between unit case volume and gallon sales growth rates. 

Unit Case Volume 

Although most of our Company's revenues are not based directly on unit case volume, we believe unit case volume is one of the measures of the underlying strength of the Coca-Cola system because it measures our product trends at the consumer level. The Coca-Cola system sold approximately 21.4 billion unit cases of our products in 2006, approximately 20.6 billion unit cases in 2005, and approximately 19.8 billion unit cases in 2004. 

In Africa, unit case volume increased 4 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, reflecting growth across the majority of divisions, which was partially offset by a slight decline in Nigeria primarily related to affordability issues and competitive and economic pressure. The unit case volume increase in Africa was also partially offset by an industrywide temporary shortage in the supply of carbon dioxide in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2006. 

Unit case volume in East, South Asia and Pacific Rim decreased 5 percent in 2006 versus 2005, primarily due to a double-digit decline in the Philippines, which was mainly driven by the continued impact of affordability and availability issues. In December 2006, the Company and SMC entered into an agreement for the Company to acquire, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions, the 65 percent ownership interest in CCBPI held by SMC. Upon the closing of the acquisition, the Company will own 100 percent of the issued and outstanding capital stock of CCBPI. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2007. The Company expects performance in the Philippines to remain weak during 2007. Performance in this operating segment was also impacted by a 5 percent decline in India primarily due to price increases in the second half of 2005 and steps taken to drive revenue growth and improve operating and working capital efficiency. The results in India reflected high single-digit declines in sparkling beverages which was partially offset by growth in still beverages. Continued investment in marketing initiatives around the quality and safety of our products and focus on execution in the consolidated bottling operations delivered positive results during the second half of 2006, despite the renewed unfounded allegations of unsafe pesticide levels in the Company's products. 

Unit case volume in the European Union increased 6 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, primarily due to solid growth across all divisions driven by successful marketing campaigns, launches of Coca-Cola Zero in nine countries and favorable weather in the second half of 2006. In addition, the acquisition of Apollinaris GmbH, a German premium source water brand ("Apollinaris"), and the joint acquisition of Fonti del Vulture S.r.l., also known as Traficante, an Italian mineral water company, with Coca-Cola HBC during 2006 contributed approximately 2 percentage points of unit case volume growth in 2006. Unit case volume in Germany increased 5 percent in 2006 versus 2005, and reflected strong growth of Trademark Coca-Cola in 2006 compared to 2005. The results were driven by improved marketplace execution capabilities, the