Africa
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Algeria
Chief of State: President Liamine Zeroual
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia
Government type: Republic
National capital: Algiers
Total Area: 2,381,740 sq km
Population: 29,830,370 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less
than 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%,
Christian and Jewish 1%
Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber
dialects
GDP: purchasing power parity - $115.9 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$4,000 (1996 est.)
Angola
Chief of State: President Jose Eduardo Dos
Santos
Head of Government: Prime Minister Fernando Jose
de Franca Vieira Dias Van Dunem
Government type: Transitional Government,
nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential
system
National capital: Luanda
Total Area: 1,246,700 sq km
Population: 10,548,847 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%,
Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and Native African) 2%,
European 1%, other 22%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman
Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (est.)
Languages: Portuguese (official), Bantu and
other African languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.3 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800
(1996 est.)
Benin
Chief of State: President Mathieu Kerekou
Head of Government: Prime Minister Adrien
Houngbedji
Government type: Republic under multiparty
democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989;
democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to
multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
National capital: Porto-Novo
Total Area: 112,620 sq km
Population: 5,902,178 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 99% (42 ethnic groups,
most important being Fon, Adja, Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500
Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%,
Christian 15%
Languages: French (official), Fon and Yoruba
(most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least
six major ones in north)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,440 (1996 est.)
Botswana
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Festus Mogae
Government type: Parliamentary Republic
National capital: Gaborone
Total Area: 600,370 sq km
Population: 1,500,765 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Batswana 95%, Kalanga, Basarwa,
and Kgalagadi 4%, white 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%
Languages: English (official), Setswana
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$3,100 (1996 est.)
Burkina Faso
Chief of State: President Captain Blaise
Compaore
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kadre'
De'sire' Oue'Draogo
Government type: Parliamentary
National capital: Ouagadougou
Total Area: 274,200 sq km
Population: 10,891,159 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Mossi about 24%, Gurunsi, Senufo,
Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani
Religions: indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%,
Christian (mainly Roman Catholic) 10%
Languages: French (official), tribal languages
belonging to Sudanic family, spoken by 90% of the population
GDP: purchasing power parity - $8 billion (1996
est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $740
(1996 est.)
Burundi
Chief of State: President Pierre Buyoya
Head of Government: Prime Minister Pascal-Firmin
Ndimira
Government type: Republic
National capital: Bujumbura
Total Area: 27,830 sq km
Population: 6,052,614 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic)
14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000
Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%,
Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 32%, Muslim 1%
Languages: Kirundi (official), French
(official), Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura
area)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4 billion (1995
est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600
(1995 est.)
Cameroon
Chief of State: President Paul Biya
Head of Government: Prime Minister Peter Mafany
Musongae
Government type: Unitary Republic; multiparty
presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
National capital: Yaounde
Total Area: 475,440 sq km
Population: 14,677,510 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Cameroon Highlanders 31%,
Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu
8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%, non-African less than
1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian
33%, Muslim 16%
Languages: 24 major African language groups,
English (official), French (official)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $17.5 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,230 (1996 est.)
Cape Verde
Chief of State: President Antonio Mascarenhas
Monteiro
Head of Government: of Prime Minister Carlos
Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho Veiga
Government type: Republic
National capital: Praia
Total Area: 4,030 sq km
Population: 393,943 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Creole (mulatto) 71%, African
28%, European 1%
Religions: Roman Catholicism fused with
indigenous beliefs
Languages: Portuguese, Crioulo, a blend of
Portuguese and West African words
GDP: purchasing power parity - $472 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,000 (1995 est.)
Central African Republic
Chief of State: President Ange Patasse
Head of Government: Prime Minister Michel
Gbezera-Bria
Government type: Republic
National capital: Bangui
Total Area: 622,980 sq km
Population: 3,342,051 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Baya 34%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%,
Mandjia 21%, Mboum 4%, M'Baka 4%, Europeans 6,500 (including
3,600 French)
Religions: indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant
25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11% note: animistic beliefs and
practices strongly influence the Christian majority.
Languages: French (official), Sangho (lingua
franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800
(1995 est.)
