Gabon (2001) | Zambia (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | 9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
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: 46.3% (male 2,396,313; female 2,378,567)
15-64 years: 50.9% (male 2,626,961; female 2,621,818) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 131,196; female 152,478) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee |
Airports | 59 (2000 est.) | 109 (2002) |
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: 11
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 98
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 63 under 914 m: 30 (2002) |
Area | total:
267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
total: 752,614 sq km
land: 740,724 sq km water: 11,890 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | slightly larger than Texas |
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 territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the 2003 arrest of the previous president Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly. |
Birth rate | 27.42 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 39.53 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1.5 billion expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.) |
revenues: $1.2 billion
expenditures: $1.25 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | Libreville | Lusaka |
Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April) |
Coastline | 885 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | 2 August 1991 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | Zambian kwacha (ZMK) |
Death rate | 17.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 24.3 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.9 billion (2000 est.) | $5.8 billion (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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225 |
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 Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 |
Disputes - international | maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay | dormant dispute remains where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe boundaries converge |
Economic aid - recipient | $331 million (1995) | $651 million (2000 est.) |
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. | Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth. However, low mineral prices have slowed the benefits of privatizing the mines and have reduced incentives for further private investment in the sector. Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs to reduce poverty. |
Electricity - consumption | 948.6 million kWh (1999) | 5.458 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 1.75 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 1.02 billion kWh (1999) | 7.751 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
29.9% hydro: 70.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 0.5%
hydro: 99.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; poaching | air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks |
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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2% |
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 | Zambian kwacha per US dollar - NA (2002), 3,610.93 (2001), 3,110.84 (2000), 2,388.02 (1999), 1,862.07 (1998) |
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: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002); Vice President Nevers MUMBA (since May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); vice president appointed by the president election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%, Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael SATA 3%, other 5% |
Exports | $3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) | copper 55%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton |
Exports - partners | US 47%, France 19%, China 8%, Japan 1.3% (1999) | Malawi 10.3%, Thailand 9.2%, Japan 9.1%, Saint Pierre and Miquelon 9.1%, Taiwan 8.5%, South Africa 7.8%, Egypt 6.4%, China 6.3%, Netherlands 5.5%, Tanzania 4.5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8.24 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
10% industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 22%
industry: 26% services: 52% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2000 est.) | 2.3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 15 00 S, 30 00 E |
Geography - note | - | landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zimbabwe |
Highways | total:
7,670 km paved: 629 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,041 km (1996) |
total: 66,781 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.1%
highest 10%: 41% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it an unattractive venue for money launderers |
Imports | $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials | machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners | France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%, Netherlands 2%, (1999) | South Africa 64.4%, US 3.7%, China 3.6% (2002) |
Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | 24 October 1964 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.3% (1995) | 5.1% (2001 est.) |
Industries | food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair | copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture |
Infant mortality rate | 94.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 99.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 106.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 91.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2000 est.) | 21% (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, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 5 (2001) |
Irrigated land | 40 sq km (1993 est.) | 460 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 | Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil and criminal cases) |
Labor force | 600,000 | 4.29 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% | agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9% |
Land boundaries | total:
2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania 338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 77% other: 3% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 7.08%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.89% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous 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 English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1; seats not determined 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
49.59 years male: 48.47 years female: 50.75 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 35.25 years
male: 35.25 years female: 35.25 years (2003 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 can read and write English
total population: 80.6% male: 86.8% female: 74.8% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Southern Africa, east of Angola |
Map references | Africa | Africa |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police | Army, Air Force, Police, paramilitary forces |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $91 million (FY96) | $33.46 million (FY02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.6% (FY96) | 0.9% (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
281,218 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 2,418,776 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
145,062 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,279,846 (2003 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, 24 October (1964) |
Nationality | noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese |
noun: Zambian(s)
adjective: Zambian |
Natural hazards | NA | periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April) |
Natural resources | petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km | oil 771 km (2003) |
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] | Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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.) |
10,307,333
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 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 86% (1993) |
Population growth rate | 1.02% (2001 est.) | 1.52% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil | Mpulungu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) | AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001) |
Radios | 208,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
649 km (Gabon State Railways or OCTRA) standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994) |
total: 2,173 km
narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) (2002) |
Religions | Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% | Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 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.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 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: facilities are aging but still among the best in Sub-Saharan Africa
domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation; Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 37,000 (1997) | 130,000 (including approximately 40,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 9,500 (1997) | 90,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) | 9 (2002) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south | mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains |
Total fertility rate | 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 5.25 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | 50% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | 1,600 km (perennially navigable) | 2,250 km
note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers |