Chapter XXIII: Front Matter (23)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
cabinet: NA
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

Legislative branch:
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
be held NA 2004)
election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
1, Walwari Committee 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in
Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
Guiana)

Political parties and leaders:
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese
Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic
Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or
PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for
a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari
Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine
TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview:
The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy
through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at
Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the
most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of
the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully
exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn
logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal
area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc
are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports
of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly
among younger workers.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.551 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and
commerce 60.6% (1980)

Unemployment rate:
22% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
million (1996)

Agriculture - products:
corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas;
cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:
construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
460.1 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
427.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Exports:
$155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners:
France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

Imports:
$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,
fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners:
France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient:
NA

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
Euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use:
51,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
138,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5
repeaters) (1998)

Radios:
104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
30,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
3,200 (2002)

Transportation French Guiana

Highways:
total: 817 km (1998)

Waterways:
3,760 km
note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Degrad des Cannes

Merchant marine:
registered in other countries: 3

Airports:
11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military French Guiana

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 47,809 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 38,676 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
NA

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international:
Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini
(both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana

Illicit drugs:
small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor
transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background:
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th
century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by
resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year
moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location:
Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half
of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,525 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical, but moderate

Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in
French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in
the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati
and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population:
270,485 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.48 years
male: 27.84 years
female: 27.1 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
16.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
4.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.9 years
male: 73.5 years
female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian
languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:
overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from
1946-2004

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Papeete

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel
des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia

Independence:
none (overseas lands of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
based on French system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel
MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001); note - Michel MATHIER leaves 30
July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT (acting high commissioner),
until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early September 2005
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the
Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
ministers
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats
- changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy
27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13
February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the
Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New
Democracy 3
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
1, UMP 1

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or
Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or
Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR
(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
[Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle
BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description:
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered
on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the
lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a
stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the
French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview:
Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,
French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy
to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either
employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the
halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to
the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of
GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources
of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The
small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural
products. The territory benefits substantially from development
agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses
and strengthening social services.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (2002)

Labor force:
70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
11.8% (1994)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996)

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy
products, coffee

Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
380 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.7%
hydro: 39.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
353.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Exports:
$244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark
meat

Exports - partners:
France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%, US 16.1%, Niger 13%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
France 47.6%, New Zealand 8.8%, Singapore 8.4%, Australia 8.3%, US
7.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$367 million (1997)

Currency (code):
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04
(2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
52,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
90,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.pf

Internet hosts:
5,123 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
35,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Highways:
total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Papeete

Merchant marine:
total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo
1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)

Airports:
50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
1 (2004 est.)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:
The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and
Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile
Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited
only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion
consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent
discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:
southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about
equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along
with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US
does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:
43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references:
Antarctic Region

Area:
total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area - comparative:
slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,232 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not
include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Climate:
antarctic

Terrain:
volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources:
fish, crayfish

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in
the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:
no indigenous inhabitants (July 2005 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2005 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and
Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Francaises
local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by
Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),
assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles
Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica
that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:
Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and
geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.
The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are
exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code:
.tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 21, container 19,
liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle
carrier 4
foreign-owned: 71 (Belgium 5, Denmark 2, France 45, Germany 2,
Greece 2, Hong Kong 5, Japan 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 5) (2005)

Airports:
none (2004 est.)

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international:
French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by
the United States

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence
from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO
Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world -
has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades.
President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new
constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and
allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local
elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political
structures in Gabon. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are
unlikely to bring change since the 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.

Geography Gabon

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:
885 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold,
timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; poaching

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

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

People Gabon

Population:
1,389,201
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
2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 293,668/female 291,816)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 372,134/female 374,850)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,551/female 33,182) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.57 years
male: 18.34 years
female: 18.8 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
36.24 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
11.72 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.02 years
male: 53.63 years
female: 56.45 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

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

Religions:
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon

Government type:
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
legalized in 1990)

Capital:
Libreville

Administrative divisions:
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:
17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
adopted 14 March 1991

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

Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2
December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
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;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;
percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 66.6%, Pierre
MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

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: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
(next to be held December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9
February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)
election results: 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; Senate - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
CLR 1, independents 9

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

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,
former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; 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 [leader NA]; Union of
Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

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

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

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

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 mandate progress in
privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional
financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$7.966 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.4%
industry: 46.7%
services: 45.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
650,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.129 billion
expenditures: $1.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical
softwood); fish

Industries:
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
plywood; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
1.161 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 34.5%
hydro: 65.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.08 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
264,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
2.022 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
66.47 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
$196.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$3.71 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:
US 53.3%, China 8.5%, France 7.4% (2004)

Imports:
$1.225 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
materials

Imports - partners:
France 43.8%, US 6.3%, UK 5.9%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$268.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$3.804 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$331 million (1995)

Currency (code):
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
XAF

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
(2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
300,000 (2003)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.ga

Internet hosts:
93 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
35,000 (2003)

Transportation Gabon

Railways:
total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 8,464 km
paved: 838 km
unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Pipelines:
gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Airports:
56 (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 (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 (2004 est.)

