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Compare French Polynesia (2007) - Gabon (2008)

Compare French Polynesia (2007) z Gabon (2008)

 French Polynesia (2007)Gabon (2008)
 French PolynesiaGabon
Administrative divisions none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677)


15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/female 8,761) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 307,444/female 305,468)


15-64 years: 53.9% (male 391,194/female 393,103)


65 years and over: 4% (male 23,978/female 33,680) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports 54 (2007) 53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 37


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 27


under 914 m: 3 (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 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 8 (2007)
total: 43


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Area total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)


land: 3,660 sq km


water: 507 sq km
total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut slightly smaller than Colorado
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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Birth rate 16.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 35.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $865 million


expenditures: $644.1 million (1999)
revenues: $3.353 billion


expenditures: $2.283 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Papeete


geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W


time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Libreville


geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical, but moderate tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 2,525 km 885 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) adopted 14 March 1991
Country name conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia


conventional short form: French Polynesia


local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise


local short form: Polynesie Francaise


former: French Colony of Oceania
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic


conventional short form: Gabon


local long form: Republique gabonaise


local short form: Gabon
Death rate 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $3.579 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Dependency status overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas lands of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK


embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville


mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville


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


FAX: [241] 74 55 07
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas lands of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU


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 UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Economic aid - recipient $579.8 million (2004) $53.87 million (2005)
Economy - overview Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural 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 benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. but 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, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. The devaluation of the CFA franc - its currency - by 50% in 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 mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon 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 since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.
Electricity - consumption 429.7 million kWh (2005) 1.241 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 462 million kWh (2005) 1.52 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba); other Africans and Europeans, 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Exchange rates Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)


note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)


head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 13 September 2007); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)


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 for five-year terms (no term limits)
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2 December 1967)


head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006)


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 (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%
Exports NA bbl/day 228,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006) US 27.6%, China 15.9%, France 7.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2006)
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 a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a 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), yellow, and blue
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3.1%


industry: 19%


services: 76.9% (2005)
agriculture: 5.8%


industry: 58.8%


services: 35.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.1% (2002) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 S, 140 00 W 1 00 S, 11 45 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 a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
Government - note under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister -
Heliports 1 (2007) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA bbl/day 2,436 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006) France 35.4%, US 7.6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Cameroon 4.5%, Belgium 4.3% (2006)
Independence none (overseas lands of France) 17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 53.65 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 62.53 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.1% (2006 est.) 5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 10 sq km (2003) 70 sq km (2003)
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 or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts
Labor force 65,930 (December 2005) 582,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 13%


industry: 19%


services: 68% (2002)
agriculture: 60%


industry: 15%


services: 25%
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: 0.75%


permanent crops: 5.5%


other: 93.75% (2005)
arable land: 1.21%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 98.15% (2005)
Languages French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system the laws of France, where applicable, apply 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 Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in 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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.31 years


male: 73.88 years


female: 78.86 years (2007 est.)
total population: 53.99 years


male: 52.85 years


female: 55.17 years (2007 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: 63.2%


male: 73.7%


female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT


by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1


registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2007)
registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2007)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.4% (2005 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
Nationality noun: French Polynesian(s)


adjective: French Polynesian
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards occasional cyclonic storms in January NA
Natural resources timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate 2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 384 km; oil 1,427 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); 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]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG (former sole party) [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 278,963 (July 2007 est.) 1,454,867


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.461% (2007 est.) 2.036% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Railways - total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.995 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.712 male(s)/female


total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with three providers; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 50 per 100 persons in 2006


domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations


international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 53,600 (2006) 36,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 152,000 (2006) 764,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) 4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.7% (2005) 21% (2006 est.)
Waterways - 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)
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