Oil - consumption:2.06 million bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - proved reserves:144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)
Natural gas - production:1.566 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:43.74 billion cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - exports:1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports:40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:14.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
Current account balance:$-38.78 billion (2005 est.)
Exports:$443.4 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners:Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, US 7.2%, Belgium7.1% (2005)
Imports:$473.3 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,chemicals
Imports - partners:Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.2%, Spain 7%, Netherlands6.5%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:$74.36 billion (2005 est.)
Debt - external:$2.826 trillion (30 June 2005)
Economic aid - donor:ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications France
Telephones - main lines in use:35.7 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:48.058 million (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: highly developeddomestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensiveintroduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite systeminternational: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 forAtlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HFradiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Radio broadcast stations:AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includesmany 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 hosts:3,148,379 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):62 (2000)
Internet users:29.521 million (2006)
Transportation France
Airports: 477 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 292 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 96 914 to 1,523 m: 81 under 914 m: 74 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 185 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 73 under 914 m: 108 (2006)
Heliports:3 (2006)
Pipelines:gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)
Railways:total: 29,085 kmstandard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 891,290 km paved: 891,290 km (including 10,390 km of expressways) (2003)
Waterways:8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)
Merchant marine:total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWTby type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6,passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/rolloff 1foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, FrenchSouthern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle ofMan 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6,Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8,UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille,Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg
Military France
Military branches:Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy(includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), NationalGendarmerie
Military service age and obligation:17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription endedin the 1990s; women serve in non-combat military posts (2001)
Manpower available for military service:males age 17-49: 13,676,509females age 17-49: 13,504,539 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 17-49: 11,262,661females age 17-49: 11,079,472 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 389,204females age 17-49: 372,719 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:$45 billion FY06 (2005)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues France
Disputes - international:Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, EuropaIsland, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claimsMayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial disputebetween Suriname and the French overseas department of FrenchGuiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (AdelieLand); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east ofNew Caledonia
Illicit drugs:transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@French Guiana
Introduction French Guiana
Background:First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site ofnotorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agencylaunches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Geography French Guiana
Location:Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, betweenBrazil and Suriname
Geographic coordinates:4 00 N, 53 00 W
Map references:South America
Area:total: 91,000 sq kmland: 89,150 sq kmwater: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Indiana
Land boundaries: total: 1,240.4 km border countries: Brazil 730.4 km, Suriname 510 km
Coastline: 378 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mhighest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Natural resources:bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish,niobium, tantalum, clay
Land use: arable land: 0.13% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other) (2005)
Irrigated land:20 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion ofthe South American continent
People French Guiana
Population:199,509 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 28.9% (male 29,540/female 28,210)15-64 years: 64.8% (male 69,302/female 59,980)65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,350/female 6,127) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 28.6 yearsmale: 29.6 yearsfemale: 27.4 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.96% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:20.46 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 11.76 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 12.58 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 10.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 77.27 yearsmale: 73.95 yearsfemale: 80.75 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.98 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)adjective: French Guianese
Ethnic groups:black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian12%, other 10%
Religions:Roman Catholic
Languages:French
Literacy:definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 83%male: 84%female: 82% (1982 est.)
Government French Guiana
Country name:conventional long form: Department of Guianaconventional short form: French Guianalocal long form: nonelocal short form: Guyane
Dependency status:overseas department of France
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Cayennegeographic coordinates: 4 56 N, 52 20 Wtime difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas department of France)
Independence:none (overseas department of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:French legal system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Pierre LAFLAQUIERE (since 19 July2006)head of government: President of the General Council Pierre DESERT(since 26 March 2004); President of the Regional Council AntoineKARAM (since 22 March 1992)cabinet: NAelections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of theFrench Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and RegionalCouncils are appointed by the members of those councils
Legislative branch:unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and aunicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; membersare elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)elections: General Council - last held in March 2000 (next to beheld March 2006); Regional Council - last held 21 and 28 March 2004(next to be held in 2010)election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA;seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,other 2; Regional Council - (second election results) percent ofvote by party - PS 37.24%, UMP 31.58%, FDG/Walwari 31.18%; seats byparty - PS 17, UMP 7, FDG/Walwari 7note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party- NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the FrenchNational Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007);results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR1, Walwari Committee 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based inMartinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and FrenchGuiana)
Political parties and leaders:Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; GuyaneseDemocratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Partyor PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Popular National Guyanese Party orPNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Alix LABBE]; Union forFrench Democracy or UDF [Georges HABRAN-MERY]; Union for a PopularMovement or UMP (includes RPR) [Remi Louis DUBOC]; Walwari Committee(aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:UPU, WCL, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas department of France)
Flag description:the flag of France is used
Economy French Guiana
Economy - overview:The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economythrough subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center atKourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are themost important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% ofthe country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fullyexploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawnlogs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastalarea, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and maniocare the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on importsof food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularlyamong younger workers.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):$8,300 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% 6.6% industry: NA% 15.6% services: NA% 77.8%
