Chapter 43

Political parties and leaders: People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN]; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa) [Jacques DROLLET]; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa [Tinomana EBB]; Haere i Mua [Alexandre LEONTIEFF]; other small parties

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

Economy

Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1992 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 1.5% (1994)

Labor force: total: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988) by occupation : agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $713 million expenditures : $1.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: NA kW

Electricity - production: 320 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 1,409 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports: total value: $245 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities : cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992) partners: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)

Imports: total value: $967 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities : fuels, foodstuffs, equipment partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid: recipient : ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 98.48 (January 1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year: calendar year

@French Polynesia:Communications

Telephones: 33,200 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios: 116,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 6

Televisions: 35,000 (1992 est.)

@French Polynesia:Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total : 792 km paved: 792 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine: total : 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,127 GRT/53,710 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Airports: 41 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 15 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m : 6 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none ______________________________________________________________________

FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS and Antarctic Lands]

(overseas territory of France)

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Geography

Location: South of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references: Antarctic Region

Area: total: 7,781 sq km land: 7,781 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area - comparative: slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1,232 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen only territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: antarctic

Terrain: volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point : Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land : 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures : 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: remote location in the southern Indian Ocean

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there were 134 (1996) mostly researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January)

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form : Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Data code: FS

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1955; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic

National capital: none; administered from Paris, France

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Budget: revenues: $24.5 million expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996)

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Communications

Telephones: NA

Telephone system: domestic: NA international : NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: NA

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands:Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine: total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,535,552 GRT/4,382,987 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 7, chemical tanker 7, container 11, liquefied gas tanker 5, multifunction large-load carrier 1, oil tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, specialized tanker 1 note: a subset of the French register allowing French-owned ships to operate under more liberal taxation and manning regulations than permissible under the main French register (1996 est.)

Airports: none

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica is not recognized by the US ______________________________________________________________________

GABON

@Gabon:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 267,670 sq km land: 257,670 sq km water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline: 885 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone : 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 1% permanent crops : 1% permanent pastures: 18% forests and woodland: 77% other: 3% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements: party to: Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea

@Gabon:People

Population: 1,190,159 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 34% (male 199,730; female 199,369) 15-64 years: 61% (male 368,086; female 359,086) 65 years and over : 5% (male 31,475; female 32,413) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.47% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 28.11 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.39 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 87.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 56.05 years male: 53.13 years female : 50.06 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.85 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 6,000 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist

Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female : 53.3% (1995 est.)

@Gabon:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon

Data code: GB

Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)

National capital: Libreville

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted full independence from France)

Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967) head of government : Prime Minister Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9 December 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - Omar BONGO 51%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (91 seats) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms elections : National Assembly - last held in December 1996 (next to be held in December 2001); Senate - last held 12 January 1997 (next to be held in January 2002) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1, UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERA 3, RDP 1, others 15 note: the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a senate was implemented in the 12 January 1997 elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (2); Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders: Action Forum for Renewal or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI, secretary general]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Guedet MANZELA, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Dr. Serge Mba BEKALE]; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks or Morena-Bucherons/RNB [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; ADERA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone : [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth RASPOLIC embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address : B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy

Economy - overview: Notwithstanding its serious ongoing economic problems, Gabon enjoys a per capita income three times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth has been feeble since 1991 and Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite an abundance of natural wealth and a manageable rate of population growth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95 and a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,400 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.2% industry: 44.7% services: 47.1% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 6.2% (1996 est.)

Labor force: NA by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry and commerce, services

Unemployment rate: 10%-14% (1993 est.)

Budget: revenues: $1.3 billion expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $311 million (1993 est.)

Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - capacity: 301,000 kW (1992)

Electricity - production: 930 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 744 kWh (1994 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber; okoume (a tropical softwood); cattle; small fishing operations (provide a catch of about 30,000 metric tons)

Exports: total value: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: crude oil 78%, timber 14%, manganese 4%, uranium partners: US 59%, France 12%, Japan 4%, China 5%, Spain, Germany

Imports: total value: $700 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials partners : France 39%, Cote d'Ivoire 13%, US 6%, Netherlands 5%, Japan

Debt - external: $3.9 billion (1996 )

Economic aid: $NA

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Gabon:Communications

Telephones: 22,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone 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 6, shortwave 0

Radios: 250,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (repeaters 5)

Televisions: 40,000 (1993 est.)

@Gabon:Transportation

Railways: total: 649 km Gabon State Railways (OCTRA) standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)

Highways: total : 7,633 km paved: 626 km (including 23 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,007 km (1995 est.)

Waterways: 1,600 km perennially navigable

Pipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km

Ports and harbors: Cape Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Merchant marine: total: 3 bulk (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 37,003 GRT/60,663 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports: 54 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total : 31 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 under 914 m: 21 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 13 (1996 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 275,520 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males : 140,777 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 11,293 (1997 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $154 million (1993)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.4% (1993)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay ______________________________________________________________________

THE GAMBIA

@The Gambia:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 11,300 sq km land : 10,000 sq km water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf : not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)

Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 18% permanent crops : 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 45% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

@The Gambia:People

Population: 1,248,085 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 286,422; female 285,379) 15-64 years: 51% (male 318,699; female 324,264) 65 years and over: 3% (male 17,723; female 15,598) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.48% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 43.86 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 13.29 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 53.43 years male : 51.16 years female: 55.76 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.98 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun : Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-Gambian 1%

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.6% male : 52.8% female: 24.9% (1995 est.)

@The Gambia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form : The Gambia

Data code: GA

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

National capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); note - The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and published in March 1996; approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; rewritten and reestablished in January 1997