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Compare Gabon (2001) - Tonga (2005)

Compare Gabon (2001) z Tonga (2005)

 Gabon (2001)Tonga (2005)
 GabonTonga
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
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: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907)


15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853)


65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Airports 59 (2000 est.) 6 (2004 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


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 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.)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total:
267,667 sq km

land:
257,667 sq km

water:
10,000 sq km
total: 748 sq km


land: 718 sq km


water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado four 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 archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Birth rate 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 25.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.5 billion

expenditures:
$1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $39.9 million


expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Libreville Nuku'alofa
Climate tropical; always hot, humid tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline 885 km 419 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Country name conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic

conventional short form:
Gabon

local long form:
Republique Gabonaise

local short form:
Gabon
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga


conventional short form: Tonga


former: Friendly Islands
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.) 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $3.9 billion (2000 est.) $63.4 million (2001)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
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 Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU


chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025


FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024


consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Disputes - international maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay none
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)
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. Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.
Electricity - consumption 948.6 million kWh (1999) 23.06 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 1.02 billion kWh (1999) 24.79 million kWh (2002)
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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; poaching deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
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, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, 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 Polynesian, Europeans about 300
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 pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000)
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: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)


head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER (since NA January 2001)


cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 appointed by the monarch for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly including 2 each from the Nobles and Peoples representatives serving three year terms


note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
Exports $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA
Exports - commodities crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) Japan 37.1%, China 18.7%, US 17.7%, Taiwan 8.7%, New Zealand 7.4% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
10%

industry:
60%

services:
30% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 23%


industry: 13%


services: 64% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2000 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Geography - note - archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Highways total:
7,670 km

paved:
629 km (including 30 km of expressways)

unpaved:
7,041 km (1996)
total: 680 km


paved: 184 km


unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)
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
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) New Zealand 37.1%, Fiji 24.3%, Australia 9.1%, China 8.9%, US 6.3% (2004)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Industrial production growth rate 2.3% (1995) 8.6% (FY98/99)
Industries food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair tourism, fishing
Infant mortality rate 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 10.3% (2002 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, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
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 Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)
Labor force 600,000 33,910 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% agriculture 65% (1997 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: 23.61%


permanent crops: 43.06%


other: 33.33% (2001)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Tongan, 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 based on English law
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 Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)


elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2
Life expectancy at birth total population:
49.59 years

male:
48.47 years

female:
50.75 years (2001 est.)
total population: 69.53 years


male: 67.05 years


female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
63.2%

male:
73.7%

female:
53.3% (1995 est.)
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English


total population: 98.9%


male: 98.8%


female: 99% (1996 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Africa Oceania
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine - total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT


by type: cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1


foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 1, France 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Romania 2, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard), Maritime Force (includes Air Wing)
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) Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Nationality noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Gabonese
noun: Tongan(s)


adjective: Tongan
Natural hazards NA cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower fish, fertile soil
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] there are no political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]
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.)
112,422 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 1.02% (2001 est.) 1.98% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil Nuku'alofa
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (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% Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
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: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 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: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television


domestic: fully automatic switched network


international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use 37,000 (1997) 11,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 9,500 (1997) 9,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) 3 (2004)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Total fertility rate 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) 3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 13.3% (1996 est.)
Waterways 1,600 km (perennially navigable) -
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