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Compare British Virgin Islands (2007) - Gabon (2001)

Compare British Virgin Islands (2007) z Gabon (2001)

 British Virgin Islands (2007)Gabon (2001)
 British Virgin IslandsGabon
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK) 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,410/female 2,337)


15-64 years: 74.5% (male 9,004/female 8,534)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 665/female 602) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
33.29% (male 203,677; female 202,833)

15-64 years:
60.77% (male 373,828; female 368,282)

65 years and over:
5.94% (male 35,867; female 36,688) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports 3 (2007) 59 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
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 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total:
49

1,524 to 2,437 m:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
17

under 914 m:
24 (2000 est.)
Area total: 153 sq km


land: 153 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the islands of Tortola, Anegada, Virgin Gorda, Jost van Dyke
total:
267,667 sq km

land:
257,667 sq km

water:
10,000 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Colorado
Background First inhabited by Arawak and later by Carib Indians, the Virgin Islands were settled by the Dutch in 1648 and then annexed by the English in 1672. The islands were part of the British colony of the Leeward Islands from 1872-1960; they were granted autonomy in 1967. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. 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 foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.
Birth rate 14.82 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $204.7 million


expenditures: $180.4 million (2004)
revenues:
$1.5 billion

expenditures:
$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
Capital name: Road Town


geographic coordinates: 18 27 N, 64 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Libreville
Climate subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 80 km 885 km
Constitution 13 June 2007 adopted 14 March 1991
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: British Virgin Islands


abbreviation: BVI
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 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $36.1 million (1997) $3.9 billion (2000 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador James V. LEDESMA

embassy:
Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville

mailing address:
B. P. 4000, Libreville

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

FAX:
[241] 74 55 07
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) chief of mission:
Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA

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 maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
Economic aid - recipient $NA $331 million (1995)
Economy - overview The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 820,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2005. 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. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. 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, made 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 US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. 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, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. 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. An expected decline in oil output may lead to contraction in GDP in 2001-02.
Electricity - consumption 41.85 million kWh (2005) 948.6 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 45 million kWh (2005) 1.02 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Sage 521 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements - 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 83%, other 17% (includes white, Indian, Asian and mixed) Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Exchange rates the US dollar is used Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor David PEAREY (since 18 April 2006)


head of government: Premier Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 23 August 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the House of Assembly


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
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 bbl/day $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998)
Exports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP - purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.8%


industry: 6.2%


services: 92% (1996 est.)
agriculture:
10%

industry:
60%

services:
30% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 1.2% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 30 N, 64 30 W 1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico -
Highways - total:
7,670 km

paved:
629 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
7,041 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering -
Imports NA bbl/day $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials
Imports - partners Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US (2006) France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999)
Independence none (overseas territory of the UK) 17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2.3% (1995)
Industries tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair
Infant mortality rate total: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2% (2005) 1.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 40 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; 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 12,770 (2004) 600,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 0.6%


industry: 40%


services: 59.4% (2005)
agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 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: 20%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 73.33% (2005)
arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
18%

forests and woodland:
77%

other:
3% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official) French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system English 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 unicameral House of Assembly (13 elected seats and 1 non-voting ex officio member in the attorney general; members are elected by direct popular vote, 1 member from each of nine electoral districts, 4 at-large members; to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 August 2007 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - VIP 45.2%, NDP 39.6%, independent 15.2%; seats by party - VIP 10, NDP 2, independent 1
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats) 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 15 and 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 89, PGP 9, RNB 6, CLR 3, UPG 2, USG 2, independents 4, others 5; 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: 76.86 years


male: 75.71 years


female: 78.07 years (2007 est.)
total population:
49.59 years

male:
48.47 years

female:
50.75 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
63.2%

male:
73.7%

female:
53.3% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east 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: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $91 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.6% (FY96)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
281,218 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
145,062 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
11,304 (2001 est.)
National holiday Territory Day, 1 July (1956) Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun: British Virgin Islander(s)


adjective: British Virgin Islander
noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
Natural hazards hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) NA
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
Political parties and leaders Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; 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, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Serge MBA BEKALE]; National Rally of Woodcutters (Bucherons) or RNB [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 NA
Population 23,552 (July 2007 est.) 1,221,175

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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.923% (2007 est.) 1.02% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998)
Radios - 208,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
649 km (Gabon State Railways or OCTRA)

standard gauge:
649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)
Religions Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, other 2%, none 2% (1991) Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.031 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.055 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.105 male(s)/female


total population: 1.053 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: worldwide telephone service


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-284; connected via submarine cable to Bermuda; the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable provides connectivity to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean (2007)
general assessment:
NA

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)
Telephones - main lines in use 11,700 (2002) 37,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 8,000 (2002) 9,500 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 1 cable company) (1997) 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3.6% (1997) 21% (1997 est.)
Waterways - 1,600 km (perennially navigable)
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