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: 200 NM territorial sea: 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% permanent crops: 1% other: 98% (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: 1,233,353 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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796) 15-64
years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1%
(male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.97% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 50.25 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 23,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 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: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: 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: NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9
February 1997 (next to be held in NA 2002) 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: African Forum for Reconstruction or
FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General
Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ
[Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican
Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic
Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA, secretary
general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,
president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; 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, CCC,
CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA
consulate(s): Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Charge
d'Affaires Thomas F. DAUGHTON embassy: Boulevard
B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone:
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, 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,
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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 60% services:
30% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 600,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, services and government
25%, industry and commerce 15%
Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion, including
capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)
Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement;
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals;
ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: -6.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 850 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.41% hydro: 70.59%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 790.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle;
okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000)
Exports - partners: US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4%
(2000)
Imports: $921 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals,
construction materials
Imports - partners: France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3%
(2000)
Debt - external: $3.6 billion (2001 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 - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70
(1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the
XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Gabon
Telephones - main lines in use: 39,000 (2000)
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 3
(2001)
Radios: 208,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (plus six repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: 63,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ga
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)
Internet users: 15,000 (2001)
Transportation Gabon
Railways: total: 649 km standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge;
single-track (2000 est.)
Highways: 629 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: Waterways:
1,600 km (perennially navigable)
Pipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
Ports and harbors: Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba,
Owendo, Port-Gentil
Airports: 59 (2001)
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 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to
1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 24 (2001)
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 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 146,908
(2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 11,304
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $70.8 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Gabon
Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial
Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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Georgia
Introduction
Georgia
Background: Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th
century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian
revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet
Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
poor governance, and Russian military bases deny the government effective
control over the entirety of the state's internationally recognized
territory. Despite myriad problems, progress on market reforms and
democratization support the country's goal of greater integration with
Western political, economic and security institutions.
Geography Georgia
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
and Russia
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 69,700 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 69,700 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries: total: 1,461 km border countries: Armenia 164 km,
Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km, Turkey 252 km
Coastline: 310 km
Maritime claims: NA
Climate: warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain: largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
(Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills
of Kolkhida Lowland
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Mt'a
Mqinvartsveri 5,047 m
Natural resources: forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore,
copper, minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow
for important tea and citrus growth
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 4% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes
Environment - current issues: air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi;
heavy pollution of Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies
of potable water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
People Georgia
Population: 4,960,951 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19% (male 481,669; female 462,966) 15-64
years: 68.2% (male 1,631,351; female 1,752,230) 65 years and over: 12.8%
(male 246,663; female 386,072) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.55% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.48 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 14.61 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -2.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 51.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.32 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Georgian(s) adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups: Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%,
Ossetian 3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%
Religions: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%,
Armenian Apostolic 8%, unknown 6%
Languages: Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1989 est.)
Government Georgia
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Georgia local short form: Sak'art'velo former: Georgian Soviet Socialist
Republic local long form: none
Government type: republic
Capital: T'bilisi
Administrative divisions: 9 regions, (mkharebi, singular - mkhare),
9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous
republics** (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika);
Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Ajaria or
Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Bat'umi), Chiat'ura*, Gori*, Guria,
Imereti, Kakheti, K'ut'aisi*, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, P'ot'i*,
Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Rust'avi*, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli, T'bilisi*, Tqibuli*, Tsqaltubo*,
Zugdidi* note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics
are shown in parentheses
Independence: 9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918
is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date
of independence from the Soviet Union
Constitution: adopted 17 October 1995
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Eduard Amvrosiyevich
SHEVARDNADZE (previously elected chairman of the Government Council
10 March 1992; Council has since been disbanded; previously elected
chairman of Parliament 11 October 1992; president since 26 November 1995);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: of the Government Council 10 March 1992; Council
has since been disbanded; previously elected chairman of Parliament 11
October 1992; president since 26 November 1995); note - the president
is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of
Ministers election results: Eduard SHEVARDNADZE reelected president;
percent of vote - Eduard SHEVARDNADZE 80% elections: president elected
by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 9 April 2000
(next to be held NA 2005)
Legislative branch: unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to
as Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote
by party - CUG 41.85%, AGUR 25.65%, IWSG 7.8%, all other parties received
less than 7% each; seats by party - CUG 130, AGUR 58, IWSG 15, Abkhaz
(government-in-exile) deputies 12, independents 17, other 3 elections:
last held 31 October and 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council
on the president's recommendation); Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders: Citizen's Union of Georgia or CUG
[Zarab ZHVANIA]; Georgian People's Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian
United Communist Party or UCPG [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi
GACHECHILADZE]; Industry Will Save Georgia or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE];
Labor Party [Salva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Irina
SARISHVILI-CHANTURIA]; New National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
Rightists [Levaii GACHECHILADZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI];
"Revival" Union Party or AGUR [Alsan ABASHIDZE]; Socialist Party or SPG
[Irakli MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Georgian independent deputies from
Abkhazia (Abkhaz faction in Georgian Parliament); separatist elements in
the breakaway region of Abkhazia; supporters of the late ousted President
Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA remain a source of opposition
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CIS, EAPC,
EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Levan
MIKELADZE chancery: Suite 300, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20009 FAX: [1] (202) 393-6060 telephone: [1] (202) 387-2390
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard MILES embassy: #25 Antoneli Street,
use embassy street address telephone:
Flag description: maroon field with small rectangle in upper hoist side
corner; rectangle divided horizontally with black on top, white below
Economy Georgia
Economy - overview: Georgia's main economic activities include
the cultivation of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea,
hazelnuts, and grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a
small industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of its
energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only sizable
internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe damage the
economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with the help of
the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic gains since 1995,
achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing inflation. However, the
Georgian government suffers from limited resources due to a chronic
failure to collect tax revenues. Georgia also suffers from energy
shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi distribution network in 1998,
but collection rates are low, making the venture unprofitable. The
country is pinning its hopes for long-term recovery on its role as a
transit state for pipelines and trade. The start of construction on
the Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in summer 2002 will bring much-needed
investment and job opportunities to the country.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $15.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 20% services:
55% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: 54% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3%
highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)
Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.1 (1996)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.6% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 20%, agriculture 40%, services 40%
(1999 est.)