Gabon is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea.
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state
in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades
(1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. President Bongo introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the
early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local
elections in December 2002 and the presidential elections in 2005
exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon.
Following President Bongo's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali
BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power. Despite
constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant
natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it
one of the more stable African countries.
Country Name:
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conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
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conventional short form: Gabon
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local long form: Republique Gabonaise
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local short form: Gabon
Capital:
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name: Libreville
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geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
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time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Independence:
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17 August 1960 (from France)
Government Type:
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republic; multiparty presidential regime
Executive Branch:
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chief of state: President Ali Ben Bongo Ondimba (since 16 October 2009)
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head of government: Prime Minister Daniel Ona Ondo (since 27 January 2014)
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cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
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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
Legislative Branch:
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structure: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate and the National Assembly
Judicial Branch:
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structure: Supreme Court consisting of three chambers - Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts
Population:
- 1,672,597
(global rank: 154)
-
growth rate: 1.94% (global rank: 54)
Nationality:
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noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
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adjective: Gabonese
Major Cities:
Ethnic Groups:
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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:
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Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Languages:
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French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Life Expectancy at Birth:
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total population: 52.06 years (global rank: 214)
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male: 51.45 years
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female: 52.6 years
Infant Mortality:
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total population: 47.03 deaths/1,000 live births (global rank: 43)
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male: 54.27 deaths/1,000 live births
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female: 39.57 deaths/1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS:
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adult prevalence rate: 4% (2012 est.) (global rank: 16)
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people living with AIDS: 40,700 (2012 est.) (global rank: 67)
Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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total population: 89%
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male: 92.3%
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female: 85.6%
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
economy was reliant on oil for about 50% of its GDP, about 70% of
revenues, and 87% of goods exports for 2010, although some fields have
passed their peak production. A rebound of oil prices from 1999 to 2008
helped growth, but declining production has 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.
Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and
manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal
management has stifled the economy. However, President Bongo Ondimba has
made efforts to increase transparency and is taking steps to make Gabon
a more attractive investment destination to diversify the economy. Bongo Ondimba has attempted to boost growth by increasing government
investment in human resources and infrastructure. GDP grew more than 6%
per year over the 2010-13 period.
Gross Domestic Product:
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GDP (PPP): $30.06 billion (global rank: 113)
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GDP per capita (PPP): $19,200 (global rank: 72)
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real growth rate: 6.6% (global rank: 28)
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composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6%, industry: 63.9%, services: 32.5%
Currency:
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currency: Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale Francs
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exchange rate (per US Dollar): 504.9
Poverty:
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population below poverty line: NA
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unemployment rate: 21%
Agricultural Products:
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cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Industries:
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petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Exports Commodities:
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crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium
Imports Commodities:
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machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Location:
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Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Area:
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total: 267,667 sq km (global rank: 77)
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land: 257,667 sq km
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water: 10,000 sq km
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comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado
Climate:
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tropical; always hot, humid
Land Use:
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arable land: 1.21%
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permanent crops: 0.64%
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other: 98.15%
Natural Resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Current Environmental Issues:
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international disputes: 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
Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2015