| |
| |
 |
|
|
 |
National Map
Of |
Gabon |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Flag
Of |
Gabon |
|
|
Flag Description:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and
blue
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Gabon |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Anthem
Of |
Gabon |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Categories National Symbol Of |
Gabon |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
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
|
|
Area:
|
total:
267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly
smaller than Colorado |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total:
2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of
the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
|
Coastline:
|
885 km
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
|
Climate:
|
tropical;
always hot, humid |
|
Terrain:
|
narrow
coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
|
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese,
uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
150 sq km
(1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
NA |
|
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 |
|
Population:
|
1,389,201
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.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 42.1% (male 293,668/female 291,816)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 372,134/female 374,850)
65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,551/female
33,182) (2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
18.57 years
male: 18.34 years
female: 18.8 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.45%
(2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
36.24
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
11.72
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.21 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 55.02 years
male: 53.63 years
female: 56.45 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
4.77
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
8.1%
(2003 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 |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |
|
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:
|
NA |
|
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 - 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 (purchasing power parity):
|
$7.966
billion (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
1.9%
(2004 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 7.4%
industry: 46.7%
services: 45.9% (2004 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
650,000
(2004 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
21% (1997
est.) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.5%
(2004 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
21.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $2.129 billion
expenditures: $1.64 billion, including capital
expenditures of $310 million (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 |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
1.6%
(2002 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
1.161
billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 34.5%
hydro: 65.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
1.08
billion kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Oil - production:
|
264,900
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
13,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA |
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA |
|
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) |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 53.3%,
China 8.5%, France 7.4% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$1.225
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
machinery
and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
materials |
|
Imports - partners:
|
France
43.8%, US 6.3%, UK 5.9%, Netherlands 4% (2004) |
|
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 |
|
Currency code:
|
XAF |
|
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 |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
38,400
(2003) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
300,000
(2003) |
|
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) |
|
Radios:
|
208,000
(1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
4 (plus
four low-power repeaters) (2001) |
|
Televisions:
|
63,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.ga |
|
Internet hosts:
|
93 (2004)
|
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1 (2001)
|
|
Internet users:
|
35,000
(2003) |
|
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.) |
|
Waterways:
|
1,600 km
(310 km on Ogooue River) (2003) |
|
Pipelines:
|
gas 210
km; oil 1,385 km (2004) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Gamba,
Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil |
|
Airports:
|
56 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Army,
Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police
|
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years
of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2001) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 276,310 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 156,632 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
15,150 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$184.8
million (2004) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
2% (2004)
|
|
Disputes - international:
|
UN
presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the
sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and
to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich
Corisco Bay; only a few hundred out of the 20,000
Republic of the Congo refugees who fled militia fighting
in 2000 remain in Gabon |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
