Airports - with paved runways:
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 44,799 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 29,033 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
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
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH POLYNESIA
(overseas territory of France)
@French Polynesia:Geography
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)
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:
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: Mount Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures : 5%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes; 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
@French Polynesia:People
Population: 233,488 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 39,958; female 38,492)
15-64 years : 62% (male 75,450; female 69,441)
65 years and over: 4% (male 5,063; female 5,084) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.89% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 23.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 4.95 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 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 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.17 years
male: 69.81 years
female : 74.65 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.77 children born/woman (1997 est.)
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 16%
Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of
literacy not available
total population: 98%
male : 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
@French Polynesia:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form : French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
Data code: FP
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1946
Government type: NA
National 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: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Dominique BUR
(since NA)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French
Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the
Territorial Assembly Tinomana EBB (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of
the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
elections: high commissioner appointed by the president of France 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 (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian Liberation
Front 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
note : one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989
(next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French
National Assembly on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1
June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2
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: People's Rally for the Republic
(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Polynesian Union Party
(includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN]; Polynesian
Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland
Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te
Nunaa) [Jacques DROLLET]; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa [Tinomana EBB]; Haere i
Mua [Alexandre LEONTIEFF]; other small parties
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
Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military
personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work
force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist
industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary
source of hard currency earnings. The territory will continue to
benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France
aimed principally at creating new jobs.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.5% (1994)
Labor force:
total: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)
by occupation : agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992
est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $713 million
expenditures : $1.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994)
Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: 320 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,409 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits;
poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports:
total value: $245 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities : cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products,
mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
partners: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)
Imports:
total value: $967 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities : fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient : ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1
- 98.48 (January 1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994),
102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the
French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
@French Polynesia:Communications
Telephones: 33,200 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 116,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6
Televisions: 35,000 (1992 est.)
@French Polynesia:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 792 km
paved: 792 km (1995 est.)
Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:
total : 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,127 GRT/53,710 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated
cargo 1 (1996 est.)
Airports: 41 (1996 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 15 (1996 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m : 6 (1996 est.)
Military
Military branches: French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force),
Gendarmerie
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS
and Antarctic Lands]
(overseas territory of France)
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Geography
Location: South of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about
equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
Southern and Antarctic Lands includes 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: 7,781 sq km
land: 7,781 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:
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 Kerguelen 1,850 m
Natural resources: fish, crayfish
Land use:
arable land : 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures : 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct
volcanoes
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: remote location in the southern Indian Ocean
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there were 134 (1996) mostly researchers whose numbers vary from
winter (July) to summer (January)
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Government
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
Data code: FS
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955;
administered by a high commissioner of the Republic
National capital: none; administered from Paris, France
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
Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description: the flag of France is used
Economy
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.
Budget:
revenues: $24.5 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996)
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international : NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: NA
@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Transportation
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only
Merchant marine:
total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,535,552 GRT/4,382,987
DWT
ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 7, chemical tanker 7, container 11,
liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker
22, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, specialized
tanker 1
note: a subset of the French register allowing French-owned ships to
operate under more liberal taxation and manning regulations than
permissible under the main French register (1996 est.)
Airports: none
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not
recognized by the US
______________________________________________________________________
GABON
@Gabon:Geography
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: 267,670 sq km
land: 257,670 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:
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
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops : 1%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea
@Gabon:People
Population: 1,190,159 (July 1997 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34% (male 199,730; female 199,369)
15-64 years: 61% (male 368,086; female 359,086)
65 years and over : 5% (male 31,475; female 32,413) (July 1997 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.47% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 28.11 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 13.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years : 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 87.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.05 years
male: 53.13 years
female : 50.06 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.85 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese
Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings
(Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans
154,000, including 6,000 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist
Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, 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.)
@Gabon:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon
Data code: GB
Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition
parties legalized 1990)
National 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: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted
full independence from France)
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; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted
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 Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9
December 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote -
Omar BONGO 51%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (91
seats) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats);
members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections : National Assembly - last held in December 1996 (next to be
held in December 2001); Senate - last held 12 January 1997 (next to be
held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1,
UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERA 3, RDP 1, others 15
note: the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a
senate was implemented in the 12 January 1997 elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three
chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional
Court; Courts of Appeal (2); Court of State Security; County Courts
Political parties and leaders: Action Forum for Renewal or FAR [Leon
MBOU-YEMBI, secretary general]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR
[General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
former sole party [Simplice Guedet MANZELA, secretary general];
Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,
president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU];
Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Dr. Serge Mba BEKALE]; National
Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks or Morena-Bucherons/RNB [Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
ADERA
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA
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 Elizabeth RASPOLIC
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
mailing address : B. P. 4000, Libreville
telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92
FAX: [241] 74 55 07
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow,
and blue
Economy
Economy - overview: Notwithstanding its serious ongoing economic
problems, Gabon enjoys a per capita income three times that of most
nations of sub-Saharan Africa. Gabon depended on timber and manganese
until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector
now accounts for 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth has been feeble since
1991 and Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil,
timber, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite an abundance of
natural wealth and a manageable rate of population growth, the economy
is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit
widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its
bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements
with official and private creditors. 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 and a three-year Enhanced
Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late
1995. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.3 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8.2%
industry: 44.7%
services: 47.1% (1993 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.2% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry and commerce, services
Unemployment rate: 10%-14% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $1.3 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $311
million (1993 est.)
Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement;
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold
mining; chemicals; ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: 301,000 kW (1992)
Electricity - production: 930 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 744 kWh (1994 est.)
Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber; okoume
(a tropical softwood); cattle; small fishing operations (provide a
catch of about 30,000 metric tons)
Exports:
total value: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: crude oil 78%, timber 14%, manganese 4%, uranium
partners: US 59%, France 12%, Japan 4%, China 5%, Spain, Germany