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Compare Gabon (2006) - Christmas Island (2005)
Compare Gabon (2006) z Christmas Island (2005)
| Gabon (2006) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem | none (territory of Australia) |
| 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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
| Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | NA |
| Airports | 56 (2006) | 1 (2004 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: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 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) |
- |
| Area | total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Colorado | about three-quarters 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
| Birth rate | 36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| Budget | revenues: $2.463 billion
expenditures: $1.618 billion; including capital expenditures of $325 million (2005 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
| Capital | name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
The Settlement |
| Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
| Coastline | 885 km | 138.9 km |
| Constitution | adopted 14 March 1991 | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
| Country name | conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Death rate | 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| Debt - external | $3.903 billion (2005 est.) | - |
| Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
| 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 (territory of Australia) |
| 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 (territory of Australia) |
| 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) | NA |
| 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future |
| Electricity - consumption | 1.383 billion kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - production | 1.487 billion kWh (2003) | - |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; poaching | NA |
| 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 | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| 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) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
| 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 the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | NA bbl/day | NA |
| Exports - commodities | crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) | phosphate |
| Exports - partners | US 53.5%, France 6.4%, China 6.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4% (2005) | Australia, NZ |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6.1%
industry: 59.2% services: 34.8% (2005 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.9% (2005 est.) | NA |
| Geographic coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E | 10 30 S, 105 40 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 | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| Highways | - | total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Imports | NA bbl/day | NA |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials | consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | France 40.6%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4.2% (2005) | principally Australia |
| Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 1.6% (2002 est.) | - |
| Industries | petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| 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.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -0.1% (2005 est.) | - |
| 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 | none |
| 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 | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | 640,000 (2005 est.) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 60%
industry: 15% services: 25% |
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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
| Languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| 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 | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian 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 Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 54.49 years
male: 53.21 years female: 55.81 years (2006 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
NA |
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006) | - |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| 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) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Nationality | noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
| Natural hazards | NA | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower | phosphate, beaches |
| Net migration rate | -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| People - note | - | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
| 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] | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| 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.) |
361 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 2.13% (2006 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Flying Fish Cove |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Railways | total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) |
- |
| Religions | Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| 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.) |
NA |
| 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: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 39,100 (2005) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 649,800 (2005) | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) | NA |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Total fertility rate | 4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.) | NA |
| Unemployment rate | 21% (1997 est.) | - |
| Waterways | 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005) | - |
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