Chad
Chief of State: President Lt. Gen. Idriss Deby
Head of Government: Prime Minister Nassour
Guelengdouksia Ouaidou
Government type: Republic
National capital: N'Djamena
Total Area: 1.284 million sq km
Population: 7,166,023 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Muslims (Arabs, Toubou, Hadjerai,
Fulbe, Kotoko, Kanembou, Baguirmi, Boulala, Zaghawa, and Maba),
non-Muslims (Sara, Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye, Moundang, Moussei,
Massa), nonindigenous 150,000 (of whom 1,000 are French)
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous
beliefs (mostly animism) 25%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official),
Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and
dialects
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600
(1995 est.)
Comoros
Chief of State: President Mohamed Taki
Abdulkarim
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ahmed Abdou
Government type: Independent Republic
National capital: Moroni
Total Area: 2,170 sq km
Population: 528,893 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Antalote, Cafre, Makoa,
Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Religions: Sunni Muslim 86%, Roman Catholic 14%
Languages: Arabic (official), French (official),
Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $370 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2.3% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $650
(1995 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Chief of State and Head of Government: Gen.
Laurent-Desire Kabila
Government type: Republic with a strong
presidential system
National capital: Kinshasa
Total Area: 2,345,410 sq km
Population: 47,440,362 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: over 200 African ethnic groups of
which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo,
Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make
up about 45% of the population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%,
Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and
traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official), Lingala (a lingua
franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.5 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -0.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400
(1995 est.)
Congo, Republic of the
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Denis Sassou-Nguesso
Government type: Republic
National capital: Brazzaville
Total Area: 342,000 sq km
Population: 2,583,198 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi
12%, Teke 17%, Europeans 8,500 (mostly French)
Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Languages: French (official), African languages
(Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.9 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,960 (1995 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
Chief of State: President Henri Konan Bedie
Head of Government: Prime Minister Daniel Kablan
Duncan
Government type: Republic; multiparty
presidential regime established 1960
National capital: Yamoussoukro. note: although Yamoussoukro has been
the capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the administrative
center; foreign governments, including the US, maintain official
presences in Abidjan.
Total Area: 322,460 sq km
Population: 14,986,218 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Baoule 23%, Bete 18%, Senoufou
15%, Malinke 11%, Agni, foreign Africans (mostly Burkinabe and
Malians, about 3 million), non-Africans 130,000 to 330,000
(French 30,000 and Lebanese 100,000 to 300,000)
Religions: indigenous 25%, Muslim 60%, Christian
12%
Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects
with Dioula the most widely spoken
GDP: purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,620 (1996 est.)
Djibouti
Chief of State: President Hassan Gouled Aptidon
Head of Government: Prime Minister Barkat Gourad
Hamadou
Government type: Republic
National capital: Djibouti
Total Area: 22,000 sq km
Population: 434,116 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French,
Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%
Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official),
Somali, Afar
GDP: purchasing power parity - $500 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3.1% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,200 (1995 est.)
Egypt
Chief of State: President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kamal Ahmed
El-Ganzouri
Government type: Republic
National capital: Cairo
Total Area: 1,001,450 sq km
Population: 64,824,466 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians,
Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other
European (primarily Italian and French) 1%
Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official
estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)
Languages: Arabic (official), English and French
widely understood by educated classes
GDP: purchasing power parity - $183.9 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$2,900 (1996 est.)
Equatorial Guinea
Chief of State: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Head of Government: Prime Minister Serafin
Seriche Dougan
Government type: Republic in transition to
multiparty democracy
National capital: Malabo
Total Area: 28,050 sq km
Population: 442,516 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some
Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than
1,000, mostly Spanish
Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly
Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Languages: Spanish (official), pidgin English,
Fang, Bubi, Ibo
GDP: purchasing power parity - $328 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 11.2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800
(1995 est.)
Eritrea
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Isaias Afworki
Government type: Transitional Government. note: following a successful
referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea
on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of
the Peoples' Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was
established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional
Commission was also established to draft a constitution; ISAIAS
Afworki was elected president by the transitional legislature
pending the promulgation of a constitution and popular elections.
National capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Total Area: 121,320 sq km
Population: 3,589,687 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and
Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%
Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman
Catholic, Protestant
Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Italian, Tigre
and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor tribal languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1995
est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.9% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $570
(1995 est.)
