Geographic coordinates:1 00 S, 11 45 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 267,667 sq kmwater: 10,000 sq kmland: 257,667 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:total: 2,551 kmborder countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Coastline:885 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)
Irrigated land:150 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabonbecome one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, thesecircumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve itspristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
People Gabon
Population:1,355,246note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account theeffects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lowerlife expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lowerpopulation and growth rates, and changes in the distribution ofpopulation by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184)15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132)65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 18.5 yearsmale: 18.3 yearsfemale: 18.8 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.5% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 56.46 yearsmale: 54.85 yearsfemale: 58.12 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:8.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:48,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:3,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:typhoid fever, malariaoverall degree of risk: very high (2004)
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, including10,700 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 writetotal population: 63.2%male: 73.7%female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Government Gabon
Country name:conventional long form: Gabonese Republicconventional short form: Gabonlocal short form: Gabonlocal long form: Republique Gabonaise
Government type:republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition partieslegalized 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 reviewof 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 inconsultation with the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); primeminister appointed by the presidentelection results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent ofvote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. PaulM'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%
Legislative branch:bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; memberselected by members of municipal councils and departmentalassemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to servefive-year terms)elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001(next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 Januaryand 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)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; Courtsof 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-NdingeDIDJOB]; 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-Rallyfor Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People'sUnity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy andProgress 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, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJAconsulate(s): New YorkFAX: [1] (202) 332-0668telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELDembassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Librevillemailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Librevilletelephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92FAX: [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 ofsub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extremepoverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion ofthe population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganeseuntil oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sectornow accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuatingprices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite theabundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles theeconomy. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the ratedropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standbyarrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility(EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-bycredit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandateprogress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France providedadditional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMFtargets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticizedthe government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowingfrom the central bank, and slipping on its schedule forprivatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil pricesin 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabonfrom fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signeda new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt.A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed inDecember 2001. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat worldeconomy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:1.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):22.7% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):0.5% (2003 est.)
Labor force:610,000 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%
Unemployment rate:21% (1997 est.)
Budget:revenues: $1.771 billionexpenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310million (2003 est.)
Public debt:31.5% of GDP (2003)
Agriculture - products:cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropicalsoftwood); fish
Industries:petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering andplywood; cement
Industrial production growth rate:1.6% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production:798.4 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:742.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:80 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:80 million cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-101 million (2003)
Exports:$2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - partners:US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)
Imports:$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, constructionmaterials
Imports - partners:France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$201.9 million (2003)
Debt - external:$3.284 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$331 million (1995)
Currency:Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsibleauthority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code:XAF
Exchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2(2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699(1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Gabon
Telephones - main lines in use:38,400 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:300,000 (2003)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate service by African standards andimproving with the help of the growing mobile cell systemdomestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and adomestic satellite system with 12 earth stationsinternational: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
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 hosts:93 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):1 (2001)
Internet users:35,000 (2003)
Transportation Gabon
Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Highways: total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)
Waterways:1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)
Pipelines:gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo,Port-Gentil
Airports:56 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
Military Gabon
Military branches:Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:males: 13,462 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$149.3 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2% (2003)
Transnational Issues Gabon
Disputes - international:creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Baywith Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island,administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Gambia, The
Introduction Gambia, The
Background:The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed ashort-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperationtreaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and bannedpolitical activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidentialelections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed anominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another roundof presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has beenelected president in all subsequent elections.
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 kmland: 10,000 sq kmwater: 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: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified
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: 25% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 74.5% (2001)
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-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Lawof the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent ofAfrica
People Gambia, The
Population:1,546,848 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264)15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382)65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 17.5 yearsmale: 17.4 yearsfemale: 17.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:2.98% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:40.3 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 73.48 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 66.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 54.79 yearsmale: 52.76 yearsfemale: 56.87 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:6,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases: typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004)
Nationality:noun: Gambian(s)adjective: Gambian
Ethnic groups:African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli9%, other 4%), non-African 1%
Religions:Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenousvernaculars
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 40.1%male: 47.8%female: 32.8% (2003 est.)
Government Gambia, The
Country name:conventional long form: Republic of The Gambiaconventional short form: The Gambia
Government type:republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital:Banjul
Administrative divisions:5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, NorthBank, 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 bynational referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997
Legal system:based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, andcustomary 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 October1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); VicePresident Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - thepresident is both the chief of state and head of governmenthead of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of theJunta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note- the president is both the chief of state and head of governmentcabinet: Cabinet appointed by the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October2001 (next to be held October 2006)election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percentof 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 January2007)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,
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'sParty-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [OusainouDARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; NationalReconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's DemocraticOrganization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowedthe reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties bannedsince 1996
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lena MangaSagnia SECKchancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALDembassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjulmailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjultelephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971FAX: [220] 392475
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 andhas a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population dependson crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturingactivity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides.Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economicactivity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan,and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some ofthe reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largestpurchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasonshave seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourismin 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemploymentrates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highlydependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, onresponsible government economic management as forwarded by IMFtechnical help and advice, and on expected growth in theconstruction sector.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $2.56 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:3% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46.8% industry: 9.3% services: 43.8% (2003 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):20% of GDP (2003)
Population below poverty line:NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):14% (2003 est.)
