royal Barbados Defense Force (includes Ground Forces and Coast Guard), Royal Barbados Police Force Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $81.9 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
78,069 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
53,576 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 12,853 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 30 November (1966) Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun:
Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)

adjective:
Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides NA
Natural resources petroleum, fish, natural gas petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 210 km; oil 1,426 km; water 3 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Richard HAYNES] 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 Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE] NA
Population 275,330 (July 2001 est.) 1,321,560


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 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.46% (2001 est.) 2.54% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bridgetown, Speightstown (Port Charles Marina) Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Radios 237,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
Religions Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12% Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.01 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.93 male(s)/female (2001 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 (2003 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
island-wide automatic telephone system

international:
satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
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: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002
Telephones - main lines in use 108,000 (1997) 39,000 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,013 (1997) 120,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus two cable channels) (1997) 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)
Terrain relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.) 4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 11% (1999 est.) 21% (1997 est.)
Waterways none 1,600 km (perennially navigable)
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