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Compare Equatorial Guinea (2005) - Lesotho (2001)

Compare Equatorial Guinea (2005) z Lesotho (2001)

 Equatorial Guinea (2005)Lesotho (2001)
 Equatorial GuineaLesotho
Administrative divisions 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 112,326/female 111,244)


15-64 years: 54.5% (male 140,568/female 151,500)


65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,900/female 11,343) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
39.28% (male 430,147; female 424,994)

15-64 years:
56.03% (male 588,440; female 631,404)

65 years and over:
4.69% (male 43,033; female 59,044) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock
Airports 4 (2004 est.) 29 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
25

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
21 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,051 sq km


land: 28,051 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
30,355 sq km

land:
30,355 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maryland
Background 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 OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the judicious use of patronage. 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 country's living standards. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule.
Birth rate 36.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 31.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $813.2 million


expenditures: $375.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues:
$76 million

expenditures:
$80 million, including capital expenditures of $15 million (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Malabo Maseru
Climate tropical; always hot, humid temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Coastline 296 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995 2 April 1993
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea


conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea


local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial


local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial


former: Spanish Guinea
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Lesotho

conventional short form:
Lesotho

former:
Basutoland
Currency - loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)
Death rate 12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 15.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $248 million (2000 est.) $720 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo chief of mission:
Ambassador Katherine H. PETERSON

embassy:
254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)

mailing address:
P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho

telephone:
[266] 312666

FAX:
[266] 310116
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE


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


telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700


FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
chief of mission:
Ambassador Lebohang Kenneth MOLEKO

chancery:
2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-6815
Disputes - international 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 none
Economic aid - recipient $33.8 million (1995) $123.7 million (1995)
Economy - overview 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 unsuccessfully 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 presumably remained strong in 2004, led by oil. Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho's primary natural resource is water. Its economy is based on subsistence agriculture, livestock, and remittances from miners employed in South Africa. The number of such mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years. A small manufacturing base depends largely on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries. Agricultural products are exported primarily to South Africa. Proceeds from membership in a common customs union with South Africa form the majority of government revenue. Although drought has decreased agricultural activity over the past few years, completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, generating royalties for Lesotho. The pace of substantial privatization has increased in recent years. In December 1999, the government embarked on a nine-month IMF staff-monitored program aimed at structural adjustment and stabilization of macroeconomic fundamentals. The government is in the process of applying for a three-year successor program with the IMF under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.
Electricity - consumption 24.82 million kWh (2002) 55 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 55 million kWh

note:
electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
Electricity - production 26.69 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
lowest point:
junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m

highest point:
Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
Environment - current issues tap water is not potable; deforestation population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa
Environment - international 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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping
Ethnic groups Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) maloti per US dollar - 7.78307 (January 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996); note - the Lesotho loti is at par with the South African rand which is also legal tender; maloti is the plural form of loti
Executive branch 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 Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since 14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA (since 15 June 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; 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
chief of state:
King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile

head of government:
Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)

cabinet:
Cabinet

elections:
none; according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may even depose the monarch
Exports NA $175 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (1998)
Exports - partners US 29.3%, China 22.8%, Spain 16%, Taiwan 14.9%, Canada 6.8% (2004) South African Customs Union 65%, North America 34% (1998)
Fiscal year 1 January - 31 December 1 April - 31 March
Flag description 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) divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with a green triangle in the corner
GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 95.7%


services: 1.3% (2004 est.)
agriculture:
18%

industry:
38%

services:
44% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 20% (2002 est.) 2.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 2 00 N, 10 00 E 29 30 S, 28 30 E
Geography - note insular and continental regions rather widely separated landlocked; surrounded by South Africa
Highways total: 2,880 km (1999 est.) total:
4,955 km

paved:
887 km

unpaved:
4,068 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
0.9%

highest 10%:
43.4% (1986-87)
Imports NA $700 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities petroleum sector equipment, other equipment food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (1995)
Imports - partners US 26.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 21.4%, Spain 13.6%, France 8.8%, UK 7.8%, Italy 4.4% (2004) South African Customs Union 90%, Asia 7% (1998)
Independence 12 October 1968 (from Spain) 4 October 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 30% (2002 est.) 15.5% (1999 est.)
Industries petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas food, beverages, textiles, handicrafts; construction; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 85.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
82.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.5% (2004 est.) 6% (2000 est.)
International organization participation 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), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer) ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 30 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Tribunal High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court
Labor force NA 700,000 economically active
Labor force - by occupation - 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa
Land boundaries total: 539 km


border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
total:
909 km

border countries:
South Africa 909 km
Land use arable land: 4.63%


permanent crops: 3.57%


other: 91.8% (2001)
arable land:
11%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
66%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
23% (1993 est.)
Languages Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Legal system partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


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


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


note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (80 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 65 to 80 in the May 1998 election; on 28 February 2001, the Senate approved expansion of the Assembly by a further 50 seats in the next election, which may be held as early as January 2002

elections:
last held 23 May 1998 (next to be held NA March 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - LCD 60.7%, BNP 24.5%, other 14.8%; seats by party - LCD 79, BNP 1

note:
results contested; opposition parties claimed the election was fraudulent and staged a coup; Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces intervened in September 1998 and restored order; the Interim Political Authority (IPA) was set up in December 1998 to create a new electoral system and conduct new elections.
Life expectancy at birth total population: 49.7 years


male: 48.01 years


female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)
total population:
48.84 years

male:
47.97 years

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


total population: 85.7%


male: 93.3%


female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
83%

male:
72%

female:
93% (1999 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWT


by type: cargo 1 (2005)
-
Military - note - The Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs.
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force (2005) Lesotho Defense Force (LDF; includes Army and Air Wing), Royal Lesotho Mounted Police (RLMP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $126.2 million (2004) $34 million (1999)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.5% (2004) NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
515,464 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
277,369 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 12 October (1968) Independence Day, 4 October (1966)
Nationality noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)


adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
noun:
Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)

adjective:
Basotho
Natural hazards violent windstorms, flash floods periodic droughts
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; 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] Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Tseliso MAKHAKHE]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Phebe MOTEBANO, chairwoman; Dr. Pakalitha MOSISILI, leader] - the governing party; United Democratic Party or UDP [Charles MOFELI]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP and Setlamo Alliance [Vincent MALEBO]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 535,881 (July 2005 est.) 2,177,062

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 49.2% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 2.42% (2005 est.) 1.49% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Malabo none
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 104,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
2.6 km; note - owned by, operated by, and included in the statistics of South Africa

narrow gauge:
2.6 km 1.067-m gauge (1995)
Religions nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%
Sex ratio 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: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 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:
0.73 male(s)/female

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal adult 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system 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)
general assessment:
rudimentary system

domestic:
consists of a few landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 9,600 (2003) 20,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 41,500 (2003) 1,262 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2002) 1 (2000)
Terrain coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains
Total fertility rate 4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 30% (1998 est.) 45% (2000 est.)
Waterways - none
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