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Compare Gabon (2001) - Aruba (2002)

Compare Gabon (2001) z Aruba (2002)

 Gabon (2001)Aruba (2002)
 GabonAruba
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age structure 0-14 years:
33.29% (male 203,677; female 202,833)

15-64 years:
60.77% (male 373,828; female 368,282)

65 years and over:
5.94% (male 35,867; female 36,688) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)


15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906)


65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish aloes; livestock; fish
Airports 59 (2000 est.) 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways 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 (2000 est.)
total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
49

1,524 to 2,437 m:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
17

under 914 m:
24 (2000 est.)
-
Area total:
267,667 sq km

land:
257,667 sq km

water:
10,000 sq km
total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Birth rate 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.5 billion

expenditures:
$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $135.81 million


expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Capital Libreville Oranjestad
Climate tropical; always hot, humid tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 885 km 68.5 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 1 January 1986
Country name conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic

conventional short form:
Gabon

local long form:
Republique Gabonaise

local short form:
Gabon
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Aruba
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)
Death rate 17.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $3.9 billion (2000 est.) $285 million (1996)
Dependency status - part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador James V. LEDESMA

embassy:
Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville

mailing address:
B. P. 4000, Libreville

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

FAX:
[241] 74 55 07
chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON


embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao


mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao


telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066


FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA

chancery:
Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

telephone:
[1] (202) 797-1000

FAX:
[1] (202) 332-0668

consulate(s):
New York
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Disputes - international maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay none
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996
Economy - overview Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet 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, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 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 mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had 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 in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. An expected decline in oil output may lead to contraction in GDP in 2001-02. Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; poaching NA
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Executive branch chief of state:
President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)

head of government:
Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999)

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; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)


head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA


cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)


election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000)
Exports - commodities crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
60%

services:
30% (1999 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2000 est.) 2.5% (2000)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 12 30 N, 69 58 W
Geography - note - a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Highways total:
7,670 km

paved:
629 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
7,041 km (1996)
total: 800 km


paved: 513 km


unpaved: 287 km


note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity
Imports $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate 2.3% (1995) NA%
Industries food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 4% (2000)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) NA
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1993 est.) 0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 600,000 41,501
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Land boundaries total:
2,551 km

border countries:
Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
18%

forests and woodland:
77%

other:
3% (1993 est.)
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.47% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Legal system 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 based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms

elections:
National Assembly - last held 15 and 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 89, PGP 9, RNB 6, CLR 3, UPG 2, USG 2, independents 4, others 5; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.59 years

male:
48.47 years

female:
50.75 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.67 years


male: 75.32 years


female: 82.19 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
63.2%

male:
73.7%

female:
53.3% (1995 est.)
definition: NA


total population: 97%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure $91 million (FY96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY96) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
281,218 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
145,062 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
11,304 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) Flag Day, 18 March
Nationality noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Natural hazards NA lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km -
Political parties and leaders African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Serge MBA BEKALE]; National Rally of Woodcutters (Bucherons) or RNB [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU] Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,221,175

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.)
70,441 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.02% (2001 est.) 0.59% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios 208,000 (1997) 50,000 (1997)
Railways total:
649 km (Gabon State Railways or OCTRA)

standard gauge:
649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)
0 km
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

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

international:
satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: more than adequate


international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
Telephones - main lines in use 37,000 (1997) 33,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 9,500 (1997) 3,402 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 0.6%
Waterways 1,600 km (perennially navigable) none
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