Compare French Guiana (2006) - Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

Compare French Guiana (2006) z Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

	French Guiana (2006)	Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

Administrative divisions	none (overseas department of France)	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
Age structure	0-14 years: 28.9% (male 29,540/female 28,210) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 69,302/female 59,980) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,350/female 6,127) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007) 15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports	11 (2006)	2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2006)	-
Area	total: 91,000 sq km land: 89,150 sq km water: 1,850 sq km	total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Indiana	more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Background	First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.	Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate	20.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $135.5 million expenditures: $135.5 million; including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)	revenues: $27.94 million expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.)
Capital	name: Cayenne geographic coordinates: 4 56 N, 52 20 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Sao Tome
Climate	tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline	378 km	209 km
Constitution	4 October 1958 (French Constitution)	approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Country name	conventional long form: Department of Guiana conventional short form: French Guiana local long form: none local short form: Guyane	conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Death rate	4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$800.3 million (2003)	$318 million (2002)
Dependency status	overseas department of France	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas department of France)	the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas department of France)	Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580
Disputes - international	Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana	none
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
Economy - overview	The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.	This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, but lacking a formal poverty reduction program with the IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao Tome's external debt stands at over $300 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea. The first production license was sold to a consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the sale of additional production licenses.
Electricity - consumption	432.6 million kWh (2003)	15.81 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	465.2 million kWh (2003)	17 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Environment - current issues	NA	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%	mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)	dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre LAFLAQUIERE (since 19 July 2006) head of government: President of the General Council Pierre DESERT (since 26 March 2004); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils	chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7 June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA
Exports - commodities	shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing	cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners	France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2004)	Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	the flag of France is used	three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% 6.6% industry: NA% 15.6% services: NA% 77.8%	agriculture: 16.5% industry: 15.4% services: 68.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	4 00 N, 53 00 W	1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note	mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent	the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Highways	-	total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners	France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2004)	Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)
Independence	none (overseas department of France)	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	NA
Industries	construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining	light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
Infant mortality rate	total: 11.76 deaths/1,000 live births male: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1% (2003)	14% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	UPU, WCL, WFTU	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	20 sq km (2003)	100 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force	62,630 (1999)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 18.2% industry: 21.2% services: 60.6% (1980)	population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries	total: 1,240.4 km border countries: Brazil 730.4 km, Suriname 510 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.13% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other) (2005)	arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001)
Languages	French	Portuguese (official)
Legal system	French legal system	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held in March 2000 (next to be held March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - (second election results) percent of vote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats by party - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1	unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.27 years male: 73.95 years female: 80.75 years (2006 est.)	total population: 66.99 years male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location	Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references	South America	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of France	Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
Military branches	no regular military forces; Gendarmerie	Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	NA	$700,000 (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	0.8% (2004)
National holiday	Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)	Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: French Guianese (singular and plural) adjective: French Guianese	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards	high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding	NA
Natural resources	bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay	fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Alix LABBE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Georges HABRAN-MERY]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Remi Louis DUBOC]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]	Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	199,509 (July 2006 est.)	187,410 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	1.96% (2006 est.)	3.16% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Sao Tome
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Religions	Roman Catholic	Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	51,000 (2001)	7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	98,000 (2004)	4,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)	2 (2002)
Terrain	low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains	volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate	2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	19.2% (December 2003)	NA
Waterways	3,760 km note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2003)	-

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