Compare Gabon (2004) - Tonga (2003)

Compare Gabon (2004) z Tonga (2003)

	Gabon (2004)	Tonga (2003)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem	3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 38.2% (male 21,085; female 20,265) 15-64 years: 57.6% (male 30,785; female 31,532) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,973; female 2,501) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish	squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Airports	56 (2003 est.)	6 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)	total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area	total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km	total: 748 sq km land: 718 sq km water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Colorado	four times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. In addition, recent strikes have underscored the popular disenchantment with the political system. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.	The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Birth rate	36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	24.51 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.771 billion expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)	revenues: $39.9 million expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9 million (FY 99/00 est.)
Capital	Libreville	Nuku'alofa
Climate	tropical; always hot, humid	tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline	885 km	419 km
Constitution	adopted 14 March 1991	4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
Country name	conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon	conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga conventional short form: Tonga former: Friendly Islands
Currency	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States	pa'anga (TOP)
Death rate	11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$3.284 billion (2003 est.)	$57.5 million (June 2001)
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 Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Sonatane T. T. TUPOU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1136 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Disputes - international	creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s	none
Economic aid - recipient	$331 million (1995)	Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)
Economy - overview	Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, 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.	Tonga has a small, open economy with a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services.
Electricity - consumption	742.5 million kWh (2001)	25.36 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)	27.27 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	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: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; poaching	deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, 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	Polynesian, Europeans about 300
Exchange rates	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)	pa'anga per US dollar NA (2002), 2.12 (2001), 1.76 (2000), 1.6 (1999), 1.49 (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: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965) head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA (since NA February 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister Tevita TOPOU (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Cabinet, appointed by the monarch, consists of 12 members note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the Cabinet, and two governors elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)	squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners	US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)	Japan 43.2%, US 41.2%, Greece 4% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 July - 30 June
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue	red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP	purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $236 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 26% industry: 12% services: 62% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.2% (2003 est.)	3% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	1 00 S, 11 45 E	20 00 S, 175 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	archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Highways	total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)	total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials	foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners	France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)	New Zealand 30.8%, Fiji 20.7%, US 14.2%, Australia 13.2%, China 6.1% (2002)
Independence	17 August 1960 (from France)	4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Industrial production growth rate	1.6% (2002 est.)	8.6% (FY 98/99)
Industries	petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement	tourism, fishing
Infant mortality rate	total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	0.5% (2003 est.)	8.4% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	2 (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	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief justice of the Supreme Court)
Labor force	610,000 (2003)	33,908 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%	agriculture 65% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)	arable land: 23.61% permanent crops: 43.06% other: 33.33% (1998 est.)
Languages	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi	Tongan, English
Legal system	based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on English law
Legislative branch	bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; 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 2003 (next to be held by January 2009) 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 Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - pro-democratic 70%; seats - pro-democratic 7, traditionalist 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 56.46 years male: 54.85 years female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)	total population: 68.88 years male: 66.43 years female: 71.44 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: can read and write Tongan and/or English total population: 98.5% male: 98.4% female: 98.7% (1996 est.)
Location	Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea	Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Africa	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 250,020 GRT/350,055 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 44, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Albania 1, Australia 4, Austria 1, Bolivia 1, Cyprus 1, Djibouti 1, Egypt 2, Greece 4, Lebanon 2, Liberia 2, Marshall Islands 2, Morocco 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 1, Sao Tome and Principe 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 3, Syria 5, Ukraine 1, UAE 16, US 4 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police	Tonga Defense Services (made up of three operational command components and two support elements, including the Royal Marines, Royal Guards, Maritime Force, a support/logistics group, and a training group), Police; note - a new air wing that will be subordinate to the Ministry of Defense is being developed
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$149.3 million (2003)	$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2% (2003)	NA%
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 13,462 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)	Independence Day, 4 June (1970)
Nationality	noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese	noun: Tongan(s) adjective: Tongan
Natural hazards	NA	cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources	petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower	fish, fertile soil
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)	-
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]	there are no political parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM [Akilisi POHIVA, president]
Population	1,355,246 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 2004 est.)	108,141 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	2.5% (2004 est.)	1.9% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil	Neiafu, Nuku'alofa, Pangai
Radio broadcast stations	AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways	total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)	0 km
Religions	Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%	Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 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 (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 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: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (1996)
Telephones - main lines in use	38,400 (2003)	8,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular	300,000 (2003)	302 (1996)
Television broadcast stations	4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)	2 (2001)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south	most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Total fertility rate	4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)	3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	21% (1997 est.)	13.3% (1996 est.)
Waterways	1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)	none

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