17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)
Religions
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Roman Catholic 90% (approximately; about one-third practicing), other 10% (includes mature Protestant and Jewish communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community)
Languages
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Exports
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and tobacco; minerals, and nonferrous metals
External Debt
$2,726,000,000 $
$2,684,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 441.72 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
28
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Area
267,667 km sq
301,340 km sq
Coastline
885 km
7,600 km
Climate
tropical; always hot, humid
predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