Labor force: 62,630 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 18.2% industry: 21.2% services: 60.6% (1980)
Unemployment rate:19.2% (December 2003)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1% (2003)
Budget:revenues: $135.5 millionexpenditures: $135.5 million; including capital expenditures of $105million (1996)
Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Industries:construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:465.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:432.6 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:6,600 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:$137.5 million f.o.b. (2003)
Exports - commodities:shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners:France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2004)
Imports:$625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners:France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2004)
Debt - external:$800.3 million (2003)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency (code):euro (EUR)note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced theeuro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions ofmember countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the solecurrency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Currency code:EUR
Exchange rates:euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications French Guiana
Telephones - main lines in use:51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:98,000 (2004)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay systeminternational: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5repeaters) (1998)
Radios:104,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:30,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.gf
Internet hosts:106 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:38,000 (2005)
Transportation French Guiana
Airports: 11 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:total: 7914 to 1,523 m: 2under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Roadways:total: 817 km (1998)
Waterways:3,760 kmnote: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal andriver steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2003)
Ports and terminals:Degrad des Cannes
Military French Guiana
Military branches:no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 47,809 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 38,676 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:NA
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Guiana
Disputes - international:Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini(both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana
Illicit drugs:small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minortransshipment point to Europe
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@French Polynesia
Introduction French Polynesia
Background:The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19thcentury. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests byresuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-yearmoratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recentyears, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Geography French Polynesia
Location:Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half ofthe 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 kmwater: 507 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:0 km
Coastline:2,525 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical, but moderate
Terrain:mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:NA
Geography - note:includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea inFrench Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands inthe Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribatiand Nauru
People French Polynesia
Population:274,578 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999)15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593)65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 27.9 yearsmale: 28.2 yearsfemale: 27.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:1.48% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.05 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/femaletotal population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 76.1 yearsmale: 73.69 yearsfemale: 78.63 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:NA
Nationality:noun: French Polynesian(s)adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asianlanguages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Literacy:definition: age 14 and over can read and writetotal population: 98%male: 98%female: 98% (1977 est.)
Government French Polynesia
Country name:conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesiaconventional short form: French Polynesialocal long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaiselocal short form: Polynesie Francaiseformer: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from1946-2004
Government type:NA
Capital:name: Papeetegeographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 Wtime difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises,Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, IlesSous-le-Ventnote: Clipperton Island is administered by France from FrenchPolynesia
Independence:none (overseas lands of France)
National holiday:Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:based on French system
Suffrage:18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET(since September 2005)head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU(since 3 March 2005); President of the Territorial Assembly AntonyGEROS (since 9 May 2004)cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of membersof the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve asministerselections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-yearterm; high commissioner appointed by the French president on theadvice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of theterritorial government and the president of the Territorial Assemblyare elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (noterm limits)
Legislative branch:unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats- changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are electedby popular vote to serve five-year terms)elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for theRepublic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a NewDemocracy 3note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998(next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party- NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the FrenchNational Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007);results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1,UMP 1
Judicial branch:Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance orTribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law orTribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders:Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and PhilipSCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country isYours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (TaviniHuiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [EmileVERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR(Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy or UPD[Oscar TEMARU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:NA
International organization participation:FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:none (overseas lands of France)
Flag description:two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centeredon the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on thelower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; astylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; theFrench flag is used for official occasions
Government - note:under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquiredautonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice,monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense andforeign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned afterthose of the French prime minister
Economy French Polynesia
Economy - overview:Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economyto one in which a high proportion of the work force is eitheremployed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With thehalt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution tothe economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth ofGDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sourcesof income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. Thesmall manufacturing sector primarily processes agriculturalproducts. The territory benefits substantially from developmentagreements with France aimed principally at creating new businessesand strengthening social services.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):NA
GDP - real growth rate:NA% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$17,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2002)
Labor force: 65,870 (December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)
Unemployment rate:11.8% (1994)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.1% (2006 est.)
