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The World Factbook 2002
| Gabon |

Introduction | Gabon

Background: | Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.

Geography | Gabon

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 water: 10,000 sq km land: 257,667 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: | contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use: | arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% other: 98% (1998 est.)
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, Nuclear Test Ban, 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 | Gabon

Population: | 1,233,353 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 2002 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796) 15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.97% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | 27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: | 17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | 93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 49.11 years female: 50.25 years (2002 est.) male: 48.01 years
Total fertility rate: | 3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 9% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 23,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 2,000 (1999 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
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government | Gabon

Country name: | conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise
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 (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 1997 (next to be held in NA 2002) 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: | African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; 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, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; 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]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jules-Darius OGOUEBANDJA consulate(s): New York FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Thomas F. DAUGHTON embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address: B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07
Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy | Gabon

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, the economy is hobbled by poor fiscal management. In 1992, the fiscal deficit widened to 2.4% of GDP, and Gabon failed to settle arrears on its bilateral debt, leading to a cancellation of rescheduling agreements with official and private creditors. 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.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $6.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 2.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 10% industry: 60% services: 30% (1999 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% (2001 est.)
Labor force: | 600,000
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15%
Unemployment rate: | 21% (1997 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $1.8 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2002 est.)
Industries: | food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: | -6.4% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: | 850 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 29.41% hydro: 70.59% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 790.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Exports: | $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: | crude oil 81%, timber, manganese, uranium (2000)
Exports - partners: | US 51%, France 17%, China 8%, Netherlands Antilles 4% (2000)
Imports: | $921 million (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners: | France 62%, Cote d'Ivoire 7%, US 5%, Belgium 3% (2000)
Debt - external: | $3.6 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $331 million (1995)
Currency: | 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 - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use: | 39,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 120,000 (2000)
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: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios: | 208,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (plus six repeaters) (2001)
Televisions: | 63,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .ga
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 4 (2001)
Internet users: | 15,000 (2001)

Transportation | Gabon

Railways: | total: 649 km standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single-track (2000 est.)
Highways: | total: 7,670 km paved: 629 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 7,041 km (1996)
Waterways: | 1,600 km (perennially navigable)
Pipelines: | crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
Ports and harbors: | Cap Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil
Airports: | 59 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 49 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 24 (2001)

Military | Gabon

Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential (Republican) Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police
Military manpower - military age: | 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 284,358 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 146,908 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 11,304 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $70.8 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues | Gabon

Disputes - international: | maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002