President: Maxwell Richards Prime minister: Kamla Persad-Bissessar
President: Ali Ben Bongo
Population
1,226,383
1,608,321
Life Expectancy
71.670 years
52.290 years
Capital City
Port-of-Spain
Libreville
Largest city
Chaguanas (population: 72,159)
Libreville (population: 578,156)
Human Development Index
0.833
0.729
GDP per capita
$20,300 US
$16,400 US
Literacy Rate
98.6%
63.2%
Corruption Perception Index
3.6
3.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
33.3%
16.1%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
6.400%
21.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished in practice
Political System
parliamentary democracy
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Independence date
31 August 1962 (from UK)
17 August 1960 (from France)
Religions
Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Muslim 5.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Languages
English (official), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), French, Spanish, Chinese
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Exports
petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, cereal and cereal products, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers
crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
External Debt
$4,483,000,000 $
$2,726,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar - 6.3228 (2008 est.), 6.3275 (2007), 6.3107 (2006), 6.2842 (2005), 6.299 (2004)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar 441.72 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.300%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
2
0
Location
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