Ethiopia
Chief of State: President Negasso Gidada
Head of Government: Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
Government type: Federal Republic
National capital: Addis Ababa
Total Area: 1,127,127 sq km
Population: 58,732,577 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigrean
32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%,
other 1%
Religions: Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox
35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%
Languages: Amharic (official), Tigrinya,
Orominga, Guaraginga, Somali, Arabic, English (major foreign
language taught in schools)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $24.8 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.7% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $430
(1995 est.)
Gabon
Chief of State: President El Hadj Omar Bongo
Head of Government: Prime Minister Paulin Obame
Nguema
Government type: Republic; multiparty
presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
National capital: Libreville
Total Area: 267,670 sq km
Population: 1,190,159 (July 1997 est.)
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
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.)
Gambia, the
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Yahya A. J. J. Jammeh
Government type: Republic under multiparty
democratic rule
National capital: Banjul
Total Area: 11,300 sq km
Population: 1,248,085 (July 1997 est.)
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
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,100 (1995 est.)
Ghana
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Jerry John Rawlings
Government type: Constitutional Democracy
National capital: Accra
Total Area: 238,540 sq km
Population: 18,100,703 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: black African 99.8% (major tribes
- Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%), European and
other 0.2%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%,
Christian 24%, other 8%
Languages: English (official), African languages
(including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $27 billion (1996
est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,530 (1996 est.)
Guinea
Chief of State: President Lansana Conte
Head of Government: Prime Minister Sidya Toure
Government type: Republic
National capital: Conakry
Total Area: 245,860 sq km
Population: 7,405,375 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou
20%, smaller tribes 10%
Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous
beliefs 7%
Languages: French (official), each tribe has its
own language
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.1 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $950
(1996 est.)
Guinea-Bissau
Chief of State: President Joao Bernardo Vieira
Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos
Correia
Government type: Republic, multiparty since
mid-1991, formerly highly centralized
National capital: Bissau
Total Area: 36,120 sq km
Population: 1,178,584 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula
20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto
less than 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%,
Christian 5%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Criolo,
African languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $950
(1996 est.)
Kenya
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi
Government type: Republic
National capital: Nairobi
Total Area: 582,650 sq km
Population: 28,803,085 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%,
Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%,
non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
Religions: Protestant (including Anglican) 38%,
Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, other 8%
Languages: English (official), Swahili
(official), numerous indigenous language
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.2 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,400 (1996 est.)
Lesotho
Chief of State: King Letsie III
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle
Government type: Modified Constitutional
Monarchy
National capital: Maseru
Total Area: 30,350 sq km
Population: 2,007,814 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Sotho 99.7%, Europeans 1,600,
Asians 800
Religions: Christian 80%, rest indigenous
beliefs
Languages: Sesotho (southern Sotho), English
(official), Zulu, Xhosa
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.7 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 10% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,860 (1996 est.)
Liberia
Chief of State and Head of Government: Chairman
of the Council of State Charles Taylor
Government type: Republic
National capital: Monrovia
Total Area: 111,370 sq km
Population: 2,602,068 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: indigenous African tribes 95%
(including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola,
Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, and Bella), Americo-Liberians 5%
(descendants of former slaves)
Religions: traditional 70%, Muslim 20%,
Christian 10%
Languages: English 20% (official), about 20
tribal languages, of which a few can be written and are used in
correspondence
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,100 (1995 est.)
Libya
Chief of State: Revolutionary Leader Gen.
Muammar Abu Minyar Al-Qadhafi
Head of Government: Secretary of the General
People's Committee (Premier) Muhammad Al-Zanati
Government type: Jamahiriya (a state of the
masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local
councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
National capital: Tripoli
Total Area: 1,759,540 sq km
Population: 5,648,359 (July 1997 est.). note: includes 305,959 non-nationals
(July 1997 est.).
Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks,
Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians,
Tunisians
Religions: Sunni Muslim 97%
Languages: Arabic, Italian, English, all are
widely understood in the major cities
GDP: purchasing power parity - $34.5 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$6,570 (1995 est.)
