Gabon
Gabonese RepublicRepublique Gabonaise
presidential republicIndependence 17 August 1960 (from France)
Gabon as the 2022 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 161 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Gabon, a sparsely populated country known for its dense rainforests and vast petroleum reserves, is one of the most prosperous and stable countries in central Africa. Approximately 40 ethnic groups are represented, the largest of which is the Fang, a group that covers the northern third of Gabon and expands north into Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. From about the early 1300s, various kingdoms emerged in and surrounding present-day Gabon, including the Kingdoms of Loango and Orungu.
Because most early Bantu languages spoken in these kingdoms did not have a written form, historical traditions were passed on orally, resulting in much of Gabon's early history being lost over time. Portuguese traders who arrived in the mid-1400s gave the area its name of Gabon. At that time, indigenous trade networks began to engage with European traders, exchanging goods such as ivory and wood. For a century beginning in the 1760s, trade came to focus mostly on enslaved people.
While many groups in Gabon participated in the slave trade, the Fang were a notable exception. As the slave trade declined in the late 1800s, France colonized the country and directed a widespread extraction of Gabonese resources. Anti-colonial rhetoric by Gabon’s educated elites increased significantly in the early 1900s, but no widespread rebellion materialized. French decolonization following World War II led to the country’s independence in 1960.
Within a year of independence, the government changed from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and Leon M’BA won the first presidential election in 1961. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest ruling heads of state in history - was M’BA’s vice president and assumed the presidency after M’BA’s death in 1967. BONGO went on to dominate the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). In 1968, he declared Gabon a single-party state and created the Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG), which remains the predominant party in Gabonese politics today.
In the early 1990s, he reintroduced a multiparty system under a new constitution after he was confronted with growing political opposition. He was reelected by wide margins in 1995, 1998, 2002, and 2005 against a divided opposition and amidst allegations of fraud. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. President Ali BONGO Ondimba was reelected in 2016 in a close election against a united opposition. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the contested election results and ruled in his favor.
Geography
Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
19 fieldsLand useshare of 267,667 sq km
Location
Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Population distribution
- the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country;
- the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest as shown in this population distribution map
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 and Society
35 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2022 est.)
Male · female
Religions(2012 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gabonese-born 80.1% (includes Fang 23.2%, Shira-Punu/Vili 18.9%, Nzabi-Duma 11.3%, Mbede-Teke 6.9%, Myene 5%, Kota-Kele 4.9%, Okande-Tsogo 2.1%, Pygmy .3%, other 7.5%), Cameroonian 4.6%, Malian 2.4%, Beninese 2.1%, acquired Gabonese nationality 1.6%, Togolese 1.6%, Senegalese 1.1%, Congolese (Brazzaville) 1%, other 5.5% (includes Congolese (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinean, Nigerian) (2012 est.)
Demographic profile
Gabon’s oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25.
With a fertility rate still averaging more than 4 children per woman, the youth population will continue to grow and further strain the mismatch between Gabon’s supply of jobs and the skills of its labor force.
Gabon has been a magnet to migrants from neighboring countries since the 1960s because of the discovery of oil, as well as the country’s political stability and timber, mineral, and natural gas resources. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa.
In 2011, Gabon declared an end to refugee status for 9,500 remaining Congolese nationals to whom it had granted asylum during the Republic of the Congo’s civil war between 1997 and 2003. About 5,400 of these refugees received permits to reside in Gabon.
Population distribution
- the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country;
- the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest as shown in this population distribution map
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.12 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.78 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.08 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and dengue fever
- water contact diseases:
- schistosomiasis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 6.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 5.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
14 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Environment - current issues
- deforestation (the forests that cover three-quarters of the country are threatened by excessive logging);
- burgeoning population exacerbating disposal of solid waste;
- oil industry contributing to water pollution;
- wildlife poaching
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 38.51 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 5.32 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 1.13 megatons (2020 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 91% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and dengue fever
- water contact diseases:
- schistosomiasis
- animal contact diseases:
- rabies
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 84.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 14.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 40.3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009); Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka RAPONDA (since 16 July 2020)
22 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Senate, 100 seats, elected 30 January and 6 February 2021one dot, one seat
Composition: NA
National Assembly, 143 seatsone dot, one seat
Composition: men 121, women 22, percent of women 15.4%
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Gabonese Republic
- conventional short form:
- Gabon
- local long form:
- Republique Gabonaise
- local short form:
- Gabon
- etymology:
- name originates from the Portuguese word "gabao" meaning "cloak," which is roughly the shape that the early explorers gave to the estuary of the Komo River by the capital of Libreville
Capital
- name:
- Libreville
- geographic coordinates:
- 0 23 N, 9 27 E
- time difference:
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- original site settled by freed slaves and the name means "free town" in French; named in imitation of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone
Administrative divisions
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991
- amendments:
- proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament;
- passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum;
- constitutional articles on Gabon’s democratic form of government cannot be amended;
- amended several times, last in 2020
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Gabon
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 10 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka RAPONDA (since 16 July 2020)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
- elections/appointments:
- president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits);
- election last held on 27 August 2016 (next to be held in August 2023);
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0% (2016)
Legislative branch
- description:
- bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:; Senate or Senat (102 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal councils and departmental assemblies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms); National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (143 seats; members elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- Senate - last held on 30 January and 6 February 2021 (next to be held in December 2026); National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
- election results:
- ;
- Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7;
- composition - NA
- National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
- seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8;
- composition - men 121, women 22, percent of women 15.4%;
- note - total Parliament percent of women NA