Military Gabon

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 276,310 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 156,632 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 15,150 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$184.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Gabon

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background:
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a
short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and
1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation
treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned
political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential
elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a
nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round
of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early
2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has been
elected president in all subsequent elections.

Geography Gambia, The

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:
Africa

Area:
total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline:
80 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
(November to May)

Terrain:
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources:
fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand,
clay, petroleum

Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 74.5% (2001)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:
deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
Africa

People Gambia, The

Population:
1,593,256 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.5% (male 356,079/female 352,894)
15-64 years: 52.8% (male 416,809/female 424,429)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 22,111/female 20,934) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.59 years
male: 17.45 years
female: 17.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.93% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
39.86 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
11.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 78.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.75 years
male: 51.91 years
female: 55.64 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo
hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli
9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
vernaculars

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.1%
male: 47.8%
female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
Banjul

Administrative divisions:
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North
Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:
18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by
national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and
customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice
President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,
five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held February 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC - the
ruling party [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's
Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or
GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party
or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat
N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and
Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]
note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview:
The Gambia has no significant mineral or natural resource deposits
and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population
depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale
manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and
hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of
economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment
inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency)
have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The
government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta
eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
following two marketing seasons saw substantially lower prices and
sales. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key
parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that
the government intends to follow through on its promises.
Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high;
short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and
multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on
continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors,
and on expected growth in the construction sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.799 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 26.8%
industry: 14.5%
services: 58.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
400,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
25.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $44.85 million
expenditures: $59.94 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),
palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
90.31 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
83.99 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Current account balance:
$-16.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$114.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:
India 21.4%, Thailand 15.1%, UK 13.7%, France 12.9%, Germany 8.7%,
Italy 7.5% (2004)

Imports:
$180.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:
China 23.7%, Senegal 11.6%, Brazil 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.5%,
US 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$113.1 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$476 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$45.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
dalasi (GMD)

Currency code:
GMD

Exchange rates:
dalasi per US dollar - 27.306 (2003), 27.306 (2003), 19.918 (2002),
15.687 (2001), 12.788 (2000)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
38,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
100,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is
available
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions:
5,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
.gm

Internet hosts:
568 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2001)

Internet users:
25,000 (2002)

Transportation Gambia, The

Highways:
total: 2,700 km
paved: 956 km
unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Waterways:
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190
km) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Banjul

Merchant marine:
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,976 GRT/10,978 DWT
by type: passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Switzerland 1) (2005)

Airports:
1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches:
Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Presidential Guard,
National Guard

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 309,279 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 188,117 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international:
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and
other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's
Casamance region as well as from conflicts in other west African
states

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background:
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
during the transitional period for external and internal security
and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but were derailed
by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
Authority continued to undermine progress toward a permanent
agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir
ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS
in January 2005 brought about a turning point in the conflict. In
February 2005 the Israeli Government voted to disengage from the
Gaza Strip by dismantling all Israeli settlements and removing all
Israeli settlers. This process was completed in September 2005.
Nonetheless, Israel maintains offshore maritime control as well as
airspace control. The future political status of the Gaza Strip has
yet to be determined.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel

Geographic coordinates:
31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:
Middle East

Area:
total: 360 sq km
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:
40 km

Maritime claims:
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation

Climate:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:
arable land, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 28.95%
permanent crops: 21.05%
other: 50% (2001)

Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
droughts

Environment - current issues:
desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;
water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination
of underground water resources

Geography - note:
there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population:
1,376,289
note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
Gaza Strip (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.5% (male 342,186/female 325,899)
15-64 years: 48.8% (male 342,927/female 329,354)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 15,036/female 20,887) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 15.65 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 15.81 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
3.77% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
40.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.79 years
male: 70.5 years
female: 73.15 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
5.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
English (widely understood)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Government Gaza Strip

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gaza Strip
local long form: none
local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:
High population density, limited land access, and strict internal
and external controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza
Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority
- even more degraded than in the West Bank. An anticipated Israeli
withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 may offer some medium-term
opportunities for economic growth. The beginning of the second
intifadah in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely
the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were
imposed in response to security interests in Israel, disrupted labor
and commodity relationships with the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even
more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in Palestinian
Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant,
the disruption of administrative structure, and widespread business
closures. Including the West Bank, the UN estimates that more than
100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel
or in joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. International aid
of $2 billion to Gaza Strip and the West Bank in 2004 prevented the
complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the
government's financial operations. Meanwhile unemployment has
continued at half the labor force. ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves
open more political options that could affect the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$768 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 28%
services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Labor force:
725,000 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 14%, industry 19%, services 66% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
81% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
note - these budget data include West Bank (2003)

Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:
generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,
olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial
center

Industrial production growth rate:
NA

Electricity - production:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption:
NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Exports:
$205 million f.o.b., includes West Bank (2002)

Exports - commodities:
citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
Israel, Egypt, West Bank