Madagascar
Chief of State: President Didier Ratsiraka
Head of Government: Prime Minister Pascal
Rakotomavo
Government type: Republic
National capital: Antananarivo
Total Area: 587,040 sq km
Population: 14,061,627 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and
related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and
Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava),
French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Religions: indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian
41%, Muslim 7%
Languages: French (official), Malagasy
(official)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.1 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $880
(1996 est.)
Malawi
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Bakili Muluzi
Government type: Multiparty Democracy
National capital: Lilongwe
Total Area: 118,480 sq km
Population: 9,609,081 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao,
Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European
Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Muslim 20%, traditional indigenous beliefs
Languages: English (official), Chichewa
(official), other languages important regionally
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.5 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800
(1996 est.)
Malawi
Chief of State: President Alpha Oumar Konare
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ibrahima
Boubacar Keita
Government type: Republic
National capital: Bamako
Total Area: 1.24 million sq km
Population: 9,788,904 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke,
Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor
10%, other 5%
Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%,
Christian 1%
Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%,
numerous African languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.8 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $600
(1995 est.)
Mauritania
Chief of State: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid
Ahmed Taya
Head of Government: Prime Minister Mohamed
Lamine Ould Guig
Government type: Republic
National capital: Nouakchott
Total Area: 1,030,700 sq km
Population: 2,411,317 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%,
black 30%
Religions: Muslim 100%
Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular,
Soninke, Wolof (official)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1995)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,200 (1995)
Mauritius
Chief of State: President Cassam Uteem
Head of Government: Prime Minister Navin
Ramgoolam
Government type: Parliamentary Democracy
National capital: Port Louis
Total Area: 1,860 sq km
Population: 1,154,272 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%,
Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Religions: Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman
Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
Languages: English (official), Creole, French,
Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
GDP: purchasing power parity - $11.7 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$10,300 (1996 est.)
Morocco
Chief of State: King Hassan II
Head of Government: Prime Minister Abderrahmane
Youssoufi
Government type: Constitutional Monarchy
National capital: Rabat
Total Area: 446,550 sq km
Population: 30,391,423 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%,
Jewish 0.2%
Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish
0.2%
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects,
French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy
GDP: purchasing power parity - $97.6 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$3,260 (1996 est.)
Mozambique
Chief of State: President Joaquim Alberto
Chissano
Head of Government: Prime Minister Pascoal
Mocumbi
Government type: Republic
National capital: Maputo
Total Area: 801,590 sq km
Population: 18,165,476 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: indigenous tribal groups 99.66%
(Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others), Europeans
0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian
30%, Muslim 20%
Languages: Portuguese (official), indigenous
dialects
GDP: purchasing power parity - $12.2 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $670
(1995 est.)
Namibia
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Sam Nujoma
Government type: Republic
National capital: Windhoek
Total Area: 825,418 sq km
Population: 1,727,183 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed
7.4%. note: about 50% of the
population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos
tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%,
Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%.
Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at
least, other Christian denominations 30%, native religions 10% to
20%
Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans
common language of most of the population and about 60% of the
white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo,
Herero, Nama
GDP: purchasing power parity - $6.2 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$3,700 (1996 est.)
Niger
Chief of State: President Ibrahim Bare
Mainassara
Head of Government: Ibrahim Assane Mayaki
Government type: Republic
National capital: Niamey
Total Area: 1.267 million sq km
Population: 9,388,859 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%,
Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and
Gourmantche 1.2%, about 4,000 French expatriates
Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous
beliefs and Christians
Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $640
(1996 est.)
Nigeria
Chief of State and Head of Government: Chairman
of the Provisional Ruling Council and Commander in Chief of Armed
Forces and Defense Minister Gen. Sani Abacha
Government type: military government; Nigeria
has been ruled by one military regime after another since 31
December 1983; on 1 October 1995, the present military government
announced it will turn power over to democratically elected
civilian authorities in October 1998
National capital: Abuja. note: on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
moved from Lagos to Abuja; many government offices remain in
Lagos pending completion of facilities in Abuja
Total Area: 923,770 sq km
Population: 107,129,469 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ibo,
Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Ijaw
Religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous
beliefs 10%
Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba,
Ibo, Fulani
GDP: purchasing power parity - $143.5 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,380 (1996 est.)
