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Compare Gabon (2001) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2001)
Compare Gabon (2001) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2001)
| Gabon (2001) | British Indian Ocean Territory (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | - |
| 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.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | - |
| Airports | 59 (2000 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
| 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 (2000 est.) |
| 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:
60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | about 0.3 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. | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier resident in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. |
| Birth rate | 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
| Budget | revenues:
$1.5 billion expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.) |
- |
| Capital | Libreville | - |
| Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 885 km | 698 km |
| Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | - |
| Country name | conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
conventional long form:
British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
| 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.) | - |
| Debt - external | $3.9 billion (2000 est.) | - |
| Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London |
| 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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| 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 (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Disputes - international | maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay | the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by Mauritius and Seychelles |
| Economic aid - recipient | $331 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. | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. |
| Electricity - consumption | 948.6 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
| Electricity - production | 1.02 billion kWh (1999) | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military |
| 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:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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 | - |
| 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 | - |
| 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) head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
| Exports | $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | - |
| Exports - commodities | crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) | - |
| Exports - partners | US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) | - |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
10% industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 est.) |
- |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2000 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 6 00 S, 71 30 E |
| Geography - note | - | archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility |
| Highways | total:
7,670 km paved: 629 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,041 km (1996) |
total:
NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Imports | $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | - |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials | - |
| Imports - partners | France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) | - |
| Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 2.3% (1995) | - |
| Industries | food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair | - |
| Infant mortality rate | 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | - |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2000 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 | - |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 40 sq km (1993 est.) | 0 sq km (1993) |
| 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 | - |
| Labor force | 600,000 | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% | - |
| 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:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
| Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | - |
| 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 | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| 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 |
- |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population:
49.59 years male: 48.47 years female: 50.75 years (2001 est.) |
- |
| Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
- |
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia |
| Map references | Africa | World |
| Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police | - |
| 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) | - |
| Nationality | noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese |
- |
| Natural hazards | NA | NA |
| Natural resources | petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | coconuts, fish, sugarcane |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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] | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | 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.) |
no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 1.02% (2001 est.) | - |
| Ports and harbors | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil | Diego Garcia |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | 208,000 (1997) | NA |
| 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% | - |
| 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.) |
- |
| Suffrage | 21 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:
separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 37,000 (1997) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 9,500 (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 and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) |
| Total fertility rate | 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) | - |
| Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | - |
| Waterways | 1,600 km (perennially navigable) | none |
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