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Compare Gabon (2006) - British Virgin Islands (2001)

Compare Gabon (2006) z British Virgin Islands (2001)

 Gabon (2006)British Virgin Islands (2001)
 GabonBritish Virgin Islands
Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem none (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 300,914/female 299,141)


15-64 years: 53.9% (male 383,137/female 384,876)


65 years and over: 4% (male 23,576/female 33,262) (2006 est.)
0-14 years:
22.77% (male 2,399; female 2,339)

15-64 years:
72.31% (male 7,741; female 7,309)

65 years and over:
4.92% (male 555; female 469) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish
Airports 56 (2006) 3 (2000 est.)
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 (2006)
total:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 45


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 23 (2006)
total:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Area total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


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

land:
150 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes the island of Anegada
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Colorado about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the contry's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political 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. First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were soon after (1672) annexed by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.
Birth rate 36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.463 billion


expenditures: $1.618 billion; including capital expenditures of $325 million (2005 est.)
revenues:
$121.5 million

expenditures:
$115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Capital name: Libreville


geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Road Town
Climate tropical; always hot, humid subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds
Coastline 885 km 80 km
Constitution adopted 14 March 1991 1 June 1977
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:
British Virgin Islands

abbreviation:
BVI
Currency - US dollar (USD)
Death rate 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $3.903 billion (2005 est.) $36.1 million (1997)
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY


embassy: Boulevard du Bord de 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 territory of the UK)
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 territory of the UK)
Disputes - international UN presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay; only a few hundred out of the 20,000 Republic of the Congo refugees who fled militia fighting in 2000 remain in Gabon none
Economic aid - recipient $331 million (1995) $2.6 million (1995)
Economy - overview Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. 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 currency by 50% in 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 mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon 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. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies. The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1997. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.
Electricity - consumption 1.383 billion kWh (2003) 39.1 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.487 billion kWh (2003) 42 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - 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:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mount Sage 521 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; poaching limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)
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 black 90%, white, Asian
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2 December 1967)


head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006)


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 (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA)

head of government:
Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995)

cabinet:
Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
Exports NA bbl/day $6.2 million (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand
Exports - partners US 53.5%, France 6.4%, China 6.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4% (2005) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6.1%


industry: 59.2%


services: 34.8% (2005 est.)
agriculture:
1.8%

industry:
6.2%

services:
92% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.9% (2005 est.) 6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E 18 30 N, 64 30 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 strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
Highways - total:
132 km

paved:
132 km

unpaved:
0 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Imports NA bbl/day $220 million (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery
Imports - partners France 40.6%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4.2% (2005) Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Independence 17 August 1960 (from France) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate 1.6% (2002 est.) 4% (1985)
Industries petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Infant mortality rate total: 54.51 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.1% (2005 est.) 2% (2000)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 16 (2000)
Irrigated land 70 sq km (2003) 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 Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force 640,000 (2005 est.) 4,911 (1980)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 60%


industry: 15%


services: 25%
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: 1.21%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 98.15% (2005)
arable land:
20%

permanent crops:
7%

permanent pastures:
33%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
33% (1993 est.)
Languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi English (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 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: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; 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
unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5
Life expectancy at birth total population: 54.49 years


male: 53.21 years


female: 55.81 years (2006 est.)
total population:
75.64 years

male:
74.74 years

female:
76.59 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:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
97.8% (1991 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM
Merchant marine registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006) total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT

ships by type:
passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $253.5 million (2005 est.) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.4% (2005 est.) -
National holiday Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) Territory Day, 1 July
Nationality noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
noun:
British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective:
British Virgin Islander
Natural hazards NA hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower NEGL
Net migration rate -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 11.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006) -
Political parties and leaders 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 [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; National Rally of Woodcutters or RNB; 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]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU] Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,424,906


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 2006 est.)
20,812 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.13% (2006 est.) 2.22% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Road Town
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 9,000 (1997)
Railways total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
0 km
Religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.06 male(s)/female (2001 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: 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:
worldwide telephone service

domestic:
NA

international:
submarine cable to Bermuda
Telephones - main lines in use 39,100 (2005) 10,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular 649,800 (2005) NA
Television broadcast stations 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)
Terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly
Total fertility rate 4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.) 1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1997 est.) 3% (1995)
Waterways 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005) none
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