Gabon

Gabonese RepublicRepublique Gabonaise

republicIndependence 17 August 1960 (from France)

Gabon as the 2005 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

Populationas each edition published it

1.39 million July 2005 est. · 1.07m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.45% 2005 est. · 1.45% in 1993

Median ageyears

18.57 years 2005 est. · 18.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

55.02 years 2005 est. · 54.19 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.77 children per woman 2005 est. · 4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

53.64 deaths per 1,000 live births 2005 est. · 106 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$5,900 2004 est. · $4,200 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.9% 2004 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 Ondimba - 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.

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

Map references

Africa

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

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

Natural resources

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

Natural hazards

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

20 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2005 est.)

23,551

65 and over4.1%

33,182

372,134

15-6453.8%

374,850

293,668

0-1442.1%

291,816

MaleFemale

Population

1,389,201

growth rate: 2.45% (2005 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 2005 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2005 est.)

Birth

36.24Death

11.72Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2005 est.)55.02

53.63 · 56.45Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)53.64

63.21 · 43.79

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)63.2%

73.7% · 53.3%Median age years (2005 est.)18.57

18.34 · 18.8

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

8.1%

(2003 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:: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:: very high
food or waterborne diseases:: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:: malaria (2004)

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 Ondimba (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 Ondimba 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

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 Ondimba (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 Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 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 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];
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 [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];
Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS [leader NA];
Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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 Barrie R. WALKLEY
embassy:: Boulevard du Bord de 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 of sub-Saharan African nations.

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GDP, purchasing power parity

$7.966billion

(2004 est.)

Real growth rate

1.9%

(2004 est.)industrial production growth: 1.6% (2002 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

21%

(1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2004 est.)

agriculture 7.4%industry 46.7%services 45.9% (2004 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

53.3%

6.3%

7.4%

France

43.8%

8.5%

China

5.9%

Netherlands

Exports $3.71 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $1.225 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)(2004)

Budget

Revenues

$2.129 billionExpenditures

$1.64 billion (2004 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $310 million

Electricity

Electricity production

1.161 billion (2002)Electricity consumption

1.08 billion (2002)

Economy - overview

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

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.

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

Labor force

650,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Population below poverty line

Investment (gross fixed)

21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Public debt

29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

264,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

Oil - imports

Oil - proved reserves

2.022 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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 (2004)

Current account balance

$196.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports

$3.71 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Imports

$1.225 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$268.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external

$3.804 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$331 million (1995)

Currency (code)

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 - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

300,000

(2003)

Internet users

(2004)

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

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

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 (2004) · Waterways: (310 km on Ogooue River)

Railways

total:: 814 km
standard gauge:: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways

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

Military

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

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

(2004)

Transnational Issues