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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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%
permanent pastures: 18%
forests and woodland: 77%
other: 3% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
40 sq km (1993 est.) |
| 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 |
| Population: |
1,221,175
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 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
33.29% (male 203,677; female 202,833)
15-64 years: 60.77% (male 373,828; female 368,282)
65 years and over: 5.94% (male 35,867; female 36,688) (2001
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.02% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
27.42 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
17.22 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.03
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
94.91 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
49.59 years
male: 48.47 years
female: 50.75 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.69 children born/woman
(2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
4.16% (1999 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, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), 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, Bateke, 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) |
| 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) 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 15 and 29 December
1996 (next to be held NA December 2001); Senate - last held 26 January
and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 89, PGP 9, RNB 6, CLR 3, UPG 2, USG 2,
independents 4, others 5; 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]; 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 [Serge MBA BEKALE]; 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 [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 (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
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 Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA
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 James V. LEDESMA
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
- 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, 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. An
expected decline in oil output may lead to contraction in GDP in
2001-02. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$7.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
1.2% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$6,300 (2000 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% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 60%, services and
government 25%, industry and commerce 15% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
21% (1997 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $1.5
billion
expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures
of $302 million (1996 est.) |
| 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: |
1.02 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
29.9%
hydro: 70.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
948.6 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm
oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish |
| Exports: |
$3.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil 75%, timber,
manganese, uranium (1998) |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 47%, France 19%, China 8%,
Japan 1.3% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$1 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 64%, US 4%, UK 2%,
Netherlands 2%, (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$3.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$331 million (1995) |
| Currency: |
Communaute Financiere
Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the
Central African States |
| Exchange
rates: |
Communaute Financiere
Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98
(2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); 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 |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
37,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
9,500 (1997) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA
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, shortwave 6
(1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
4 (plus five low-power
repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
63,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ga |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
5,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 649 km
(Gabon State Railways or OCTRA)
standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994) |
| 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
- 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 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 24 (2000 est.) |
| 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: |
males age 15-49:
281,218 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
145,062 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 11,304
(2001 est.) |
| 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 |
|
