change currency,
the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
progress toward an EU foreign policy.

French Guiana
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was
the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

French Polynesia
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
1996.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
The Southern Lands consist of
two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic
islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent
inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native
fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice
of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in
1840.

Gabon
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since
independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj
Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in
the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four
decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and
a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and
allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local
elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political
structures in Gabon. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are
unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided,
and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political
conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and
considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more
prosperous and stable African countries.

Gambia, The
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and
presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997,