Compare Gabon (2006) - South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2004)

Compare Gabon (2006) z South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2004)

	Gabon (2006)	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2004)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.1% (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.)	-
Agriculture - products	cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish	-
Airports	56 (2006)	none (2003 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)	-
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: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Colorado	slightly larger than Rhode Island
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.	The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.
Birth rate	36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $2.463 billion expenditures: $1.618 billion; including capital expenditures of $325 million (2005 est.)	-
Capital	name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	-
Climate	tropical; always hot, humid	variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow
Coastline	885 km	NA km
Constitution	adopted 14 March 1991	adopted 3 October 1985
Country name	conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon	conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none
Death rate	12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-
Debt - external	$3.903 billion (2005 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base
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, also claimed by Argentina)
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, also claimed by Argentina)
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	briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force
Economic aid - recipient	$331 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.	Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. Fees from fishing licenses and related activities traditionally account for around 90% of South Georgia's revenue (about $5.6 million in 2004). There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly. Annual tourist volume hovers around 3,000 arrivals.
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: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 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	-
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)	-
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%	-
Exports	NA bbl/day	-
Exports - commodities	crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)	-
Exports - partners	US 53.5%, France 6.4%, China 6.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 4% (2005)	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
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 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 6.1% industry: 59.2% services: 34.8% (2005 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	2.9% (2005 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	1 00 S, 11 45 E	54 30 S, 37 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	the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials	-
Imports - partners	France 40.6%, US 6.4%, Cameroon 4.2% (2005)	-
Independence	17 August 1960 (from France)	-
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	-
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.)	-
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	-
Irrigated land	70 sq km (2003)	0 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	-
Labor force	640,000 (2005 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%	-
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% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2001)
Languages	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi	-
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	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
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	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 54.49 years male: 53.21 years female: 55.81 years (2006 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)	-
Location	Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America
Map references	Africa	Antarctic Region
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 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 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)	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Nationality	noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese	-
Natural hazards	NA	the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower	fish
Net migration rate	-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	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.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	2.13% (2006 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	-	Grytviken
Radio broadcast stations	AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)	0 (2003)
Railways	total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	-
Religions	Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%	-
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.)	-
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: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken
Telephones - main lines in use	39,100 (2005)	-
Telephones - mobile cellular	649,800 (2005)	-
Television broadcast stations	4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)	0 (2003)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south	most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes
Total fertility rate	4.74 children born/woman (2006 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	21% (1997 est.)	-
Waterways	1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2005)	-

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