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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 foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black 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:
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado Land boundaries:
Coastline: 885 km Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower Land use:
Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: NA Environment - current issues: deforestation; poaching Environment - international agreements:
Population:
1,208,436
Age structure:
Population growth rate: 1.08% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 27.6 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 16.83 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 96.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 3.73 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 6,000 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: GB 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: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted full independence from France) 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; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal Executive branch:
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms
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 [leader NA]; Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; 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]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [leader NA]; National Rally of Woodcutters (Bucherons) or RNB [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [leader NA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU] International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 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, manganese, and uranium 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 and a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995. 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 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. With support from higher oil prices, growth will move up in 2000-01. GDP: purchasing power parity - $7.9 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.7% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,500 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (1999 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:
Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (1995) Electricity - production: 1.025 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 953 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: crude oil 75%, timber, manganese, uranium (1998) Exports - partners: US 68%, China 9%, France 8%, Japan 3% (1998) Imports: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials Imports - partners: France 39%, US 6%, Cameroon 5%, Netherlands 5%, Cote d'Ivoire, Japan (1998) Debt - external: $4.6 billion (1999 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $331 million (1995) Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 32,000 (1995) Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,000 (1995) Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 6, FM 7, shortwave 6 (1998) Radios: 208,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus five low-power repeaters) (1997) Televisions: 63,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
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 Merchant marine:
Airports: 61 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard (charged with protecting the president and other senior officials), National Gendarmerie, National Police Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $91 million (FY96) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.6% (FY96)
Disputes - international: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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