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Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.

Contents 1 Geography 2 People 3 Government 4 Economy 5 Communications 6 Transportation 7 Military 8 Transnational Issues

Geography

Location 

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates 

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references 

Africa

Area 

total: 267,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries 

total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline 

885 km

Maritime claims 

contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate 

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain 

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes 

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources 

petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use 

arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards 

NA

Environment - current issues 

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements 

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note 

a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People

Population 

1,233,353
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

0.97% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 49.11 years
female: 50.25 years (2002 est.)
male: 48.01 years

Total fertility rate 

3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

23,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

2,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality 

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups 

Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions 

Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages 

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise

Government type 

republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Capital 

Libreville

Administrative divisions 

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence 

17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday 

Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution 

adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system 

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch 

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP 1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders 

African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD
embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description 

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy

Economy - overview 

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. Devaluation of its Francophone currency by 50% on 12 January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

2.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 10%
industry: 60%
services: 30% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

1.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

600,000 600,000

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15%

Unemployment rate 

21% (1997 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)

Industries 

food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair

Industrial production growth rate 

-6.4% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production 

850 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 29%
hydro: 71%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

790.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Exports 

$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000)

Exports - partners 

US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4% (2000)

Imports 

$921 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners 

France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3% (2000)

Debt - external 

$3.6 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$331 million (1995) (1995)

Currency 

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code 

XAF

Exchange rates 

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro

Fiscal year 

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

39,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

120,000 (2000)

Telephone system 

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable to be in service in 2002

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios 

208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

4 (plus four low-powered repeaters) (2001)

Televisions 

63,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.ga

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

1 (2001)

Internet users 

18,000 (2002)

Transportation

Railways 

total: 649 km
standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single-track (2001)

Highways 

total: 8,454 km
paved: 838 km (including 30 km of expressways)
unpaved: 7,616 km (2000)

Waterways 

1,600 km (perennially navigable)

Pipelines 

crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km

Ports and harbors 

Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Airports 

59 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 24 (2002)

Military

Military branches 

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military manpower - military age 

20 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 146,908 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 11,304 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$70.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay