Chapter XXI: Front Matter (21)

Land use:
arable land: 33.3%
permanent crops: 2.11%
other: 64.59% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues:
some forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as
a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); 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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
largest West European nation

People France

Population:
60,180,529 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,725,170; female 5,449,991)
15-64 years: 65.1% (male 19,619,994; female 19,583,850)
65 years and over: 16.3% (male 4,006,857; female 5,794,667) (2003
est.)

Median age:
total: 38.3 years
male: 36.8 years
female: 39.8 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
0.42% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
12.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
9.05 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.89 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.28 years
male: 75.63 years
female: 83.11 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.85 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
800 (2001 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
Basque minorities

Religions:
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
unaffiliated 4%

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1980 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:
Paris

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

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

Independence:
486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 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 1993

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 Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since 7 May
2002)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April
and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second
round NA 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%
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, 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) and the
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are
elected by popular vote under a single-member majoritarian system to
serve five-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - RPR 83, PS 68, UDF 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66;
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
elections: Senate - last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA
September 2004); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held NA June 2007)

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 MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly RAD and PRG)
[leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET];
Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS
and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal
Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR; now merged into
the UMP) [Alain MADELIN]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE
VILLIERS]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the
Republic or RPR (merged into UMP) [Serge LEPELTIER]; Socialist Party
or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Martine BILLARD, Denis BAUPIN,
Stephane POCRAIN, Maryse ARDITI]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
(coalition of DL, CDS, UDF, RP, and other parties) [Francois
BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and
a part of UDF) [Alain JUPPE]

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 865,000 members (claimed, of which
810,000 are actively employed); 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)

International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB
(non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC,
EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MIPONUH,
MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC,
UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
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 French Tricouleur (Tricolor); 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
Socialist-led government has partially or fully privatized many
large companies, banks, and insurers, but still retains controlling
stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France
Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and remains 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 current government has lowered
income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment. At the end
of 2002 the government was focusing on the problems of the high cost
of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour
workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The government was also
pushing for pension reforms and simplification of administrative
procedures. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe. The
current economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed
the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit. Business investment
remains listless because of low rates of capital utilization, high
debt, and the steep cost of capital.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.558 trillion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
1.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $26,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 26%
services: 71% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
6.4% (1999)

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):
1.8% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
26.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $286 billion
expenditures: $330 billion, including capital expenditures of $23
billion (2002 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
520.1 billion kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
415.3 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
72.6 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
4.2 billion kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

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

Oil - proved reserves:
144.3 million bbl (37257)

Natural gas - production:
1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
12.86 billion cu m (37257)

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

Exports:
$307.8 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
Germany 15%, UK 9.8%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%, US 7.8%, Belgium 6.9%
(2002)

Imports:
$303.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
Germany 19.4%, Belgium 9.2%, Italy 8.8%, UK 7.3%, Netherlands 7%,
US 6.8%, Spain 6.7% (2002)

Debt - external:
NA (1998)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)

Currency:
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 - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:
34.86 million (yearend 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
11.078 million (yearend 1998)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: 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

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:
.fr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
62 (2000)

Internet users:
16.97 million (2002)

Transportation France

Railways:
total: 32,682 km
standard gauge: 32,515 km 1.435-m gauge (14,104 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

Highways:
total: 894,000 km
paved: 894,000 km (including 11,500 km of expressways)
unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)

Pipelines:
gas 13,946 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le
Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nates, Paris, Rouen, Saint
Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg

Merchant marine:
total: 35 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 749,570 GRT/939,134 DWT
ships by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 9, liquefied gas 4,
passenger 2, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea
passenger 4
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: French Polynesia 2, Greece 1, Japan 1, Norway 1, Sweden
9 (2002 est.)

Airports:
477 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 273
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 80
under 914 m: 57 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 95

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 204
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 74
under 914 m: 128 (2002)

Heliports:
3 (2002)

Military France

Military branches:
Army (includes marines), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force
(includes Air Defense), National Gendarmerie

Military manpower - military age:
18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 14,523,208 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 392,824 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$46.5 billion (2000)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.57% (2002)

Transnational Issues France

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

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,
Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@French Guiana

Introduction French Guiana

Background:
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of
notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency
launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location:
Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates:
4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references:
South America

Area:
total: 91,000 sq km
water: 1,850 sq km
land: 89,150 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline:
378 km

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

Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0.11% NEGL
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land:
20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of
the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population:
186,917 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.9% (male 28,565; female 27,280)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 64,836; female 55,498)
65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,455; female 5,283) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 29.2 years
female: 27.1 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.4% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
21.33 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
7.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 11.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 13.68 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.69 years
male: 73.36 years
female: 80.18 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
3.09 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups:
black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
12%, other 10%

Religions:
Roman Catholic

Languages:
French

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83%
male: 84%
female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name:
conventional long form: Department of Guiana
conventional short form: French Guiana
local short form: Guyane
local long form: none

Dependency status:
overseas department of France

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Cayenne

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
French legal system

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
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
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

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 NA 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]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland
HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari
Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, 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 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 - $2.26 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

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.)