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of 4 permanent specialized supreme courts - Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation, Administrative Supreme Court or Conseil d'Etat, Accounting Supreme Court or Cour des Comptes, Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, and the non-permanent Court of State Security, initiated only for cases of high treason by the president and criminal activity by executive branch officials)
- judge selection and term of office:
- appointment and tenure of Supreme, Administrative, Accounting, and State Security courts NA;
- Constitutional Court judges appointed - 3 by the national president, 3 by the president of the Senate, and 3 by the president of the National Assembly;
- judges serve single renewable 7-year terms
- subordinate courts:
- Courts of Appeal;
- county courts;
- military courts
Political parties and leaders
- Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [Gen. Jean-Boniface ASSELE]
- Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [DIDJOB Divungui di Ndinge]
- Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG [Ali BONGO Ondimba]
- Independent Center Party of Gabon or PGCI [Luccheri GAHILA]
- Legacy and Modernity Party or RH&M
- National Woodcutters' Rally - Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG [Paul Mba ABESSOLE]
- Restoration of Republican Values or RV
- Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]
- Social Democrats of Gabon
- The Democrats or LD [Guy NZOUBA-NDAMA]
- Union for the New Republic or UPRN [Louis Gaston MAYILA]
- Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean PING]
- Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Richard MOULOMBA]
- Paul Mba Abessole
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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Charge D'Affaires Rod Ciangillan REMBENDAMBYA, Counselor (17 March 2021)
- chancery:
- 2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 797-1000
- FAX:
- [1] (301) 332-0668
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://gabonembassyusa.org/en/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant);
- Charge d'Affaires Samuel R. WATSON;
- note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe
- embassy:
- Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville
- mailing address:
- 2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270
- telephone:
- [241] 011-45-71-00
- FAX:
- [241] 011-45-71-05
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://ga.usembassy.gov/
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
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (m); Ivindo National Park (n)
Economy
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.
33 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
By end use% of GDP
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic 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 relied on timber and manganese exports until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. From 2010 to 2016, oil accounted for approximately 80% of Gabon’s exports, 45% of its GDP, and 60% of its state budget revenues.
Gabon faces fluctuating international prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. A rebound of oil prices from 2001 to 2013 helped growth, but declining production, as some fields passed their peak production, has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. GDP grew nearly 6% per year over the 2010-14 period, but slowed significantly from 2014 to just 1% in 2017 as oil prices declined.
Low oil prices also weakened government revenue and negatively affected the trade and current account balances. In the wake of lower revenue, Gabon signed a 3-year agreement with the IMF in June 2017.
Despite an abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management and over-reliance on oil has stifled the economy. Power cuts and water shortages are frequent. Gabon is reliant on imports and the government heavily subsidizes commodities, including food, but will be hard pressed to tamp down public frustration with unemployment and corruption.
Credit ratings
- Fitch rating:
- CCC (2020)
- Moody's rating:
- Caa1 (2018)
Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2016)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agricultural products
plantains, cassava, sugar cane, yams, taro, vegetables, maize, groundnuts, game meat, rubber
Industries
- petroleum extraction and refining;
- manganese, gold;
- chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Imports - partners
France 22%, China 17%, Belgium 6%, United States 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$981.6 million (31 December 2017 est.) · $804.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 605.3 (2017 est.) · 593.01 (2016 est.) · 593.01 (2015 est.) · 591.45 (2014 est.) · 494.42 (2013 est.)
Energy
11 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2019)
Installed generating capacity, 784,000 kW(2020 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- consumption:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- exports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- imports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 175,000 bbl/day (2021 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 14,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate exports:
- 178,400 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate imports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 2 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 319.102 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
- consumption:
- 319.102 million cubic meters (2019 est.)
- exports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- imports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 25.995 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
2.651 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 2.025 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 626,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- the telecom market was liberalized in 1999 when the government awarded three mobile telephony licenses and two ISP licenses and established an independent regulatory authority;
- in contrast with the mobile market, Gabon’s fixed-line and internet sectors have remained underdeveloped due to a lack of competition and high prices;
- the country has sufficient international bandwidth on the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine cable;
- the arrival of the ACE submarine cable, combined with progressing work on the CAB cable, has increased back haul capacity supporting mobile data traffic (2022)
- domestic:
- fixed-line is a little over 1 per 100 subscriptions;
- a growing mobile cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available with mobile cellular teledensity at nearly 139 per 100 persons (2020)
- international:
- country code - 241;
- landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, ACE and Libreville-Port Gentil Cable fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and West Africa;
- satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
- state owns and operates 2 TV stations and 2 radio broadcast stations;
- a few private radio and TV stations;
- transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible;
- satellite service subscriptions are available
Transportation
11 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8
Military and Security
7 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2022)
Military and security forces
Gabonese Armed Forces (Force Armées Gabonaise or FAG; aka Gabonese Defense and Security Forces): Land Forces (Army), National Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (includes Coast Guard), Corps of Firemen; Republican Guard (2022)
note: the National Police Forces, under the Ministry of Interior, and the National Gendarmerie, under the Ministry of Defense, are responsible for law enforcement and public security; elements of the armed forces and the Republican Guard, an elite unit that protects the president under his direct authority, sometimes performed internal security functions
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the Gabonese military is lightly armed with a mixed inventory from a variety of suppliers;
- since 2010, providers have included Brazil, China, France, Germany, and South Africa (2021)
Military service age and obligation
20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)
Maritime threats
- the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
- in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
- although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
- while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
- in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
- Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
- the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"
Transnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Gabon.” The World Factbook 2022. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gabon/2022.