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Compare Gabon (2003) - French Guiana (2003)

Compare Gabon (2003) z French Guiana (2003)

 Gabon (2003)French Guiana (2003)
 GabonFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 280,218; female 278,808)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 352,363; female 355,315)


65 years and over: 4.2% (male 22,786; female 32,070) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)


15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)


65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 57 (2002) 11 (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 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
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: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


water: 10,000 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado slightly smaller than Indiana
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. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.8 billion


expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital Libreville Cayenne
Climate tropical; always hot, humid tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 885 km 378 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name conventional long form: Gabonese Republic


conventional short form: Gabon


local long form: Republique Gabonaise


local short form: Gabon
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate 11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $3.8 billion (2002 est.) $1.2 billion (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
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
none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius 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
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over small islets on Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $NA
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, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. 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. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies. The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 742.5 million kWh (2001) 423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 798.4 million kWh (2001) 455 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 34.5%


hydro: 65.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 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, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998) Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8% (2002) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 15%


industry: 60%


services: 25% (2001 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.2% (2002 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
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 mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Highways total: 8,464 km


paved: 838 km


unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)
total: 722 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002) France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 1.6% (2002 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement. construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2002 est.) 1.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2001) 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 150 sq km (1998 est.) 20 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 Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 600,000 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, services 25%, industry 15% services, government, and commerce 60.6%, industry 21.2%, agriculture 18.2% (1980)
Land boundaries total: 2,551 km


border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 1.26%


permanent crops: 0.66%


other: 98.08% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.11% NEGL


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi French
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 French legal system
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 General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 57.12 years


male: 55.45 years


female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)
total population: 76.69 years


male: 73.36 years


female: 80.18 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


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $81.9 million (FY02) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2% (FY02) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 12,853 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards NA high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines gas 210 km; oil 1,426 km; water 3 km (2003) -
Political parties and leaders 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]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; 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] Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,321,560


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.)
186,917 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.54% (2003 est.) 2.4% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Railways total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)
0 km
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Roman Catholic
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 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: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 39,000 (1998) 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 120,000 (2000) NA
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.) 3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 22% (2001)
Waterways 1,600 km (perennially navigable) 3,300 km navigable by native craft


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
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