Budget:revenues: $865 millionexpenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185million (1996)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products
Industries:tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:NA%
Electricity - production:493.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:459.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption:4,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports:NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports:$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, sharkmeat
Exports - partners:France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005)
Imports:$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)
Debt - external:$NA
Economic aid - recipient:$580 million (2004)
Currency (code):Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:XPF
Exchange rates:Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89(2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Fiscal year:calendar year
Communications French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:53,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:87,000 (2005)
Telephone system:general assessment: NAdomestic: NAinternational: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:128,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:40,000 (1997)
Internet country code:.pf
Internet hosts:14,047 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):2 (2000)
Internet users:55,000 (2005)
Transportation French Polynesia
Airports: 51 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)
Merchant marine:total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWTby type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo1, roll on/roll off 1foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals:Papeete
Military French Polynesia
Military branches:no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
Manpower available for military service:males age 18-49: 69,679 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)
Military - note:defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Polynesia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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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 andIles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and IleSaint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visitedonly by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portionconsists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continentdiscovered and claimed by the French in 1840.
Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Location:southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, aboutequidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - FrenchSouthern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, alongwith the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the USdoes not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"
Geographic coordinates:43 00 S, 67 00 E
Map references:Antarctic Region
Area:total: 7,829 sq kmland: 7,829 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and IlesKerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km inAntarctica 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:territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does notinclude the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)
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% (2005)
Irrigated land:0 sq km
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 inthe southern Indian Ocean
People French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Population:no indigenous inhabitantsnote: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary fromwinter (July) to summer (January) (July 2006 est.)
Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Country name:conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern andAntarctic Landsconventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Landslocal long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et AntarctiquesFrancaiseslocal short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaisesabbreviation: TAAF
Dependency status:overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris byAdministrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)
Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-orderadministrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but thereare three districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, IlesSaint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarcticathat is not recognized by the US
Legal system:the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Executive branch:chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May1995), represented by Senior Administrator Michel CHAMPON
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 andgeophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships areexported to France and Reunion.
Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Internet country code:.tf
Internet hosts:38 (2006)
Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Merchant marine:total: 77 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,432,833 GRT/5,345,291 DWTby type: bulk carrier 2, chemical tanker 27, container 18, liquefiedgas 5, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4foreign-owned: 76 (Belgium 6, Denmark 2, France 36, Germany 2, HongKong 2, Japan 4, Norway 12, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 9, Switzerland 1,UK 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:none; offshore anchorage only
Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US
This page was last updated on 19 December, 2006
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@Gabon
Introduction Gabon
Background:Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independencefrom France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj OmarBONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in theworld - has dominated the contry's political scene for almost fourdecades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system anda new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations ofelectoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and thepresidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formalpolitical structures in Gabon. Gabon's political opposition remainsweak, divided, and financially dependent on the current regime.Despite political conditions, a small population, abundant naturalresources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabonone of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Geography Gabon
Location:Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinates:1 00 S, 11 45 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 267,667 sq kmland: 257,667 sq kmwater: 10,000 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 mhighest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold,timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:70 sq km (2003)
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:1,424,906note: 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 (July2006 est.)
Age structure:0-14 years: 42.1% (male 300,914/female 299,141)15-64 years: 53.9% (male 383,137/female 384,876)65 years and over: 4% (male 23,576/female 33,262) (2006 est.)
Median age:total: 18.6 yearsmale: 18.4 yearsfemale: 18.8 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:2.13% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:36.16 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:12.25 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:-2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:total: 54.51 deaths/1,000 live birthsmale: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:total population: 54.49 yearsmale: 53.21 yearsfemale: 55.81 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:4.74 children born/woman (2006 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:degree of risk: very highfood or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, andtyphoid fevervectorborne disease: malaria (2005)
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 writetotal population: 63.2%male: 73.7%female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
Government Gabon
Country name:conventional long form: Gabonese Republicconventional short form: Gabonlocal long form: Republique gabonaiselocal short form: Gabon
Government type:republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:name: Librevillegeographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 Etime difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC duringStandard Time)
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 Ondimba (since 2December 1967)head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20January 2006)cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister inconsultation with the presidentelections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term(no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to beheld in 2012); prime minister appointed by the presidentelection results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, PierreMAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%
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: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (nextto be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 9 and 23December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats byparty - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents9; 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
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];Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide BourdesOGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE[Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG[Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); Gabonese Party forProgress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; National Rally ofWoodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon orRNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Partyor PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress orRDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre ClaverMAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration orUDIS; Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]
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, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJAchancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEYembassy: Boulevard du Bord de 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 ofsub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline inextreme poverty; yet, because of high income inequality, a largeproportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timberand manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to facefluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal managementhobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate droppedto 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at nearcommercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119million in October 2000. Those agreements mandated progress inprivatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additionalfinancial support in January 1997 after Gabon met IMF targets formid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the governmentfor overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the centralbank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization andadministrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helpedgrowth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizingpotential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement withthe Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-upbilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December2001. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF inMay 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscaland other adjustments in line with IMF policies.