French Polynesia (2002) | Mozambique (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Maputo City*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 42.5% (male 4,162,413; female 4,176,295)
15-64 years: 54.7% (male 5,313,511; female 5,407,052) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 227,761; female 320,487) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products | cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry |
Airports | 45 (2001) | 166 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002) |
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
total: 143
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 91 (2002) |
Area | total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
total: 801,590 sq km
land: 784,090 sq km water: 17,500 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut | slightly less than twice the size of California |
Background | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. | Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt the economy. |
Birth rate | 18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 36.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996) |
revenues: $393.1 million
expenditures: $1.025 billion, including capital expenditures of $479.4 million (2001 est.) |
Capital | Papeete | Maputo |
Climate | tropical, but moderate | tropical to subtropical |
Coastline | 2,525 km | 2,470 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 30 November 1990 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
conventional short form: Mozambique local long form: Republica de Mocambique local short form: Mocambique former: Portuguese East Africa |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 | metical (MZM) |
Death rate | 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 25.13 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1 billion (2001 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1946 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission: Ambassador Sharon P. WILKINSON
embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo telephone: [258] (1) 492797 FAX: [258] (1) 490448 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $367 million (1997) (1997) | $632.8 million (2001) |
Economy - overview | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. | At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1988, the government embarked on a series of dramatic macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy and reduce government participation. These steps combined with the political stability that has prevailed since the 1994 multi-party elections have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate fueled by foreign and domestic investments and donor assistance. Inflation was brought to single digits during the same period, although it has returned to double digits in 2000 and 2001. Foreign exchange rates have remained relatively stable. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists, although it has diminished with the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment project. Additional investment projects in titanium extraction/processing and garment manufacturing should further close the import/export gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a manageable level. |
Electricity - consumption | 379.44 million kWh (2000) | 925.81 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 5.7 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 100 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 408 million kWh (2000) | 7.017 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 54%
hydro: 46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 4%
hydro: 96% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% | indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro | meticais per US dollar - 23,314.2 (January 2002), 20,703.6 (2001), 15,447.1 (2000), 13,028.6 (1999), 12,110.2 (1998), 11,772.6 (1997)
note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public; meticais is the plural form of metical |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
chief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986); note - before being popularly elected, CHISSANO was elected president by Frelimo's Central Committee on 4 November 1986 (reelected by the Committee 30 July 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since 17 December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO reelected president; percent of vote - Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO 52.29%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 47.71% |
Exports | $205 million f.o.b. (1999) | $746 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
Exports - commodities | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) | prawns 40%, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity (2000) |
Exports - partners | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) | South Africa 12.7%, Zimbabwe 12.2%, Spain 10.6%, Portugal 10.0% (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17.5 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
agriculture: 33%
industry: 25% services: 42% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $900 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | 9.2% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 140 00 W | 18 15 S, 35 00 E |
Geography - note | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru | the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part of the country |
Highways | total: 792 km
paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
total: 30,400 km
paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 32% (1996-97) |
Illicit drugs | - | Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish, South Asian heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
Imports | $749 million f.o.b. (1999) | $1.254 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment | machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs, textiles (2000) |
Imports - partners | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) | South Africa 33.5%, Portugal 4.8%, US 4.2%, Australia 3.8% (2000) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) | 25 June 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.4% (2000) |
Industries | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts | food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco |
Infant mortality rate | 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 138.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1994) | 10% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 11 (2002) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,070 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif | Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases |
Labor force | 70,000 (1996) (1996) | 7.4 million (1997 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997) | agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 3.98%
permanent crops: 0.29% other: 95.73% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Tahitian (official) | Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects |
Legal system | based on French system | based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3-5 December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 48.54%, Renamo-UE 38.81%; seats by party - Frelimo 133, Renamo-UE 117 note: Renamo-UE ran as a multiparty coalition; none of the other opposition parties received the 5% required to win parliamentary seats; in September 2000, Renamo-UE member Raul DOMINGOS was expelled from the party, he continues to hold his parliamentary seat as an independent |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.23 years
male: 72.88 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 35.46 years
male: 36.25 years female: 34.65 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.3% male: 58.4% female: 27% (1998 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia | Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between South Africa and Tanzania |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
ships by type: cargo 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 2 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie | Army, Naval Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Special Forces, Militia |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $35.1 million (2000 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1% (2000 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 4,711,318 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 2,720,583 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 25 June (1975) |
Nationality | noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
noun: Mozambican(s)
adjective: Mozambican |
Natural hazards | occasional cyclonic storms in January | severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in central and southern provinces |
Natural resources | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower | coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite |
Net migration rate | 3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 306 km; petroleum products 289 km
note: not operating |
Political parties and leaders | Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [Boris LEONTIEFF] | Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general] |
Population | 257,847 (July 2002 est.) | 19,607,519
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; the 1997 Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 70% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.67% (2002 est.) | 1.13% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa | Beira, Inhambane, Maputo, Nacala, Pemba, Quelimane |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001) |
Radios | 128,000 (1997) | 730,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 3,131 km
narrow gauge: 2,988 km 1.067-m gauge; 143 km 0.762-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% | indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: fair system but not available generally (telephone density is only 3.5 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) | 90,000 (December 2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,427 (1997) | 100,000 (June 2001 est) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 1 (2001) |
Terrain | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs | mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west |
Total fertility rate | 2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.71 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 21% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | none | 3,750 km (navigable routes) |