Labor force:
58,800 (1997)

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

Unemployment rate:
22% (2001)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
455 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
423.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

Exports:
$155 million f.o.b.

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

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

Imports:
$625 million c.i.f.

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

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

Debt - external:
$1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient:
$NA

Currency:
euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)

Currency code:
EUR; FRF

Exchange rates:
Euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94
(1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use:
47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
international: 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:
2,000 (2000)

Transportation French Guiana

Railways:
0 km

Highways:
total: 722 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996)

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

Ports and harbors:
Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni

Merchant marine:
none (2002 est.)

Airports:
11 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military French Guiana

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 51,444 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 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)

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

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@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, archipelago 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)
water: 507 sq km
land: 3,660 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,525 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01%
other: 92.35% (1998 est.)

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:
262,125 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 26.7 years
male: 27.1 years
female: 26.3 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
1.62% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.45 years
male: 73.08 years
female: 77.93 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.14 children born/woman (2003 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 (official), Tahitian (official)

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: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:
overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type:
NA

Capital:
Papeete

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory 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 territory of France)

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
28 September 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)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of
the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)
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 (49 seats
- changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006)
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998
(next to be held NA 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
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for
the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 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)
[leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory 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 - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5%

Labor force:
70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
11.8% (1994)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
428.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 60.7%
hydro: 39.3%
other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

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

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

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

Exports:
$260 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla,
shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners:
France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002)

Imports:
$1.2 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$NA

Economic aid - recipient:
$367 million (1997)

Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the
euro in 2003

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41
(2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
5,427 (1997)

Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 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 Service Providers (ISPs):
2 (2000)

Internet users:
16,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Railways:
0 km

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

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine:
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including
Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@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
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
water: 0 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
1,232 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only
territorial sea: 12 NM

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% (1998 est.)

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 2002 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2003 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 Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000),
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

Waterways:
none

Ports and harbors:
none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,596,194 GRT/5,924,475 DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 4, chemical tanker 14, container 15,
liquefied gas 5, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, roll on/roll off
11, vehicle carrier 2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 2, France 62, Japan 3, Monaco 1, Norway 5,
Sweden 1 (2002 est.)

Airports:
none (2002)

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international:
"Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in
1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in
the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral
process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small
population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign
support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
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
water: 10,000 sq km
land: 257,667 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:
contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use:
arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (1998 est.)

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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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:
1,321,560
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
2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 280,218; female 278,808)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 352,363; female 355,315)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 22,786; female 32,070) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.7 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
2.54% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.12 years
male: 55.45 years
female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
23,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,000 (2001 est.)

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 short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise

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 (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 reelected; percent of
vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 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 NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January
and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)
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];
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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la 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 nations of
sub-Saharan Africa. 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 Francophone currency by 50% on 12
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. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world
economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $8.354 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
0.2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 60%
services: 25% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
600,000

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

Unemployment rate:
21% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
million (2002 est.)

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:
798.4 million kWh (2001)

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

Electricity - consumption:
742.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
2.45 billion bbl (37257)

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 (37257)

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

Exports:
$2.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
US 46.5%, France 11.6%, China 6.5%, Netherlands Antilles 5.8% (2002)

Imports:
$1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
France 50.7%, US 6.3%, Netherlands 3.6% (2002)

Debt - external:
$3.8 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$331 million (1995)

Currency:
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 - 696.99
(2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:
39,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
120,000 (2000)

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: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002

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 Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2001)

Internet users:
18,000 (2002)

Transportation Gabon

Railways:
total: 814 km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

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

Waterways:
1,600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines:
gas 210 km; oil 1,426 km; water 3 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,
Port-Gentil

Airports:
57 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Military Gabon

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged
with protecting the president and other senior officials), National
Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age:
20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 305,603 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 12,853 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$81.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international:
creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over small islets on
Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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@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.

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:
contiguous zone: 18 NM
territorial sea: 12 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

Land use:
arable land: 19.5%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 80% (1998 est.)

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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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:
1,501,050 (July 2003 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 338,497; female 335,503)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 390,150; female 396,763)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 20,836; female 19,301) (2003 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.3 years
female: 17.6 years (2002)

Population growth rate:
3.03% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:
40.77 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:
12.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:
1.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)