Gabon

Gabonese RepublicRepublique Gabonaise

republicIndependence 17 August 1960 (from France)

Gabon as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 125 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalLibreville
Position1 00 S, 11 45 E
Area267,667 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
2004

Every edition of Gabon

Populationas each edition published it
1.36 million July 2004 est. · 1.07m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.5% 2004 est. · 1.45% in 1993
Median ageyears
18.5 years 2004 est. · 18.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
56.46 years 2004 est. · 54.19 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.8 children per woman 2004 est. · 4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
54.34 deaths per 1,000 live births 2004 est. · 106 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$5,500 2003 est. · $4,200 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1.2% 2003 est. · 13% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 267,667 sq km

arable land 1.26%permanent crops 0.66%other 98.08% (2001)irrigated 150 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
267,667sq km
land: 257,667 sq kmwater: 10,000 sq kmslightly smaller than Colorado
Coastline
885km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
1,575m
Mont Iboundjilowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
2,551km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

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

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

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

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

19 fields
Population
1,355,246
growth rate: 2.5% (2004 est.)
Note
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.)

Per 1,000 population(2004 est.)

Birth
36.4Death
11.43Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2004 est.)56.46
54.85 · 58.12Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)54.34
64.15 · 44.23
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)63.2%
73.7% · 53.3%Median age years (2004 est.)18.5
18.3 · 18.8
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

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.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Total fertility rate

4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2003 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

Government

Republic; President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967); Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE (since 23 January 1999)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

66.6%
El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005)

National Assembly, 91 seats, elected 9 and 23 December 2001one dot, one seat

PDG 53RNB 20PGP 4ADERE 3RDP 1CLR 1independents 9

Country name

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

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

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 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

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

  • 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]

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

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

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa.

45 fields
Real growth rate
1.2%
(2003 est.)industrial production growth: 1.6% (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate
21%
(1997 est.)
Public debt
31.5%of GDP
(2003)

GDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)

agriculture 8.1%industry 48.8%services 43.1% (2003 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

51.5%
US
5.3%
8.7%
France
49.9%
7.5%
China
UK
4.6%
4%
Japan
Exports $2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)Imports $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)(2003)

Budget

Revenues
$1.771 billionExpenditures
$1.413 billion (2003 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $310 million

Electricity

Electricity production
798.4 million (2001)Electricity consumption
742.5 million (2001)

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, 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.7% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

610,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

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

Oil - production

301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - proved reserves

2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production

80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance

$-101 million (2003)

Exports

$2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Debt - external

$3.284 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$331 million (1995)

Currency

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

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
300,000
(2003)
Fixed lines
38,400
(2003) · country code .ga

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:
  • country code - 241;
  • satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean);
  • fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations

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

Television broadcast stations

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

Internet users

35,000 (2003)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

1
over 3,047 m
1
2,438 to 3,047 m
8
1,524 to 2,437 m
7
1
914 to 1,523 m
15
under 914 m
23
Paved 11Unpaved 45

Networkskm

Highways
8,464Railways
814Waterways
1,600 (2003)
Highways: paved: 838 km · unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003) · Waterways: (310 km on Ogooue River)

Railways

total:
814 km
standard gauge:
814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways

total:
8,464 km
paved:
838 km
unpaved:
7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Pipelines

gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

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

Airports

56 (2003 est.)

Military

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

7 fields

Military branches

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

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Gabon.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gabon/2004.

How to cite ← 2003 edition 2005 edition →