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Compare Gabon (2004) - West Bank (2007)

Compare Gabon (2004) z West Bank (2007)

 Gabon (2004)West Bank (2007)
 GabonWest Bank
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem -
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: 42.4% (male 551,243/female 524,800)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 704,209/female 670,382)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 36,175/female 49,118) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Airports 56 (2003 est.) 3 (2007)
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: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
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.)
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Area total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


water: 10,000 sq km
total: 5,860 sq km


land: 5,640 sq km


water: 220 sq km


note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado slightly smaller than Delaware
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 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington in September 1993, provided for a transitional period of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. A transfer of authority to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and, in additional areas of the West Bank, pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and the West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out a year later. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU, UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The proposed date for a permanent status agreement has been postponed indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides have not followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace process forward. In September 2005, Israel withdrew all its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip and four northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). The international community has refused to accept the HAMAS-led government because it does not recognize Israel, will not renounce violence, and refuses to honor previous peace agreements between Israel and the PA. Since March 2006, President ABBAS has had little success negotiating with HAMAS to present a political platform acceptable to the international community so as to lift the economic siege on Palestinians. The PLC was unable to convene in late 2006 as a result of Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed travel restrictions on other PLC members.
Birth rate 36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 30.99 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.771 billion


expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)
revenues: $1.23 billion


expenditures: $1.64 billion (2005)
Capital Libreville -
Climate tropical; always hot, humid temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters
Coastline 885 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 -
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: West Bank
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States -
Death rate 11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.284 billion (2003 est.) $NA
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
-
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
-
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 West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel withdrew from four settlements in the northern West Bank in August 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $1.102 billion; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
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 West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority (PA) - has experienced a general decline in economic conditions since the second intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and trading relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. International aid of at least $1.14 billion to the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. In 2005, high unemployment and limited trade opportunities - due to continued closures both within the West Bank and externally - stymied growth. Israel's and the international community's financial embargo of the PA since HAMAS took office in March 2006 has interrupted the provision of PA social services and the payment of PA salaries.
Electricity - consumption 742.5 million kWh (2001) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) NA kWh
Electricity - production 798.4 million kWh (2001) NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; poaching adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment
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
-
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 Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%
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) new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002)
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%
-
Exports NA (2001) $301 million f.o.b.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Exports - commodities crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone
Exports - partners US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003) Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue -
GDP purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 48.8%


services: 43.1% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 8%


industry: 18.2%


services: 73.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2003 est.) 4.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 32 00 N, 35 15 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 landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 242 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2005 est.)
Highways total: 8,464 km


paved: 838 km


unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA (2001) $2.44 billion c.i.f.; (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003) Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2006)
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) -
Industrial production growth rate 1.6% (2002 est.) 2.4% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Industries petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers
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: 18.67 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 16.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.5% (2003 est.) 2.9% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
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 -
Irrigated land 150 sq km (1998 est.) 150 sq km; note - includes Gaza Strip (2003)
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 -
Labor force 610,000 (2003) 568,000 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% agriculture: 16%


industry: 29%


services: 55% (2005)
Land boundaries total: 2,551 km


border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
total: 404 km


border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Land use arable land: 1.26%


permanent crops: 0.66%


other: 98.08% (2001)
arable land: 16.9%


permanent crops: 18.97%


other: 64.13% (2001)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)
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 -
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
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 56.46 years


male: 54.85 years


female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)
total population: 73.46 years


male: 71.68 years


female: 75.35 years (2007 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: 92.4%


male: 96.7%


female: 88% (2004 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Middle East, west of Jordan
Map references Africa Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $149.3 million (2003) -
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) -
Nationality noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
noun: NA


adjective: NA
Natural hazards NA droughts
Natural resources petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] -
Political pressure groups and leaders NA -
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.)
2,535,927


note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 45.7% (2005)
Population growth rate 2.5% (2004 est.) 2.985% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil -
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) AM 0, FM 8, shortwave 0 (2005)
Railways total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
-
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.736 male(s)/female


total population: 1.038 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 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: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for fixed line services in the Gaza Strip; the Palestinian JAWAL company provides cellular services


international: country code - 970 (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use 38,400 (2003) 349,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 300,000 (2003) 1.095 million (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) 8 (2005)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east
Total fertility rate 4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.) 4.17 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 20.3% (includes Gaza Strip) (2005)
Waterways 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003) -
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