Leader: President Jose Eduardo dos Santos

Per capita: $800

Industries: Petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles.

Agriculture products: Bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish.

Exports: Crude oil 90%, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton.

Imports: Capital equipment (machinery and electrical equipment), vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles and clothing; substantial military supplies.

Transportation: Highways, railroads, airplanes, and waterways.

Population: 5,902,178.

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)

Literacy:Total population: 37% male: 48.7% female: 25.8%

Climate: Tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north.

Terrain: Mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains.

Natural resources: Small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber.

Government type: Republic under multiparty democratic rule.

Leader: President Mathieu Kerekou

National capital: Porto-Novo.

Per capita: $1,440

Industries: Textiles, cigarettes; beverages, food; construction materials, petroleum

Agriculture products: Corn, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, rice, cotton, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, livestock.

Exports: Cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa.

Imports: Beverages, tobacco, petroleum products, intermediate goods, capital goods, light consumer goods.

Transportation: Highways, Waterways, railways, and airways.

Population:1,500,765.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50%

Languages: English (official), Setswana

Literacy: Total population: 69.8% male: 80.5% female: 59.9%

Climate: Semiarid; warm winters and hot summers.

Terrain: Predominately flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest.

Natural resources: Diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver.

Government type: Parliamentary republic.

Leader President Sir Ketumile Masire.

National capital: Gaborone.

Per capita: $3,100

Industries: Diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing.

Agriculture products: Sorghum, maize, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock

Exports: Diamonds ,copper and nickel , meat.

Imports: Vehicles and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products.

Transportation: Highways, railways,and airways.

Population: 10,891,159.

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.

Literacy: Total population: 19.2% male: 29.5% female: 9.2%

Climate: Tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers.

Terrain: Mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and southeast.

Natural resources: Manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, antimony, copper, nickel, bauxite, lead, phosphates, zinc, silver.

Government type: Parliamentary.

National capital: Ouagadougou.

Leader: Prime Minister Kadre' De'sire' Oue'draogo

Industries: Cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes, textiles, gold.

Agriculture products: Peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, cotton, sorghum, millet, corn, rice; livestock.

Exports: Cotton, gold, animal products.

Imports: Machinery, food products, petroleum .

Transportation: Highways, Railways, and Airways.

Population: 6,052,614.

Religions: Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous beliefs 32%, Muslim 1%.

Languages: Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili.

Literacy: Total population: 35.3% male: 49.3% female: 22.5%

Climate: Equatorial.

Terrain: Hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains.

Natural resources: Nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum (not yet exploited), vanadium.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Bujumbura.

Leader: President Pierre Bauyuy.

Per capita: $600.

Industries: Light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of imported components; public works construction; food processing.

Agriculture products: Coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc (tapioca); meat, milk, hides.

Exports: Coffee, tea, cotton, hides.

Imports: Capital goods 26%, petroleum products, foodstuffs, consumer goods.

Transportation: Highways.

Population: 3,342,051.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 24%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, other 11%.

Languages: French (official), Sangho (national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili.

Literacy: Total population: 60% male: 68.5% female: 52.4%

Climate: Tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers.

Terrain: Vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest.

Natural resources: Diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Bangui

Leader: President Ange Patasse

Per capita: $800 (1995 est.)

Industries: Diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles.

Agriculture products: Cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas, timber.

Exports: Diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco.

Imports: Food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products.

Transportation: Highways, airways, and waterways.

Population: 7,166,023.

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.

Literacy: Total population: 48.1% male : 62.1% female: 34.7%

Climate: Tropical in south, desert in north.

Terrain: Broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in northwest, lowlands in south.

Natural resources: Petroleum (unexploited but exploration under way), uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad).

Government type: Republic

National capital: N'Djamena.

Leader: President Lt. Gen. Idriss Deby

Per capita: $600

Industries: Cotton textiles, meat packing, beer brewing, natron (sodium carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials.

Agriculture products: Cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels.

Exports: Cotton, cattle, textiles, fish.

Imports: Machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles.

Transportation: Highways, airways, and waterways.

Population: 14,986,218.

Religions: Indigenous 25%, Muslim 60%, Christian 12%.

Languages: French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken.

Literacy: Total population: 40.1% male: 49.9% female: 30%

Climate: Tropical along coast, semiarid in far north.

Terrain: Mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest.

Natural resources: Petroleum, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Yamoussoukro.,/p>

Leader: President Henri Konan Bedie.

Per capita: $1,620.

Industries: Foodstuffs, beverages, wood products, oil refining, automobile assembly, textiles, fertilizer, construction materials, electricity.

Agriculture products: Coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar; cotton, rubber; timber.

Exports: Cocoa 36%, coffee 22%; tropical woods, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm oil, cotton, fish.

Imports: Food, consumer goods; capital goods, fuel, transport equipment.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways,and airways.

