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Compare Gabon (2003) - Sao Tome and Principe (2005)
Compare Gabon (2003) z Sao Tome and Principe (2005)
| Gabon (2003) | Sao Tome and Principe (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995 |
| 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: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007)
15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish |
| Airports | 57 (2002) | 2 (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 (2002) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 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) |
- |
| Area | total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
total: 1,001 sq km
land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | more than five 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 considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. | Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy. |
| Birth rate | 36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.) |
revenues: $27.94 million
expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 est.) |
| Capital | Libreville | Sao Tome |
| Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May) |
| Coastline | 885 km | 209 km |
| Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe |
| Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | - |
| Death rate | 11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $3.8 billion (2002 est.) | $318 million (2002) |
| 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 Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands |
| 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 |
Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580 |
| 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 | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $331 million (1995) | $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program |
| 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. | This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, but lacking a formal poverty reduction program with the IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao Tome's external debt stands at over $300 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea. The first production license was sold to a consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the sale of additional production licenses. |
| Electricity - consumption | 742.5 million kWh (2001) | 15.81 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | 798.4 million kWh (2001) | 17 million kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 34.5%
hydro: 65.5% 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: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; poaching | deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion |
| 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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
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 | mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese) |
| 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) | dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (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: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7 June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA% |
| Exports | NA (2001) | NA |
| Exports - commodities | crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) | cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil |
| Exports - partners | US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8% (2002) | Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 15%
industry: 60% services: 25% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 16.5%
industry: 15.4% services: 68.1% (2004 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 0.2% (2002 est.) | 6% (2004 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 1 00 N, 7 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 | the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous |
| Highways | total: 8,464 km
paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.) |
total: 320 km
paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
| Imports | NA (2001) | NA |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials | machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products |
| Imports - partners | France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002) | Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004) |
| Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | 12 July 1975 (from Portugal) |
| 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. | light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber |
| 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: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.3% (2002 est.) | 14% (2004 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 | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2001) | - |
| Irrigated land | 150 sq km (1998 est.) | 100 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 (judges are appointed by the National Assembly) |
| Labor force | 600,000 | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 60%, services 25%, industry 15% | population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
note: shortages of skilled workers |
| 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: 6.25%
permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001) |
| Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | Portuguese (official) |
| 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 Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| 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 Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 57.12 years
male: 55.45 years female: 58.84 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 66.99 years
male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 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: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.) |
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005) |
| Military - note | - | Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005) |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police | Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $81.9 million (FY02) | $700,000 (2004) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY02) | 0.8% (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 158,226 (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) | Independence Day, 12 July (1975) |
| Nationality | noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
noun: Sao Tomean(s)
adjective: Sao Tomean |
| Natural hazards | NA | NA |
| Natural resources | petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | fish, hydropower |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] | Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties |
| 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.) |
187,410 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | 54% (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.54% (2003 est.) | 3.16% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil | Sao Tome |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002) |
| Railways | total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
- |
| Religions | Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% | Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census) |
| 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 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: adequate facilities
domestic: minimal system international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 39,000 (1998) | 7,000 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 120,000 (2000) | 4,800 (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) | 2 (2002) |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south | volcanic, mountainous |
| Total fertility rate | 4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | NA |
| Waterways | 1,600 km (perennially navigable) | - |
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