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Background:
|
 Only
two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence
from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar
BONGO - 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. In addition, recent
strikes have underscored the popular disenchantment with the
political system. 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. |
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Location:
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Western Africa,
bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic
of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total:
267,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Colorado |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the
Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
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Coastline:
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885 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; always
hot, humid |
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Terrain:
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narrow coastal
plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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150 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
poaching |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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1,355,246
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 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
18.5 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.8 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.5% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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36.4 births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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11.43
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
54.34 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 56.46 years
male: 54.85 years
female: 58.12 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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9% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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23,000 (1999
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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3,000 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese |
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Ethnic groups:
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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 |
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Religions:
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Christian
55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1% |
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Languages:
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French
(official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise |
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Government type:
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republic;
multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized
in 1990) |
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Capital:
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Libreville |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 provinces;
Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem |
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Independence:
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17 August 1960
(from France) |
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National holiday:
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Founding of the
Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968) |
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Constitution:
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adopted 14 March
1991 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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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% |
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Legislative branch:
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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 2003 (next to be held by
January 2009)
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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or
Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial,
Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of
Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Circle of Liberal
Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; Democratic
and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB];
Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice
Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP
[Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; 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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Jules Marius 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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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,
poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. 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. Short-term progress depends on an
upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line
with IMF policies. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.2% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $5,500 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
15%
industry: 60%
services: 25% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.3% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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600,000 (1999
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 60%,
services 25%, industry 15% |
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Unemployment rate:
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21% (1997 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$1.8 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum
extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering
and plywood; cement |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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1.6% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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798.4 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
34.5%
hydro: 65.5%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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742.5 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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301,300 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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13,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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80 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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80 million cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cocoa, coffee,
sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood);
fish |
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Exports:
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$2.891 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil 77%,
timber, manganese, uranium (2001) |
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Exports - partners:
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US 50.9%, France
12.7%, China 7.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$1.079 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials |
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Imports - partners:
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France 51%, US
6.3%, Netherlands 3.7% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$3.8 billion
(2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$331 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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Communaute
Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority
is the Bank of the Central African States |
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Currency code:
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XAF |
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Exchange rates:
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Communaute
Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2
(2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7
(1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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32,100 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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279,300 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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: country code - 241; satellite earth
stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine
cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 6, FM 7 (and
11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 (plus four
low-power repeaters) (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.ga |
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Internet hosts:
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79 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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25,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 814
km
standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
8,464 km
paved: 838 km
unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.) |
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Waterways:
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1,600 km
(perennially navigable) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 210 km; oil
1,426 km; water 3 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cap Lopez, Kango,
Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil |
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Airports:
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56 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 23 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army, Navy, Air
Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police |
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Military manpower - military age:
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20 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
13,462 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$149.3 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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creation of a
maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with
Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island,
administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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