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Compare Gabon (2001) - Saint Helena (2008)

Compare Gabon (2001) z Saint Helena (2008)

 Gabon (2001)Saint Helena (2008)
 GabonSaint Helena
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*
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: 18.7% (male 716/female 691)


15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,755/female 2,608)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 358/female 415) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish coffee, corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, lobster (on Tristan da Cunha); livestock
Airports 59 (2000 est.) 1 (2007)
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 (2007)
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: 413 sq km


land: Saint Helena Island 122 sq km; Ascension Island 90 sq km; Tristan da Cunha island group 201 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado slightly more than twice 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. Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha.


Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.


Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena and it served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of trans-Atlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War, and it remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.


Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of the islands of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough. Tristan da Cunha is named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506); it was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island.
Birth rate 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 11.93 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.5 billion

expenditures:
$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $13.09 million


expenditures: $32.16 million


note: revenue data reflect locally raised revenues only; the budget deficit is resolved by grant aid from the United Kingdom (FY06/07 est.)
Capital Libreville name: Jamestown


geographic coordinates: 15 56 S, 5 44 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; always hot, humid Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds


Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid


Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)
Coastline 885 km Saint Helena: 60 km


Ascension Island: NA


Tristan da Cunha: 40 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 1 January 1989
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: Saint Helena
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.) 6.63 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.9 billion (2000 est.) $NA
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
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 none
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $29.56 million obtained in a grant from the United Kingdom (FY06/07)
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. The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which will amount to about $27 million in FY06/07 or almost 70% of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) 7.44 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) 8 million kWh (2005)
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: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,062 m; Green Mountain on Ascension Island 859 m; Mount Actaeon on Saint Helena Island 818 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 African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%
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 Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)


note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound
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: Governor and Commander in Chief Andrew GURR (since 11 November 2007)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, three ex-officio officers, and five elected members of the Legislative Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch
Exports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts
Exports - partners US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) Tanzania 37.7%, US 17.4%, Japan 15.2%, UK 8.4%, Nigeria 4.8%, Spain 4.5% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 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.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2000 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W


Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W


Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W
Geography - note - Saint Helena harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns; Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha is the highest island mountain in the South Atlantic and a prominent landmark on the sea lanes around southern Africa
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%
Imports $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 64.07 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts
Imports - partners France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) UK 53.5%, South Africa 14.3%, Spain 10.3%, Tanzania 8.5%, US 4.6% (2006)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas territory of the UK)
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 construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing, philatelic sales
Infant mortality rate 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 17.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 3.2% (1997 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 UPU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 40 sq km (1993 est.) NA
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 Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Labor force 600,000 2,486


note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% agriculture: 6%


industry: 48%


services: 46% (1987 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: 12.9%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 87.1% (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 and statutes, supplemented by local statutes
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 Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, three ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 31 August 2005 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 12
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.59 years

male:
48.47 years

female:
50.75 years (2001 est.)
total population: 78.09 years


male: 75.19 years


female: 81.15 years (2007 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 20 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 98% (1987 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 700 nm northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 2300 nm southwest of Saint Helena
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
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) Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
noun: Saint Helenian(s)


adjective: Saint Helenian


note: referred to locally as "Saints"
Natural hazards NA active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha, last eruption in 1961
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower fish, lobster
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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
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.)
7,543


note: only Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha islands are inhabited (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.02% (2001 est.) 0.53% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil -
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) Saint Helena: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0


Ascension: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2005)
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% Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, 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.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.056 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female


total population: 1.031 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal NA years of age
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: can communicate worldwide


domestic: automatic digital network


international: country code (Saint Helena) - 290, (Ascension Island) - 247; international direct dialing; satellite voice and data communications; satellite earth stations - 5 (Ascension Island - 4, Saint Helena - 1)
Telephones - main lines in use 37,000 (1997) 2,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 9,500 (1997) -
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) 0 (3 television channels are received via satellite and distributed by UHF) (2005)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south the islands of this group result from volcanic activity associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge


Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains


Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; ground rises to the east


Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs
Total fertility rate 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.55 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Transportation - note - there is no air connection to Saint Helena or Tristan da Cunha; an international airport for Saint Helena is in development for 2010
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 14% (1998 est.)
Waterways 1,600 km (perennially navigable) -
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