Chapter XXIV: Front Matter (24)

International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN,
EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS,
UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pekka LINTU
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marilyn WARE
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
mailing address: APO AE 09723
telephone: [358] (9) 616250
FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

Flag description:
white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the
vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style
of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:
Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy
with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and
Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the
wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics
industries. Trade is important; exports equal two-fifths of GDP.
Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones. Except for
timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw
materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods.
Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to
maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
rural population. High unemployment remains a persistent problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$171.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$196.2 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$32,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 30.3%
services: 67% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
2.62 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture and forestry 4.4%, industry 4.4%, construction 6%,
commerce 17.5%, finance, insurance, and business services 12%,
transport and communications 6%, public services 30.2%

Unemployment rate:
7% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.9% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $105.6 billion
expenditures: $101 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
37.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:
metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific
instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals,
textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
81.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 39%
hydro: 18.7%
nuclear: 30.4%
other: 11.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
80.79 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
6.8 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
11.7 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
9,105 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
220,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
4.86 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
4.866 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:
$8.749 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$84.72 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
(1999)

Exports - partners:
Russia 11.2%, Sweden 10.7%, Germany 10.5%, UK 6.6%, US 6.2%,
Netherlands 4.8% (2005)

Imports:
$71.69 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
grains

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.1%, Russia 13.9%, Netherlands 6.2%,
Denmark 4.6%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$6.561 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$251.9 billion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $850,536,746.4905 (2005)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.79987 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.12 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5.231 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
cellular network provide domestic needs
international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.fi; note - the IANA has assigned the ccTLD of .ax to the Aland
Islands

Internet hosts:
1,633,614 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
3 (2002)

Internet users:
3.286 million (2005)

Transportation Finland

Airports:
148 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 76
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 14 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 72
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 67 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 694 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 5,741 km
broad gauge: 5,741 km 1.524-m gauge (2,619 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 78,189 km
paved: 50,633 km (including 653 km of expressways)
unpaved: 27,556 km (2006)

Waterways:
7,842 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
from Russia (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 87 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,250,600 GRT/952,072 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 22, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll
off 25
foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 1, Russia 1, UK 1)
registered in other countries: 48 (Bahamas 8, Germany 2, Gibraltar
3, Luxembourg 4, Marshall Islands 2, Netherlands 13, Norway 4,
Sweden 11, UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvoo, Raahe,
Rauma, Turku

Military Finland

Military branches:
Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes coastal defense
forces), Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
(October 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,121,275
females age 18-49: 1,076,684 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 913,617
females age 18-49: 875,689 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 32,040
females age 18-49: 30,519 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international:
various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts
no territorial demands

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@France

Introduction France

Background:
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico
Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
46 00 N, 2 00 E
French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W
Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W
Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:
Europe
French Guiana: South America
Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean
Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean
Reunion: World

Area:
total: 643,427 sq km; 547,030 sq km (metropolitan France)
land: 640,053 sq km; 545,630 sq km (metropolitan France)
water: 3,374 sq km; 1,400 sq km (metropolitan France)
note: the first numbers include the overseas regions of French
Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion

Area - comparative:
slightly less than the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km
Guadeloupe - total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
French Guiana - total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline:
total: 4,668 km
metropolitan France: 3,427 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
variation
Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds;
moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable
to devasting cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average
Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool
and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)

Terrain:
mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
mountains
Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
seven other islands are volcanic in origin
Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano
Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish
French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum,
clay

Land use:
arable land: 33.46%
permanent crops: 2.03%
other: 64.51%
note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%,
other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land
11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable
land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable
land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)

Irrigated land:
total: 26,190 sq km;
metropolitan France: 26,000 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms;
drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones), flooding, volcanic
activity (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion)

Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial
and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
largest West European nation

People France

Population:
total: 62,752,136
note: 60,876,136 in metropolitan France (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)
65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006
est.)

Median age:
total: 39.1 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.7 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.35% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.73 years
male: 76.1 years
female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
120,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities
overseas departments: black, white, mulatto, East Indian, Chinese,
Amerindian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%
overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim,
Buddhist, pagan

Languages:
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government France

Country name:
conventional long form: French Republic
conventional short form: France
local long form: Republique francaise
local short form: France

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Paris
geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 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

Administrative divisions:
26 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
Auvergne, Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandy), Bourgogne, Bretagne
(Brittany), Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse (Corsica),
Franche-Comte, Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Haute-Normandie
(Upper Normandy), Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin,
Lorraine, Martinique, Reunion, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais,
Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote
d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
note: France is divided into 22 metropolitan regions (including the
"territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and 4 overseas
regions and is subdivided into 96 metropolitan departments and 4
overseas departments

Dependent areas:
Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica; New Caledonia
has been considered a "sui generis" collectivity of France since
1999, a unique status falling between that of an independent country
and a French overseas deparment

Independence:
486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often
incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually
commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the
storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of
a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete
Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)

Constitution:
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958;
amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply
with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty,
2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;
amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty
compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the
decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round 22 April 2007,
second round 6 May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(331 seats - 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas
departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
between 2006 and 2010, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for
a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly
elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with
one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National
Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 555 for metropolitan
France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are
elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355,
PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical
Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];
French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yann
WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for
France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois
HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU];
Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
(claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
French Guiana: NA
Guadeloupe: Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement of Independent
Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement
Martinique: Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union
for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP
Reunion: NA

