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Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) - Gabon (2006)
Compare Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) z Gabon (2006)
| Holy See (Vatican City) (2004) | Gabon (2006) | |
-2004-bmala.jpg) |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none | 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 | none (2003 est.) | 56 (2006) |
| 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: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Colorado |
| Background | Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith. | 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. |
| Birth rate | - | 36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002) |
revenues: $2.463 billion
expenditures: $1.618 billion; including capital expenditures of $325 million (2005 est.) |
| Capital | Vatican City | name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) | tropical; always hot, humid |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 885 km |
| Constitution | new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) | adopted 14 March 1991 |
| Country name | conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano) |
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon |
| Currency | euro (EUR) | - |
| Death rate | - | 12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $3.903 billion (2005 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346 |
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 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036 |
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 | none | 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 |
| Economic aid - recipient | none | $331 million (1995) |
| Economy - overview | This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. | 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. |
| Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 1.383 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production | NA kWh | 1.487 billion kWh (2003) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; poaching |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
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 | Italians, Swiss, other | 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 | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) | 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: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope |
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 | 0 kWh | 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 | calendar year |
| Flag description | two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue |
| 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 | 41 54 N, 12 27 E | 1 00 S, 11 45 E |
| Geography - note | urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights | 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 |
| Highways | none; all city streets | - |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy | 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 | 11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century | 17 August 1960 (from France) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | 1.6% (2002 est.) |
| Industries | printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities | 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 | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer) | 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 | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 70 sq km (2003) |
| Judicial branch | there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946 |
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 | NA | 640,000 (2005 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican | agriculture: 60%
industry: 15% services: 25% |
| Land boundaries | total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001) |
arable land: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005) |
| Languages | Italian, Latin, French, various other languages | French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi |
| Legal system | based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it | 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 | unicameral Pontifical Commission | 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: NA
total population: 100% male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
| Location | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) | Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea |
| Map references | Europe | Africa |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Merchant marine | - | registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2006) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope | - |
| Military branches | Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera) | 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 | Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978) | Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) |
| Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
| Natural hazards | NA | NA |
| Natural resources | none | petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
| 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 | none | 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 | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) | NA |
| Population | 921 (July 2004 est.) | 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.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.01% (2004 est.) | 2.13% (2006 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | none | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) |
| Railways | - | total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic | 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 | limited to cardinals less than 80 years old | 21 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: automatic exchange
domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian 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 |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 39,100 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 649,800 (2005) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1996) | 4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) |
| Terrain | low hill | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south |
| 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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