|
Country
|
 Gabon | Japan |
|
Leader
|

President: Ali Ben Bongo
|

Head of state: Emperor Akihito Prime minister: Yoshihiko Noda
|
|
Population
|
1,608,321
| 127,368,088
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
52.290 years
| 83.910 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Libreville
| Tokyo
|
|
Largest city
|
| Libreville (population: 578,156) | Tokyo (population: 8,336,600) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.729
| 0.956
|
| GDP per capita |
$16,400 US
| $35,200 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
63.2%
| 99%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
3.1
| 7.3
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
16.1%
| 12.3%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
NA
| Tadashi Yanai & family ($6.0bn US)
|
| Unemployment Rate |
21.000%
| 4.600%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished in practice
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
republic; multiparty presidential regime
| constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
|
|
Independence date
|
17 August 1960 (from France)
| 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
|
| Religions |
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
| observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
|
| Languages |
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
| Japanese
|
| Exports |
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
| transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
|
| External Debt |
$2,726,000,000 $
| $2,719,000,000,000 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)
| yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
0.900%
| 0.800%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
0
| 25
|
| Location |
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
| Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
|
| Area |
267,667 km sq
| 377,915 km sq
|
| Coastline |
885 km
| 29,751 km
|
| Climate |
tropical; always hot, humid
| varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
|
|
|
|