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 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 large 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, but has done little to reform an overly expensive pension
system, rigid labor market, and restrictive bureaucracy that discourage
hiring and make the tax burden one of the highest in Europe. In addition
to the tax burden, the reduction of the workweek to 35 hours, which is to
be extended to small firms in 2002, has drawn criticism for lowering the
competitiveness of French businesses. The current economic slowdown has
thrown the government's goal of balancing the budget by 2004 off track.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.51 trillion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 25.7% services:
71% (2000)
Population below poverty line: NA%
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): 1.7% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 26.6 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: services 71%, industry 25%, agriculture 4%
(1997)
Unemployment rate: 8.9% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $210 billion expenditures: $240 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Industrial production growth rate: 1.3% (2001)
Electricity - production: 513.924 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 9.55% hydro: 12.98%
other: 0.73% (2000) nuclear: 76.74%
Electricity - consumption: 408.514 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 73.172 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 3.737 billion kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine
grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Exports: $293.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft,
plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners: EU 61% (Germany 14%, UK 10%, Spain 9%, Italy 9%,
Benelux 8%), US 9% (2000)
Imports: $292.6 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil,
aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners: EU 63% (Germany 17%, Benelux 10%, Italy 9%, UK 8%),
US 7% (2000)
Debt - external: $106 billion (1998)
Economic aid - donor: ODA, $6.3 billion (1997)
Currency: euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) 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; FRF
Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175
(2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.65
(January 1999), 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
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: 11.7 million (2001)
Transportation France
Railways: total: 31,939 km (operated by French National Railways (SNCF);
14,176 km of SNCF routes are electrified and 12,132 km are double- or
31,840 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge:
Highways: total: 892,900 km paved: 892,900 km (including 9,900 km of
expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Waterways: 14,932 km (6,969 km heavily traveled)
Pipelines: crude oil 3,059 km; petroleum products 4,487 km; natural
gas 24,746 km
Ports and harbors: Bordeaux, Boulogne, Cherbourg, Dijon, Dunkerque,
La Pallice, Le Havre, Lyon, Marseille, Mullhouse, Nantes, Paris, Rouen,
Saint Nazaire, Saint Malo, Strasbourg
Merchant marine: total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,263,691
GRT/1,769,932 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 4, chemical tanker 9,
combination bulk 1, container 3, liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, petroleum
tanker 15, roll on/roll off 4, 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 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 270 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to
3,047 m: 29 914 to 1,523 m: 75 under 914 m: 56 (2001) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 96
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 207 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to
1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 131 (2001)
Heliports: 3 (2001)
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 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 14,534,480 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 12,092,938
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 390,064
(2002 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, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin 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 1 January 2002
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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: south 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: 7,781 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about
500,000
0 sq km land:
Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,232 km
Maritime claims: 200 NM from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea:
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 1997,
there were about 100 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July)
to summer (January)
Population growth rate: NA
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: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,815,472
GRT/4,806,161 DWT ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 5, chemical tanker 13,
container 11, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 19, roll on/roll off
11 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Airports: none (2001)
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 1 January 2002
========================================================================
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 new 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% permanent crops: 1% 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: 1,455,842 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 329,530; female 326,627) 15-64
years: 52.3% (male 377,357; female 383,548) 65 years and over: 2.6%
(male 20,237; female 18,543) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.09% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 41.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 12.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
1.09 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 76.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 56.01 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.95% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 13,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,400 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%,
Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%
Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
vernaculars
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 47.5% male: 58.4% female: 37.1% (2001 est.)
Government Gambia, The
Country name: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: Government
type: republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital: Banjul
Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central
River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved
by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in January 1997
Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
(since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government head
of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996;
note - from 1994 to 1996 was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President
Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head
Cabinet appointed by the president elections: of terms is not
restricted; election last held 18 October 2001 (next
to be held NA October 2006) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%,
Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected
by popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve five-year
terms) elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January
2007) election results: Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation
and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's
Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP
Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff
DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's
Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia
JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
since 1996
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John
P. BOJANG chancery: Suite 1000, 1155
[1] (202) 785-1430 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Jackson McDONALD embassy: Fajara, Kairaba
P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone:
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
white edges, and green
Economy Gambia, The
Economy - overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other
natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the
population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale
manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and
hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic
activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan,
and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of
the reexport trade away from Banjul. The government's 1998 seizure
of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser
of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons have seen
substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000
has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment rates are
extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly dependent
on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government
economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and
on expected growth in the construction sector. Record crops undergirded
sturdy growth in 2001.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.7% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21% industry: 12% services:
67% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 400,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry, commerce,
and services 19%, government 6%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $90.5 million expenditures: $80.9 million, including
capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2001 est.)
Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 75 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 69.75 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, sesame,
cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishery
resources not fully exploited
Exports: $139.2 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint,
palm kernels
Exports - partners: Benelux 26%, Japan 15%, UK 14%, Brazil 7% (2000)
Imports: $200.3 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and
transport equipment
Imports - partners: China (including Hong Kong) 18%, UK 10%, Netherlands
8%, France 6%, Brazil 6% (2000)
Debt - external: $440 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $45.4 million (1995)
Currency: dalasi (GMD)
Currency code: GMD
Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - 15.000 (January 2001), 12.788
(2000), 11.395 (1999), 10.643 (1998), 10.200 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Gambia, The
Telephones - main lines in use: 31,900 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,624 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
network is available domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay
and open wire international: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and
Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 196,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-owned) (1997)
Televisions: 5,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .gm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2001)
Internet users: 5,000 (2001)
Transportation Gambia, The
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1996)
Waterways: 400 km
Ports and harbors: Banjul
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Military Gambia, The
Military branches: Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit),
National Police, Presidential Guard
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 327,677 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 165,249
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $1.2 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.3% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Gambia, The
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
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