Labor force:400,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%
Unemployment rate:NA (2002 est.)
Budget:revenues: $58.63 millionexpenditures: $62.64 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1million (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:85.33 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:79.36 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:NA (2001)
Oil - imports:NA (2001)
Current account balance:$-42 million (2003)
Exports:$156 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Exports - commodities:peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports
Exports - partners:UK 26.7%, Belgium 6.7%, China 6.7%, Germany 6.7%, Italy 6.7%,Malaysia 6.7%, Thailand 6.7% (2003)
Imports:$271 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Imports - commodities:foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Imports - partners:China 24.9%, Senegal 8.9%, Brazil 6.8%, UK 6.6%, US 5.6%,Netherlands 5%, India 4.9% (2003)
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:$118 million (2003)
Debt - external:$476 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$45.4 million (1995)
Currency:dalasi (GMD)
Currency code:GMD
Exchange rates:dalasi per US dollar - NA (2003), 19.9182 (2002), 15.6872 (2001),12.7876 (2000), 11.3951 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Gambia, The
Telephones - main lines in use:38,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:100,000 (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network isavailabledomestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wireinternational: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links toSenegal 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 hosts:568 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2001)
Internet users:25,000 (2002)
Transportation Gambia, The
Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)
Waterways:390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190km) (2004)
Ports and harbors:Banjul
Merchant marine:none (2004 est.)
Airports:1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Gambia, The
Military branches:Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit), PresidentialGuard
Military manpower - military age and obligation:18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription(2001)
Military manpower - availability:males age 15-49: 350,256 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:males age 15-49: 176,733 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$900,000 (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:0.3% (2003)
Transnational Issues Gambia, The
Disputes - international:attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling,other illegal activities, and political instability from separatistmovement in southern Senegal's Casamance region
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@Gaza Strip
Introduction Gaza Strip
Background:The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-GovernmentArrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years ofPalestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the WestBank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers andresponsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes thePalestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part ofthe interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and GazaStrip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Stripand Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 CairoAgreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additionalareas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 ProtocolConcerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-SheikhAgreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibilityduring the transitional period for external and internal securityand for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Directnegotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bankthat began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, werederailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. Theresulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,Israel's military response, and instability within the PalestinianAuthority continue to undermine progress toward a permanentagreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader YasirARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBASin January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.
Geography Gaza Strip
Location:Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt andIsrael
Geographic coordinates:31 25 N, 34 20 E
Map references:Middle East
Area:total: 360 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 360 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline:40 km
Maritime claims:Israeli-occupied with current status subject to theIsraeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to bedetermined through further negotiation
Climate:temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain:flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Natural resources:arable land, natural gas
Land use:arable land: 28.95%permanent crops: 21.05%other: 50% (2001)
Irrigated land:120 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:droughts
Environment - current issues:desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contaminationof underground water resources
Geography - note:there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in theGaza Strip (February 2002 est.)
People Gaza Strip
Population:1,324,991note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in theGaza Strip (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 49% (male 332,582; female 316,606)15-64 years: 48.3% (male 326,450; female 314,098)65 years and over: 2.7% (male 14,847; female 20,408) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 15.5 yearsmale: 15.3 yearsfemale: 15.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:3.83% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:40.62 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:3.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:1.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 24.71 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 71.59 yearsmale: 70.31 yearsfemale: 72.94 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:6.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: NAadjective: NA
Ethnic groups:Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%
Religions:Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%
Languages:Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),English (widely understood)
Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA
Government Gaza Strip
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah
Economy Gaza Strip
Economy - overview:Economic output in the Gaza Strip - under the responsibility of thePalestinian Authority since the Cairo Agreement of May 1994 -declined by about one-third between 1992 and 1996. The downturn waslargely the result of Israeli closure policies - the imposition ofgeneralized border closures in response to security incidents inIsrael - which disrupted previously established labor and commoditymarket relationships between Israel and the WBGS (West Bank and GazaStrip). The most serious negative social effect of this downturn wasthe emergence of high unemployment; unemployment in the WBGS duringthe 1980s was generally under 5%; by 1995 it had risen to over 20%.Israel's use of comprehensive closures decreased during the next fewyears and, in 1998, Israel implemented new policies to reduce theimpact of closures and other security procedures on the movement ofPalestinian goods and labor. These changes fueled an almostthree-year-long economic recovery in the West Bank and Gaza Strip;real GDP grew by 5% in 1998 and 6% in 1999. Recovery was upended inthe last quarter of 2000 with the outbreak of violence, triggeringtight Israeli closures of Palestinian self-rule areas and a severedisruption of trade and labor movements. In 2001, and even moreseverely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestinian Authorityareas resulted in the destruction of capital plant andadministrative structure, widespread business closures, and a sharpdrop in GDP. Including West Bank, the UN estimates that more than100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel,in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones have lost theirjobs. In addition, about 80,000 Palestinian workers inside theTerritories are losing their jobs. International aid of $2 billionin 2001-02 to the West Bank and Gaza Strip prevented the completecollapse of the economy and allowed Finance Minister Salam FAYYAD toimplement several financial and economic reforms. Budgetary support,however, was not as forthcoming in 2003.
