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Compare Gabon (2001) - Holy See (Vatican City) (2002)

Compare Gabon (2001) z Holy See (Vatican City) (2002)

 Gabon (2001)Holy See (Vatican City) (2002)
 GabonHoly See (Vatican City)
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem none
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.) none (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.)
-
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: 0.44 sq km


land: 0.44 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in 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. Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
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.)
revenues: $209.6 million


expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital Libreville Vatican City
Climate tropical; always hot, humid temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Coastline 885 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
Country name conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic

conventional short form:
Gabon

local long form:
Republique Gabonaise

local short form:
Gabon
conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)


conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)


local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)


local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States euro (EUR); Italian lira (ITL)
Death rate 17.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) -
Debt - external $3.9 billion (2000 est.) -
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 R. James "Jim" NICHOLSON


embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome


mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624


telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428


FAX: [39] (06) 5758346
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: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO


chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121


FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Disputes - international maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay none
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) none
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. This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) -
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

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


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
lowest point: unnamed location 19 m


highest point: unnamed location 75 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
party to: none of the selected agreements


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
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 Italians, Swiss, other
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 euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998), 1,703.1 (1997); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira; the Vatican started using euros in 2002 in conjunction with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire 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: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)


head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2 December 1990)


cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope


elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope


election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
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 calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
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 41 54 N, 12 27 E
Geography - note - urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total:
7,670 km

paved:
629 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
7,041 km (1996)
none; all city streets
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
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) 11 February 1929 (from Italy)


note: on 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
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 printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
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 CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer), WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) NA
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1993 est.) 0 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 there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See


note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946
Labor force 600,000 NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
Land boundaries total:
2,551 km

border countries:
Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
total: 3.2 km


border countries: Italy 3.2 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%


other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
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 canon law and revisions to it
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 Pontifical Commission
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.)
definition: NA


total population: 100%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
none (landlocked)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)
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) Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)
Nationality noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
noun: none


adjective: none
Natural hazards NA NA
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower none
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] none
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
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.)
900 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.02% (2001 est.) 1.15% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil none
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (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)
total: 0.86 km


standard gauge: 0.86 km 1.435-m gauge


note: a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's Saint Peter's station (2001 est.)
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Roman Catholic
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 limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
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: automatic exchange


domestic: tied into Italian system


international: uses Italian system
Telephones - main lines in use 37,000 (1997) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 9,500 (1997) NA
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) 1 (1996)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south low hill
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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