Population: 2,583,198.

Religions: Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%.

Languages: French (official), African languages (Lingala and Kikongo are the most widely used)

Literacy: Total population: 74.9% male: 83.1% female : 67.2%

Climate: Tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator.

Terrain: Coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin.

Natural resources: Petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Brazzaville

Leader: President Pascal Lissouba.

Per capita: $1,960

Industries: Petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, cigarette making.

Agriculture products: Cassava (tapioca) accounts for 90% of food output, sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products.

Exports: Crude oil 90%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds.

Imports: Intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products.

Transportation: Highways, railways waterways, and airways.

Population: 434,116.

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 6%.

Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar.

Literacy: Total population: 46.2% male : 60.3% female: 32.7%.

Climate: Desert, torrid, dry.

Terrain: Coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains.

Natural resources: Geothermal areas.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Djibouti.

Leader: President Hassan Gouled Aptidon.

Per capita: $1,200.

Industries: Limited to a few small-scale enterprises, such as dairy products and mineral-water bottling.

Agriculture products: Fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels.

Exports: Hides and skins, coffee.

Imports: Foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Climate: Desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters.

Population: 64,824,466.

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% , Coptic Christian and other 6%.

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes.

Literacy: Total population: 51.4% male: 63.6% female: 38.8%.

Terrain: Vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta.

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Cairo.

Leader: President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak

Per capita: $2,900.

Industries: Textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals.

Agriculture products: Cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats.

Exports: Crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals.

Imports: Machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods.

Transportation: Highways, waterways, railways, and airways.

Population: 442,516.

Religions: Christian, Roman Catholic, pagan practices.

Languages: Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo.

Literacy: Total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1%.

Climate: Tropical, always hot, humid.

Terrain: Coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic.

Natural resources: Timber, petroleum, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium.

Population: 442,516.

Government type: Republic in transition to multiparty democracy.

National capital: Malabo.

Leader: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Per capita: $800

Industries: Fishing, sawmilling

Agriculture products: Coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc; livestock; timber.

Exports:Timber, petroleum, cocoa.

Imports: Petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery .

Transportation: Highways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 3,589,687.

Religions: Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant.

Languages: Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Italian, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, minor tribal languages.

Climate: Hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands.

Terrain: Dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains.

Natural resources: Gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, probably oil (petroleum geologists are prospecting for it), fish.

Government type: Transitional government.

National capital: Asmara (formerly Asmera).

Leader: President Isaias Afworki.

Per capita: $570 .

Industries: Food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles.

Agriculture products: Sorghum, lentils, vegetables, maize, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal (for making rope), livestock (including goats), fish.

Exports: Livestock, sorghum, textiles.

Imports: Processed goods, machinery, petroleum products.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 58,732,577.

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).

Literacy: Total population: 35.5% male: 45.5% female : 25.3%.

Climate: Tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation.

Terrain: High plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift Valley.

Natural resources: Small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash.

Government type: Federal republic

National capital: Addis Ababa.

Leader: President Negasso Gidada.

Per capita: $430.

Industries: Food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing, cement.

Agriculture products: Cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, other vegetables; hides, cattle, sheep, goats.

Exports: Coffee, leather products, gold.

Imports: Food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals.

Transportation: Highways, railways, and airways.

Population: 1,190,159.

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

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

Literacy: Total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female : 53.3%.

Climate: Tropical always hot, humid.

Terrain: Narrow coastal plain, hilly interior, savanna in east and south.

Natural resources: Petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Libreville.

Leader President El Hadj Omar Bongo.

Per capita: $5,400.

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

Agriculture products: Cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber, okoume (a tropical softwood), cattle.

Exports: Crude oil 78%, timber 14%, manganese 4%, uranium.

Imports: Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 18,100,703.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 38%, Muslim 30%, Christian 24%, other 8%.

Languages: English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga).

Literacy: Total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female : 53.5%.

Climate: Tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north.

Terrain: Mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area.

Natural resources: Gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber.

Government type: Constitutional democracy

National capital: Accra.

Leader President Jerry John Rawlings.

Per capita: $1,530.

Industries: Mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum, food processing.

Agriculture products: Cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber.

Exports: Gold 39%, cocoa 31%, timber 6%, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, and diamonds.

Imports: Capital equipment, petroleum, consumer goods, foods, intermediate goods.

Transportation: Highways, railways, waterways, and airways.

Population: 1,178,584.

Religions: Indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%.

Languages: Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages.

Literacy: Total population: 54.9% male : 68% female: 42.5%.

Government type: Republic.

National capital: Bissau.

Leader: President Joao Bernardo Vieira.

Per capita: $950.

Industries: Agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks.

Agriculture products: Rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton, fishing and forest potential not fully exploited.

Exports: Cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber.

Imports: Foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment.

Transportation: Highways and airways.