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Compare Comoros (2004) - Equatorial Guinea (2006)

Compare Comoros (2004) z Equatorial Guinea (2006)

 Comoros (2004)Equatorial Guinea (2006)
 ComorosEquatorial Guinea
Administrative divisions 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 140,083; female 139,245)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 174,216; female 179,050)


65 years and over: 3% (male 9,136; female 10,171) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 113,083/female 111,989)


15-64 years: 54.5% (male 141,914/female 152,645)


65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,886/female 11,592) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Airports 4 (2003 est.) 4 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Area total: 2,170 sq km


land: 2,170 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 28,051 sq km


land: 28,051 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president was sworn in on 26 May 2002. Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
Birth rate 38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $1.973 billion


expenditures: $711.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Moroni name: Malabo


geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 340 km 296 km
Constitution 23 December 2001


note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995
Country name conventional long form: Union of the Comoros


conventional short form: Comoros


local long form: Union des Comores


local short form: Comores
conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea


conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea


local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale


local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale


former: Spanish Guinea
Currency Comoran franc (KMF) -
Death rate 8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $232 million (2000 est.) $353 million (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros chief of mission: the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea


embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of Mont Febe; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon


mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520


telephone: [237] 220 15 00


FAX: [237] 220 16 20
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)


chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711


FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO


chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700


FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Economic aid - recipient $10 million (2001 est.) $33.8 million $NA
Economy - overview One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government - which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2005, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the second highest per capita income in the world, after Luxembourg.
Electricity - consumption 19.78 million kWh (2001) 27.37 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 21.27 million kWh (2001) 29.43 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish
Exchange rates Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741 (2002), 549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999)


note: prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002


election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)


head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA (since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa
Exports - partners France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003) US 25.8%, China 22.9%, Spain 11.4%, Canada 7.7%, Taiwan 7.5%, Portugal 5.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, France 4.2% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
GDP purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 3%


industry: 90.6%


services: 6.2% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 18.6% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 10 S, 44 15 E 2 00 N, 10 00 E
Geography - note important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel insular and continental regions widely separated
Highways total: 880 km


paved: 673 km


unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment petroleum sector equipment, other equipment
Imports - partners France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003) US 24.6%, Italy 20.7%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.7%, UK 7% (2005)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) 30% (2002 est.)
Industries tourism, perfume distillation petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Infant mortality rate total: 77.22 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 85.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2001 est.) 5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic) Supreme Tribunal
Labor force 144,500 (1996 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% -
Land boundaries 0 km total: 539 km


border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Land use arable land: 35.87%


permanent crops: 23.32%


other: 40.81% (2001)
arable land: 4.63%


permanent crops: 3.57%


other: 91.8% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Legal system French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Legislative branch unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years); note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly (dissolved in 1999) were held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held on 18 and 25 April 2004 unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, CPDS 2


note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president
Life expectancy at birth total population: 61.57 years


male: 59.29 years


female: 63.91 years (2004 est.)
total population: 49.54 years


male: 48 years


female: 51.13 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 56.5%


male: 63.6%


female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 85.7%


male: 93.3%


female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT


by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 4


foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 7, Honduras 1, India 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 7, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 3, Pakistan 4, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 21, United Kingdom 1, United States 1, Yemen 2 (2004 est.)
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2006)
Military branches Comoran Security Force Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $6 million (2003) $152.2 million (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2003) 2.1% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 154,843 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 91,825 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Nationality noun: Comoran(s)


adjective: Comoran
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)


adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Natural hazards cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano violent windstorms, flash floods
Natural resources NEGL petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 46 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil 31 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 651,901 (July 2004 est.) 540,109 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2002 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.94% (2004 est.) 2.05% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal adult
Telephone system general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations


domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
general assessment: poor system with adequate government services


domestic: NA


international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 13,200 (2003) 10,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,000 (2003) 96,900 (2005)
Television broadcast stations NA 1 (2002)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Total fertility rate 5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.) 4.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 30% (1998 est.)
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