Compare Malta (2007) - Gabon (2007)

Compare Malta (2007) z Gabon (2007)

	Malta (2007)	Gabon (2007)

Administrative divisions	none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders	9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure	0-14 years: 16.7% (male 34,559/female 32,707) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 141,265/female 137,951) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 23,802/female 31,596) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 42.1% (male 307,444/female 305,468) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 391,194/female 393,103) 65 years and over: 4% (male 23,978/female 33,680) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs	cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports	1 (2007)	53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)	total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Area	total: 316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC	slightly smaller than Colorado
Background	Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004.	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 country'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	10.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	35.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.851 billion expenditures: $2.998 billion (2005 est.)	revenues: $3.027 billion expenditures: $2.146 billion (2006 est.)
Capital	name: Valletta geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers	tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline	196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)	885 km
Constitution	1964 constitution; amended many times	adopted 14 March 1991
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta	conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique gabonaise local short form: Gabon
Death rate	8.19 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	12.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$188.8 million (2005)	$3.849 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229	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: Ambassador John LOWELL chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York	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 urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Economic aid - recipient	$NA (2004)	$53.87 million (2005)
Economy - overview	Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and pharmaceuticals), and tourism. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth.	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	1.959 billion kWh (2005)	1.241 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	2.106 billion kWh (2005)	1.52 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues	very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination	deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)	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	Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002)	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes	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	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactures	crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners	France 15.3%, Singapore 13.2%, US 13%, Germany 12.5%, UK 9.5%, Japan 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2006)	US 27.6%, China 15.9%, France 7.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red	three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2.7% industry: 22.3% services: 74.9% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 6% industry: 58.4% services: 35.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.9% (2006 est.)	1.2% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	35 50 N, 14 35 E	1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note	the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration	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
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners	Italy 28%, UK 10.5%, France 8.7%, Germany 7.6%, Singapore 6.8%, US 5.6% (2006)	France 35.3%, US 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Cameroon 4.5%, Belgium 4.4% (2006)
Independence	21 September 1964 (from UK)	17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	1.6% (2002 est.)
Industries	tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco	petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Infant mortality rate	total: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 53.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.8% (2006 est.)	4% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	Australia Group, C, CE, CPLP (associate), EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	20 sq km (2003)	70 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister	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	164,000 (2006 est.)	574,000 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%
Land boundaries	0 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: 31.25% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005)	arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)
Languages	Maltese (official), English (official)	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system	based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations	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 House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority) elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.8%, MLP 47.5%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31	bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) 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 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) 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 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 79.15 years male: 76.95 years female: 81.47 years (2007 est.)	total population: 53.99 years male: 52.85 years female: 55.17 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location	Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)	Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Map references	Europe	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1,281 ships (1000 GRT or over) 25,213,650 GRT/41,033,203 DWT by type: bulk carrier 439, cargo 382, chemical tanker 125, combination ore/oil 2, container 65, liquefied gas 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 132, refrigerated cargo 41, roll on/roll off 31, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 17 foreign-owned: 1,197 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 3, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 10, Bulgaria 15, Canada 15, China 13, Croatia 12, Cyprus 15, Denmark 10, Estonia 7, France 4, Germany 67, Greece 448, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 7, India 3, Iran 24, Israel 21, Italy 45, Japan 3, South Korea 3, Latvia 36, Lebanon 12, Libya 3, Monaco 1, Netherlands 3, Norway 71, Pakistan 2, Poland 25, Portugal 3, Romania 10, Russia 66, Slovenia 3, Spain 1, Sweden 1, Switzerland 22, Syria 4, Turkey 143, Ukraine 28, UAE 10, UK 12, US 11) registered in other countries: 4 (Panama 2, Portugal 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 1) (2007)	registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2007)
Military branches	Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005)	Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.7% (2006 est.)	3.4% (2005 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 21 September (1964)	Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
Nationality	noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese	noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards	NA	NA
Natural resources	limestone, salt, arable land	petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate	2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]	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 (former sole party) [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; 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 Patriots or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	401,880 (July 2007 est.)	1,454,867 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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.413% (2007 est.)	2.036% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)	AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Railways	-	total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions	Roman Catholic 98%	Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.995 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.712 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with three providers; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 50 per 100 persons in 2006 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; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	202,300 (2006)	36,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	346,800 (2006)	764,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations	5 (2006)	4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs	narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate	1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.)	4.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.8% (2005 est.)	21% (2006 est.)
Waterways	-	1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)

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