2010 Edition

Background

Until recently, only two autocratic presidents had ruled Gabon since its independence from France in 1960. The recent president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - had 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 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. President BONGO died in June 2009. New elections in August 2009 brought Ali Ben BONGO, son of the former president, to power. 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. In January 2010, Gabon assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term.

Area

land

257,667 sq km

total

267,667 sq km

water

10,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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)

per capita

87 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%)

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

border countries

Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

total

2,551 km

Land use

arable land

1.21%

other

98.15% (2005)

permanent crops

0.64%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 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 320,414/female 318,027) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 407,461/female 409,633) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,799/female 34,659) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

35.39 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 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

5.9% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,300 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

49,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

42.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

50.88 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.58 years (2010 est.)

male

51.96 years

total population

52.75 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

53.3% (1995 est.)

male

73.7%

total population

63.2%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne disease

malaria and chikungunya

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

18.9 years (2010 est.)

male

18.4 years

total

18.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Gabonese

noun

Gabonese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

1,545,255 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 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.025% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (1999)

male

13 years

total

13 years

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: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.62 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

85% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

0 23 N, 9 27 E

name

Libreville

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

FAX

[241] 74 55 07

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

chancery

Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Carlos Victor BOUNGOU

consulate(s)

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0668

telephone

[1] (202) 797-1000

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009)

election results

President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba elected; percent of vote - Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO 3.9%, other 3.3% note: President BONGO died on 8 June 2009 after serving as president for 32 years; in accordance with the constitution he was replaced on an interim basis by the president of the Senate, Rose Francine ROGOMBE on 10 June 2009; new elections where held on 30 August 2009 and the son of the former president, Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba, was elected president

elections

president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 30 August 2009 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Paul BIYOGHE MBA (since 15 July 2009)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue; green represents the country's forests and natural resources, gold represents the equator (which transects Gabon) as well as the sun, blue represents the sea

Government type

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

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, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, 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 (102 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)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 75, RPG 6, UGDD 3, CLR 2, PGCI 2, PSD 2, UPG 2, ADERE 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

elections

Senate - last held on 18 January 2009 (next to be held in January 2015); National Assembly - last held on 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Georges Aleka DAMAS note: adopted 1960

name

"La Concorde" (The Concorde)

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 [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); 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

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

$591 million (2010 est.) $887 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$2.374 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.352 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Economy - overview

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most 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 more than 50% of GDP although the industry is in decline as fields pass their peak production. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports and the global recession led to a GDP contraction of 1.4% in 2009. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. 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 from 1999 to 2008 helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2007, and later that year issued a $1 billion sovereign bond to buy back a sizable portion of its Paris Club debt.

Electricity - consumption

1.446 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.774 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)

Exports

$6.803 billion (2010 est.) $6.04 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium

Exports - partners

Russia 30.62%, US 16.56%, China 15.87%, France 4.28% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4.5%

industry

62.7%

services

32.8% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,600 (2010 est.) $14,100 (2009 est.) $14,600 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.4% (2010 est.) -1.4% (2009 est.) 2.3% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.56 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$22.54 billion (2010 est.) $21.39 billion (2009 est.) $21.69 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 32.7% (2005)

Imports

$2.433 billion (2010 est.) $2.298 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners

France 32.21%, US 7.92%, China 7.02%, Belgium 4.99%, Italy 4.81%, Cameroon 4.56%, Netherlands 4.35% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-1.3% (2010 est.) 1.9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

28.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

712,000 (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

60%

industry

15%

services

25% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

90 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

90 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

14,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

227,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

4,185 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

241,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

2 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

25.8% of GDP (2010 est.) 27.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.602 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.993 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.764 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.468 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.074 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $826.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.835 billion (31 December 2010 est) $1.623 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

21% (2006 est.); NA%

Broadcast media

state owns and operates 2 TV stations and 2 radio broadcast stations; a few private radio and TV stations are operational; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible; satellite service subscriptions are available (2007)

Internet country code

.ga

Internet hosts

90 (2010)

Internet users

98,800 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

a growing mobile-cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available; subscribership reached 90 per 100 persons in 2009

general assessment

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) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

26,500 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.373 million (2009)

Airports

44 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 14 (2010)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries

2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 240 km; oil 858 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Railways

standard gauge

814 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

total

814 km

Roadways

paved

937 km

total

9,170 km

unpaved

8,233 km (2004)

Waterways

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 344,147 females age 16-49: 345,292 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 198,970 females age 16-49: 192,807 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

17,276 (2010 est.)

male

17,283

Military branches

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

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2009)

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age for voluntary military service; there is no conscription (2009)

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) page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================