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Compare Gabon (2002) - Solomon Islands (2001)
Compare Gabon (2002) z Solomon Islands (2001)
| Gabon (2002) | Solomon Islands (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162) 15-64 years: 53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021) 65 years and over: 3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish |
| Airports | 59 (2001) | 31 (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 (2002) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 24 (2002) |
total:
29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
total:
28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | slightly smaller than Maryland |
| 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 considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. | The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control. |
| Birth rate | 27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.) |
revenues:
$147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
| Capital | Libreville | Honiara |
| Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather |
| Coastline | 885 km | 5,313 km |
| Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | 7 July 1978 |
| 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: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
| Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) |
| Death rate | 17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | $3.6 billion (2001 est.) | $152.4 million (1998) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07 |
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA
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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 |
| Disputes - international | maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $331 million (1995) (1995) | $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ |
| 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, and manganese 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. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. | The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. |
| Electricity - consumption | 790.5 million kWh (2000) | 27.9 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 850 million kWh (2000) | 30 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 29%
hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% 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: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; poaching | deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying |
| 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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Ethnic groups | Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality | Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% |
| Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996) |
| 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), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament |
| Exports | $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000) | timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra |
| Exports - partners | US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4% (2000) | Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 10%
industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
50% industry: 3.5% services: 46.5% (1995) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 1% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 8 00 S, 159 00 E |
| Geography - note | a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity | - |
| Highways | total: 8,454 km
paved: 838 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,616 km (2000) |
total:
1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | $921 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials | plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals |
| Imports - partners | France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3% (2000) | Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999) |
| Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | 7 July 1978 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -6.4% (2001 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair | fish (tuna), mining, timber |
| Infant mortality rate | 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2001 est.) | 10% (1999 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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2001) | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 150 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
| 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 | Court of Appeal |
| Labor force | 600,000 600,000 | 26,842 |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
| 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: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 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 | English common law |
| Legislative branch | bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) 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 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; 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 Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 49.11 years
male: 48.01 years female: 50.25 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
71.55 years male: 69.12 years female: 74.1 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: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea |
| Map references | Africa | Oceania |
| Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $70.8 million (FY01) | $NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY01) | NA% |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 146,908 (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 11,304 (2002 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) |
| Nationality | noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
noun:
Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander |
| Natural hazards | NA | typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity |
| Natural resources | petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 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]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; 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]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [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 two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 1,233,353
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 2002 est.) |
480,442 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.97% (2002 est.) | 2.98% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | 208,000 (1997) | 57,000 (1997) |
| Railways | total: 649 km
standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single-track (2001) |
0 km |
| Religions | Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% | Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
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); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002 |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 39,000 (1998) | 8,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 120,000 (2000) | 658 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus four low-powered repeaters) (2001) | 0 (1997) |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls |
| Total fertility rate | 3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | NA% |
| Waterways | 1,600 km (perennially navigable) | none |
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