Rwanda
Chief of State: President Pasteur Bizimungu
Head of Government: Prime Minister Pierre
Celestin Rwigema
Government type: Republic; presidential,
multiparty system
National capital: Kigali
Total Area: 26,340 sq km
Population: 7,737,537 (July 1997 est.). note: genocide and civil war in 1994
killed more than 1 million Rwandans and forced more than 2
million to flee to neighboring countries.
Ethnic groups: Hutu 80%, Tutsi 19%, Twa
(Pygmoid) 1%
Religions: Roman Catholic 65%, Protestant 9%,
Muslim 1%, indigenous beliefs and other 25%
Languages: Kinyarwanda (official) universal
Bantu vernacular
French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used
in commercial centers
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.8 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $400
(1995 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe
Chief of State: President Miguel Trovoada
Head of Government: Prime Minister Raul Wagner
Braganca Neto
Government type: Republic
National capital: Sao Tome
Total Area: 960 sq km
Population: 147,865 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendants
of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves),
servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape
Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands),
Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical
Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Portuguese (official)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $149 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,000 (1995 est.)
Senegal
Chief of State: President Abdou Diouf
Head of Government: Prime Minister Habib Thiam
Government type: Republic under multiparty
democratic rule
National capital: Dakar
Total Area: 196,190 sq km
Population: 9,403,546 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Wolof 36%, Fulani 17%, Serer 17%,
Toucouleur 9%, Diola 9%, Mandingo 9%, European and Lebanese 1%,
other 2%
Religions: Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%,
Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)
Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar,
Diola, Mandingo
GDP: purchasing power parity - $15.6 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,700 (1996 est.)
Seychelles
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
France Albert Rene
Government type: Republic
National capital: Victoria
Total Area: 455 sq km
Population: 78,107 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Seychellois (mixture of Asians,
Africans, Europeans)
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%,
other 2%
Languages: English (official), French
(official), Creole
GDP: purchasing power parity - $450 million
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.1% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$6,000 (1995 est.)
Sierra Leone
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
Government type: Constitutional Democracy
National capital: Freetown
Total Area: 71,740 sq km
Population: 4,891,546 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: 13 native African tribes 99%
(Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 39%), Creole, European, Lebanese,
and Asian 1%
Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%,
Christian 10%
Languages: English (official, regular use
limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the
south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (the
language of the re-settled ex-slave population of the Freetown
area and is lingua franca)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $980
(1996 est.)
Somalia
Executive branch: Somalia has no functioning
government; the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of
Major General Mohamed Siad Barre on 27 January 1991; the present
political situation is one of anarchy, marked by interclan
fighting and random banditry
Government type: none
National capital: Mogadishu
Total Area: 637,660 sq km
Population: 6,590,325 (July 1997 est.). note: this estimate was derived from
an official census taken in 1987 by the Somali Government with
the cooperation of the UN and the US Bureau of the Census;
population estimates are updated year by year between census
years by factoring growth rates into them and by taking account
of refugee movements and of losses due to famine; lower estimates
of Somalia's population in mid-1996 (on the order of 6.0 million
to 6.5 million) have been made by aid and relief agencies, based
on the number of persons being fed; population counting in
Somalia is complicated by the large numbers of nomads and by
refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare.
Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu, Arabs 30,000
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian,
English
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.6 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $500
(1995 est.)
South Africa
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Nelson Mandela
Government type: Republic
National capital: Pretoria (administrative);
Cape Town (legislative); Bloemfontein (judicial)
Total Area: 1,219,912 sq km
Population: 42,327,458 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored
8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Religions: Christian 68% (includes most whites
and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians),
Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), traditional and animistic
28.5%
Languages: 11 official languages, including
Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana,
Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
GDP: purchasing power parity - $227 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$5,400 (1996 est.)
Sudan
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Lt. General Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir
Government type: transitional - previously
ruling military junta; presidential and National Assembly
elections held in March 1996; new constitution to be drafted by
the National Assembly
National capital: Khartoum
Total Area: 2,505,810 sq km
Population: 32,594,128 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%,
foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north),
indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and
Khartoum)
Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta
Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic
languages, English
note: program of
Arabization in process
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.6 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $860
(1996 est.)
