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Compare Gabon (2001) - Barbados (2006)

Compare Gabon (2001) z Barbados (2006)

 Gabon (2001)Barbados (2006)
 GabonBarbados
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem 11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
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: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039)


15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223)


65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Airports 59 (2000 est.) 1 (2006)
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


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
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: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado 2.5 times the size of 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. The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Birth rate 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.5 billion

expenditures:
$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Libreville name: Bridgetown


geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; always hot, humid tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline 885 km 97 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 30 November 1966
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: Barbados
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States -
Death rate 17.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $3.9 billion (2000 est.) $668 million (2003)
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: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN


embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown


mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055


telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950


FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING


chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200


FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
Disputes - international maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration that will result in a binding award challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and the southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $9.1 million (1995)
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. Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) 761.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) 819 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

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

highest point:
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; poaching pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


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 black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
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 Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001)
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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)


head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Exports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%, Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
60%

services:
30% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2000 est.) 4.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 13 10 N, 59 32 W
Geography - note - easternmost Caribbean island
Highways total:
7,670 km

paved:
629 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
7,041 km (1996)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
Imports $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) NZ 45.9%, US 20.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12% (2005)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2.3% (1995) -3.2% (2000 est.)
Industries food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Infant mortality rate 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.38 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) -0.5% (2003 est.)
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 ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1993 est.) 50 sq km (2003)
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 Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Labor force 600,000 128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% agriculture: 10%


industry: 15%


services: 75% (1996 est.)
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: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (2005)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi English
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 English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.59 years

male:
48.47 years

female:
50.75 years (2001 est.)
total population: 72.79 years


male: 70.79 years


female: 74.82 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
63.2%

male:
73.7%

female:
53.3% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 99.7%


male: 99.7%


female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast 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


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)


registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
Military - note - the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Coast Guard (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $91 million (FY96) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.6% (FY96) NA
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) Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Nationality noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
Natural hazards NA infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower petroleum, fish, natural gas
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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] Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]
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.)
279,912 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.02% (2001 est.) 0.37% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil -
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios 208,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
649 km (Gabon State Railways or OCTRA)

standard gauge:
649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)
-
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
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: 1.01 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 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: island-wide automatic telephone system


international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use 37,000 (1997) 134,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 9,500 (1997) 206,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) 1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Total fertility rate 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 10.7% (2003 est.)
Waterways 1,600 km (perennially navigable) -
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