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia
Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IFTU,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC,
UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO,
UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON
embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08
mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;
known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of
the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or
colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;
the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview:
France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern
economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,
banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several
leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and
Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public
transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is
gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain
committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by
means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income
disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
welfare. The government in 2006 focused on introducing measures that
attempt to boost employment through increased labor market
flexibility; however, the population has remained opposed to labor
reforms, hampering the government's ability to revitalize the
economy. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly
50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible
budget items probably pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's
3%-of-GDP limit in 2006; unemployment hovers near 9%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.871 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.154 trillion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$30,100 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 20.6%
services: 77.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
27.88 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 4.1%
industry: 24.4%
services: 71.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
6.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
20% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.15 trillion
expenditures: $1.211 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
64.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy
products; fish

Industries:
machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
540.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.2%
hydro: 14%
nuclear: 77.1%
other: 0.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
440.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
68.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
6.5 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
77,690 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
1.977 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
409,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
1.4 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
45.41 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
770 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
44.78 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
12.77 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$-35.36 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$490 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:
Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, Belgium 7.1%, US
7.1% (2005)

Imports:
$529.1 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,
chemicals

Imports - partners:
Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.3%, Spain 7%, Netherlands
6.6%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$39.98 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$3.461 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.7967 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:
38.433 million; 35.7 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
49,369,800; 48.058 million (metropolitan France) (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
overseas departments: country codes: French Guiana - 594; Guadeloupe
- 590; Martinique - 596; Reunion - 262

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes
many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code:
metropolitan France - .fr; French Guiana - .gf; Guadeloupe - .gp;
Martinique - .mq; Reunion - .re

Internet hosts:
3,149,008; 3,148,379 (metropolitan France) (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
62 (2000)

Internet users:
29.945 million; 29.521 million (metropolitan France) (2006)

Transportation France

Airports:
total: 501
metropolitan France: 477 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 292 (metropolitan France) 15 (overseas departments)
over 3,047 m: 13 (metropolitan France) 3 (overseas departments)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 (metropolitan France) 1 (overseas departments)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 (metropolitan France)
914 to 1,523 m: 81 (metropolitan France) 5 (overseas departments)
under 914 m: 74 (metropolitan France) 6 (overseas departments) (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 185 (metropolitan France) 9 (overseas departments)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (metropolitan France)
914 to 1,523 m: 73 (metropolitan France) 2 (overseas departments)
under 914 m: 108 (metropolitan France) 7 (overseas departments)
(2006)

Heliports:
3 (2006)

Pipelines:
gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)

Railways:
total: 29,085 km
standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 956,303 km (including 5,083 km of roads in the overseas
departments)
paved: 951,220 km (metropolitan France; including 10,490 km of
expressways) (2004)

Waterways:
metropolitan France: 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of
3,000 metric tons)
French Guiana: 3,760 km (460 km navigable by small oceangoing
vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft)
(2000)

Merchant marine:
total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT
by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6,
passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll
off 1
foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway
1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)
registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia
3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French
Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of
Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6,
Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8,
UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5)
note: Reunion owns one ship registered in the Bahamas (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe), Bordeaux, Calais, Degrad de Cannes
(French Guiana), Dunkerque, Fort-de-France (Martinique), Gustavia
(Guadeloupe), La Pallice, La Trinite (Martinique), Le Havre, Le Port
(Reunion), Marin (Martinique), Marseille, Nantes, Paris,
Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), Rouen, Strasbourg

Military France

Military branches:
Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy
(includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National
Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:
17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended
in the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 17-49: 13,676,509
females age 17-49: 13,504,539 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 17-49: 11,262,661
females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 17-49: 389,204
females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$45 billion FY06 (2005)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international:
Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa
Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims
Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute
between Suriname and the French overseas department of French
Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie
Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of
New Caledonia

Illicit drugs:
metropolitan France: transshipment point for and consumer of South
American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local
consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@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. In recent
years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

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: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5%
other: 93.75% (2005)

Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)

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:
274,578 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 27.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.48% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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 (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.1 years
male: 73.69 years
female: 78.63 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.01 children born/woman (2006 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:
name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises,
Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, 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 Anne BOQUET
(since September 2005)
head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG
(since 14 December 2006); 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 for five-year terms (no
term limits)

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 in 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:
Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip
SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is
Yours); 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]; Union for Democracy or UPD
[Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, 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

Government - note:
under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired
autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice,
monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and
foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after
those of the French prime minister

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 (official exchange rate):
NA

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

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 19%
services: 76.9% (2005)

Labor force:
65,870 (December 2005)

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

Unemployment rate:
11.8%

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $865 million
expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185
million (1999)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
477 million kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
443.6 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:
$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005)

Imports:
$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$580 million (2004)

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

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.01
(2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
53,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
87,000 (2005)

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:
14,047 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
55,000 (2005)

Transportation French Polynesia

Airports:
51 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 39
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 25
under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

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

Merchant marine:
total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo
1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Papeete

Military French Polynesia

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

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 69,679 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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

@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% (2005)

Irrigated land:
0 sq km

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
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 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
abbreviation: TAAF

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 three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, 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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON

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

Internet hosts:
38 (2006)

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Merchant marine:
total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefied
gas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, Hong
Kong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1,
UK 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

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 US

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence
from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar
BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the
world - has dominated the 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.

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: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 98.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:
70 sq km (2003)

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,
Whaling
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:
1,424,906
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 300,914/female 299,141)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 383,137/female 384,876)
65 years and over: 4% (male 23,576/female 33,262) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.13% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.49 years
male: 53.21 years
female: 55.81 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.74 children born/woman (2006 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 (2007)

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

Capital:
name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

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 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%

Legislative branch:
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 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

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
[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); 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

International organization participation:
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,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
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