GDP:purchasing power parity - $768 million (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:4.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line:60% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NAhighest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)
Labor force:NA (1997)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture 13%, industry 21%, services 66% (1996)
Unemployment rate:50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)
Budget:revenues: $676.6 millionexpenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA(includes West Bank) (2003)
Agriculture - products:olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products
Industries:generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelishave established some small-scale modern industries in an industrialcenter
Industrial production growth rate:NA
Electricity - production:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel
Electricity - consumption:NA kWh
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)
Exports:$603 million f.o.b., includes West Bank
Exports - commodities:citrus, flowers
Exports - partners:Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Imports:$1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank
Imports - commodities:food, consumer goods, construction materials
Imports - partners:Israel, Egypt, West Bank
Debt - external:$108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:$800 million (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)
Currency:new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Currency code:ILS
Exchange rates:new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.55 (2003), 4.74 (2002), 4.21(2001), 4.08 (2000), 4.14 (1999)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications Gaza Strip
Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2002)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wiresysteminternational: NA
Radio broadcast stations:AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)
Television broadcast stations:2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)
Televisions:NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)
Internet country code:.ps
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):3 (1999)
Internet users:60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)
Transportation Gaza Strip
Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network
Ports and harbors:Gaza
Airports:2 (2001)note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA hasbeen largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and itsrunway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001(2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:total: 1over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 1under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports:1 (2003 est.)
Military Gaza Strip
Military branches:in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authorityis not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however, aPublic Security Force and a civil Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Transnational Issues Gaza Strip
Disputes - international:West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current statussubject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanentstatus to be determined through further negotiation
Refugees and internally displaced persons:refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian Refugees(UNRWA)) (2004)
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Georgia
Introduction Georgia
Background:The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms ofColchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence inthe first centuries AD and Christianity became the state religion inthe 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by aGeorgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries) that was cut shortby the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman andPersian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia wasabsorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independentfor three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it wasforcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolvedin 1991. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reformsand democratization has been made since then. An attempt by thegovernment to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation ofEduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his NationalMovement Party.
Geography Georgia
Location:Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey andRussia
Geographic coordinates:42 00 N, 43 30 E
Map references:Asia
Area:total: 69,700 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmland: 69,700 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:total: 1,461 kmborder countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,Turkey 252 km
Coastline:310 km
Maritime claims:No data available
Climate:warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast
Terrain:largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north andLesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (KolkhidaLowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin inthe east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills ofKolkhida Lowland
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Black Sea 0 mhighest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m
Natural resources:forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minorcoal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for importanttea and citrus growth
Land use:arable land: 11.44%permanent crops: 3.86%other: 84.7% (2001)
Irrigated land:4,700 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:earthquakes
Environment - current issues:air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of MtkvariRiver and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soilpollution from toxic chemicals
Environment - international agreements:party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, ShipPollution, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls muchof the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them
People Georgia
Population:4,693,892 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 18.7% (male 461,967; female 416,898)15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,480,217; female 1,607,509)65 years and over: 15.5% (male 290,534; female 436,767) (2004 est.)
Median age:total: 37 yearsmale: 34.5 yearsfemale: 39.2 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:-0.36% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:10.1 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:8.98 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:-4.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.16 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 19.34 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 16.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)male: 21.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 75.62 yearsmale: 72.35 yearsfemale: 79.44 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:1.4 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:3,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:noun: Georgian(s)adjective: Georgian
Ethnic groups:Georgian 70.1%, Armenian 8.1%, Russian 6.3%, Azeri 5.7%, Ossetian3%, Abkhaz 1.8%, other 5%
Religions:Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, ArmenianApostolic 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 writetotal population: 99%male: 100%female: 98% (1999 est.)
Government Georgia
Country name:conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Georgialocal long form: noneformer: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republiclocal short form: Sak'art'velo
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 (avtomnoyrespubliki, singular - avtom respublika): regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli: cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi,Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidinote: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics areshown in parentheses: autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is AvtonomiuriRespublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika(Bat'umi)
Independence:9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date ofindependence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date ofindependence 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 Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head ofgovernment for the power ministries: state security (includesinterior) and defenseelections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent ofvote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%cabinet: Cabinet of Ministershead of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January2004); Prime Minister Zurab ZHVANIA (since 9 February 2004); note -the president is the chief of state and head of government for thepower ministries: state security (includes interior) and defense;the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of government
Legislative branch:unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) orUmaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); membersare elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)election results: percent of vote by party - NationalMovement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all otherparties received less than 7% each; seats by party - NationalMovement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15
Judicial branch:Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on thepresident's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and secondinstance courts