2008 Edition

Background

Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political 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.

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%) per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

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

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

164 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 314,078/female 311,900) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 399,586/female 401,602) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,388/female 34,278) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

35.75 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

12.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2000)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

48,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 52.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 61.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 53.52 years male: 52.5 years female: 54.57 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate

-3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

1,485,832 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.954% (2008 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.68 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 14 March 1991

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eunice S. REDDICK embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 07380171

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000

Executive branch

chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2 December 1967) head of government: Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006) 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 (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6%

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York

[241] 74 55 07

Flag description

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

Government type

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

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

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

Political parties and leaders

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]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $3.536 billion expenditures: $2.347 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

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

Currency code

XAF

Current account balance

$1.552 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$4.895 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$53.87 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. but 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. The devaluation of the CFA franc - its currency - by 50% in 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 mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon 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 since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. 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. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Electricity - consumption

1.365 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

1.671 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)

Exports

$6.956 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners

US 32.5%, China 15.8%, France 9.4%, Malaysia 6%, Trinidad and Tobago 5% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6.1% industry: 58% services: 35.9% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.2% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$20.44 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$2.107 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners

France 27.7%, US 19.1%, Belgium 5.4%, Netherlands 4.7%, China 4.1% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2007 est.)

Industries

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

582,000 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

100 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

100 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Oil - consumption

13,170 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

255,500 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

2,485 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

243,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

52.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.238 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$359.8 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.547 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$799.3 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

21% (2006 est.)

Internet country code

.ga

Internet hosts

88 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2001)

Internet users

145,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

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

Radios

208,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007 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; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

26,500 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.169 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

63,000 (1997)

Airports

53 (2007)

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 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 23 (2007)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 384 km; oil 1,427 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Port-Gentil

Railways

total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways

total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Waterways

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 331,181 females age 16-49: 332,498 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 192,717 females age 16-49: 188,539 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 16,558 female: 16,577 (2008 est.)

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military expenditures

3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007)

Disputes - international

UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Gabon is predominantly a destination country for children trafficked from other African countries for the purpose of forced labor; girls are primarily trafficked for domestic servitude, forced market vending, forced restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced street hawking and forced labor in small workshops tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Gabon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to convict and punish trafficking offenders; the government has not reported the convictions or sentences of any trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008