Swaziland
Chief of State: King Mswati III
Head of Government: Prime Minister Sibusiso
Barnabas Dlamini
Government type: Monarchy; independent member of
Commonwealth
National capital: Mbabane (administrative);
Lobamba (legislative)
Total Area: 17,360 sq km
Population: 1,031,600 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%
Religions: Christian 60%, indigenous beliefs 40%
Languages: English (official, government
business conducted in English), Swati (official)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.8 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$3,800 (1996 est.)
Tanzania
Chief of State: President Benjamin William Mkapa
Head of Government: Frederick Sumaye
Government type: Republic
National capital: Dar es Salaam. note: some government offices have
been transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national
capital by the end of the 1990's.
Total Area: 945,090 sq km
Population: 29,460,753 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: mainland - native African 99% (of
which 95% are Bantu consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1%
(consisting of Asian, European, and Arab)
note: Zanzibar -
Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African
Religions: mainland - Christian 45%, Muslim 35%,
indigenous beliefs 20%. note:
Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim.
Languages: Kiswahili or Swahili (official),
Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official,
primary language of commerce, administration, and higher
education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local
languages. note: Kiswahili
(Swahili) is the mother tongue of Bantu people living in Zanzibar
and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in
structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of
sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language
of most people is one of the local languages.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.9 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 3.5% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $650
(1995 est.)
Togo
Chief of State: President Gen. Gnassingbe
Eyadema
Head of Government: Prime Minister Kwassi Klutse
Government type: Republic under transition to
multiparty democratic rule
National capital: Lome
Total Area: 56,790 sq km
Population: 4,735,610 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: native African (37 tribes;
largest and most important are Ewe, Mina, and Kabre) 99%,
European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 70%, Christian
20%, Muslim 10%
Languages: French (official and the language of
commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the
south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two
major African languages in the north)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.45 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita:/B> purchasing power parity
- $970 (1996 est.)
Tunisia
Chief of State: President Zine El Abidine Ben
Ali
Head of Government: Prime Minister Hamed Karoui
Government type: Republic
National capital: Tunis
Total Area: 163,610 sq km
Population: 9,245,284 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%,
Jewish less than 1%
Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish 1%
Languages: Arabic (official and one of the
languages of commerce), French (commerce)
GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.3 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$4,800 (1996 est.)
Uganda
Chief of State: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni
Head of Government: Kintu Musoke
Government type: Republic
National capital: Kampala
Total Area: 236,040 sq km
Population: 20,604,874 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%,
Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%,
Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian,
Arab) 1%, other 23%
Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%,
Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%
Languages: English (official), Luganda, Swahili,
Bantu languages, Nilotic languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $16.8 billion
(1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 7.1% (1995 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $900
(1995 est.)
Western Sahara
Executive branch: none
Government type: legal status of territory and
question of sovereignty unresolved; territory contested by
Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front for the Liberation of
the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in February 1976
formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab
Democratic Republic (SADR); territory partitioned between Morocco
and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern
two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario guerrillas,
abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved
to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since asserted
administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile was
seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
September 1991.
National capital: none
Total Area: 266,000 sq km
Population: 228,138 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: Arab, Berber
Religions: Muslim
Languages: Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
GDP: purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $NA
Zambia
Chief of State and Head of Government: President
Frederick Chiluba
Government type: Republic
National capital: Lusaka
Total Area: 752,610 sq km
Population: 9,349,975 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 98.7%, European 1.1%,
other 0.2%
Religions: Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu
24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages: English (official), major vernaculars
- Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70
other indigenous languages
GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.7 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$1,060 (1996 est.)
Zimbabwe
Chief of State and Head of Government: Executive
President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Government type: Parliamentary Democracy
National capital: Harare
Total Area: 390,580 sq km
Population: 11,423,175 (July 1997 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele
16%, other 11%), white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%
Religions: syncretic (part Christian, part
indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%,
Muslim and other 1%
Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele
(the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous
but minor tribal dialects
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.4 billion
(1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity -
$2,340 (1996 est.)
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