Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Virgin Islands (2007) - Gabon (2008) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Virgin Islands (2007) - Gabon (2008)

Compare Virgin Islands (2007) z Gabon (2008)

 Virgin Islands (2007)Gabon (2008)
 Virgin IslandsGabon
Administrative divisions none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Age structure 0-14 years: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (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 fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Airports 2 (2007) 53 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 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: 1,910 sq km


land: 346 sq km


water: 1,564 sq km
total: 267,667 sq km


land: 257,667 sq km


water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative twice the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Colorado
Background During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848. 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 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 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 35.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $3.353 billion


expenditures: $2.283 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Charlotte Amalie


geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Libreville


geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline 188 km 885 km
Constitution Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 adopted 14 March 1991
Country name conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies


abbreviation: USVI
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic


conventional short form: Gabon


local long form: Republique gabonaise


local short form: Gabon
Death rate 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $NA $3.579 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Dependency status organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of the US) chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK


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 none (territory of the US) chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU


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 $53.87 million (2005)
Economy - overview Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment. Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. but 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. The devaluation of the CFA franc - 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 since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. 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 926.4 million 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 996.1 million kWh (2005) 1.52 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Environment - current issues lack of natural freshwater resources deforestation; poaching
Environment - international 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 black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census) 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 the US dollar is used Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)


cabinet: NA


elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)


election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
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 228,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners US, Puerto Rico (2006) US 27.6%, China 15.9%, France 7.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
agriculture: 5.8%


industry: 58.8%


services: 35.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 4.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 18 20 N, 64 50 W 1 00 S, 11 45 E
Geography - note important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean 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%
Imports NA bbl/day 2,436 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners US, Puerto Rico (2006) France 35.4%, US 7.6%, Netherlands 5.5%, Cameroon 4.5%, Belgium 4.3% (2006)
Independence none (territory of the US) 17 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Infant mortality rate total: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.58 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) 2.2% (2003) 5% (2007 est.)
International organization participation IOC, UPU 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, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 70 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms) 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 43,980 (2004 est.) 582,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 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: 5.71%


permanent crops: 2.86%


other: 91.43% (2005)
arable land: 1.21%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 98.15% (2005)
Languages English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census) French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Legal system based on US laws 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 Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3


note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
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: 79.2 years


male: 75.4 years


female: 83.22 years (2007 est.)
total population: 53.99 years


male: 52.85 years


female: 55.17 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90-95% est.


male: NA%


female: NA% (2005 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 63.2%


male: 73.7%


female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2007)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.4% (2005 est.)
National holiday Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917) Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)


adjective: Virgin Islander
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)


adjective: Gabonese
Natural hazards several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes NA
Natural resources sun, sand, sea, surf petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Net migration rate -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 384 km; oil 1,427 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE] 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 [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; 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]; Party of Development and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; 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 108,448 (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% (2002) NA%
Population growth rate -0.171% (2007 est.) 2.036% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005) AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)
Railways - total: 814 km


standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female


total population: 0.912 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; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: full range of services available


international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA
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 71,700 (2005) 36,500 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 80,300 (2005) 764,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations 5 (2006) 4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Total fertility rate 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.2% (2004) 21% (2006 est.)
Waterways - 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.