Dictionary:
Ga·bon (gă-bŏn', -bōN')  |
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| Gabon |
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A country of west-central Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. Previously inhabited by Pygmy and then Bantu-speaking peoples, the region was visited by the Portuguese in 1472 and settled by the French in 1841. It became part of French Equatorial Africa in 1910 and achieved independence in 1960. Libreville is the capital and the largest city. Population: 1,450,000.
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Land and People
Much of Gabon, which is situated astride the equator, is drained by the Ogooué River (and its tributaries, the Ngounie and the Ivindo), which flows into the Atlantic through a long and broad estuary. The rest of the coastline comprises a narrow low-lying strip, which, south of the Ogooué's mouth, includes a series of lagoons. The interior of the country is made up of mountain ranges and high-lying plateaus. To the north of the Ogooué are the Cristal Mts. and to the south is the Chaillu Massif, which includes Mt. Iboundji (5,165 ft/1,574 m), Gabon's highest point. In the northeast is the Woleu-Ntem Plateau, which reaches c.2,500 ft (760 m), and in the southeast is the hot and arid Bateke Plateau (c.2,700 ft/820 m).
The inhabitants of Gabon belong to several ethnic groups including the Fang (who make up about one quarter of the population) in the north, the Omiéné along the coast, the Bakota in the northeast, and the Eshira in the southwest. French is the country's official language, but African languages are also spoken. There are large numbers of immigrant workers from other French-speaking African nations, as well as Europeans, mainly French. The population is predominantly Christian in the cities, but most people in the countryside adhere to traditional beliefs.
Economy
Since the 1970s the Gabonese economy has been centered on the oil industry, which has provided it with one of the highest per capita incomes in sub-Saharan Africa and accounts for almost 80% of its export income and 50% of its GDP. Oil wealth, however, led to government corruption, and the population at large has failed to benefit from oil profits. Gabon's economy also is subject to fluctuating oil prices, and it must contend with diminishing reserves. Decreases in production since the mid-1990s have hurt the economy, although it benefited from oil price increases after 2000. The exploitation of forest products and the mining of manganese, which formed the backbone of the economy until oil became predominant, remain relatively important today. The country's most significant forest products are okume (a softwood used in making plywood), mahogany, ebony, and rubber. Other minerals extracted are gold, uranium, and iron ore.
The chief products of Gabon's industrial sector include refined petroleum, chemicals, food and beverages, textiles, and wood products. Despite this economic activity, the majority of Gabonese workers are engaged in subsistence farming, with sugarcane, cassava, plantains, and taro the chief crops. There is also fishing. However, food must be imported to meet the country's needs. Cocoa, coffee, and palm products are produced for export. Few animals are raised, partly because of the prevalence of the tsetse fly.
Gabon's main exports are crude petroleum, forest products, manganese and uranium ores, and cocoa; the principal imports are machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, and construction materials. The leading trade partners are the United States and France. Gabon's limited transportation network was improved with the construction (1986) of the Trans-Gabon railway, which links the deepwater port of Owendo with iron ore and manganese deposits.
Government
Gabon is governed under the constitution of 1991. The president, who is head of state, is popularly elected for a seven-year term; there are no term limits. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president. The bicameral legislature consists of the 91-seat Senate, whose members are indirectly elected for six-year terms, and the 120-seat National Assembly, whose members are popularly elected for five-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into nine provinces.
History
Early History to Independence
The region that is now Gabon was inhabited in Paleolithic times. By the 16th cent. A.D. the Omiéné were living along the coast, and in the 18th cent. the Fang entered the region from the north. From the 16th to the 18th cent. the area was part of the decentralized Loango empire, which included most of the area between the Ogooué and Congo rivers. In the 1470s, Portuguese navigators found the Ogooué estuary, and shortly thereafter they began to trade with coastal merchants for slaves who had been acquired in the interior. The Portuguese were followed by Dutch, English, and French traders, and by the late 18th cent. the French had gained a dominant position. Despite the abolition of the slave trade (1815) by the Congress of Vienna, slaves continued to be exported from the Gabon coast until the 1880s, although French naval patrols succeeded in reducing the number exported annually.
In the mid-19th cent., several treaties were signed with African rulers of the Ogooué estuary and neighboring territories, and Christian missions were established. In 1849, Libreville was founded by the French as a settlement for freed slaves. Paul B. Du Chaillu (in the 1850s) and A. M. A. Aymes (in the 1860s) explored the lower Ogooué. In the late 1870s, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza reached the source of the river, and in the 1880s he founded Franceville (near the present-day border with the Republic of the Congo). In 1885 the Conference of Berlin recognized French rights to the region N of the Congo River that included Gabon. In 1886 the French assigned a governor to Gabon, which from 1889 to 1904 was included in the French Congo.
From 1910 to 1957, Gabon was a part of French Equatorial Africa. The Fang and some other African peoples resisted the imposition of French rule until 1911. In 1913, Albert Schweitzer established a hospital at Lambaréné on the Ogooué. During World War II, Free French forces gained control (1940) of Gabon from the Vichy government. In 1946, Gabon became an overseas territory of France, and in 1958 the country became internally self-governing within the French Community.
The New Nation
On Aug. 17, 1960, Gabon became an independent republic. Leon Mba, a Fang, was the country's first president. In Feb., 1964, Mba was ousted by a military coup led by Jean-Hilaire Aubame, but he was restored to power within a day with the help of French troops. Mba died in 1967 and was succeeded by Omar Bongo, who established (1968) the Gabonese Democratic party (PDG) as the country's sole political organization. Bongo was returned to office in the elections of 1973 and 1979.
Gabon was one of the few African countries to recognize and furnish supplies to Biafra during the Nigerian civil war (1967-70). During its first decade of independence, Gabon retained close political and economic ties with France. In the early 1970s, however, the government sought increased influence in the foreign (mainly French) companies active in Gabon, and it generally tried to loosen its ties with France. Disillusionment with Bongo's repressive policies led to the formation of a large opposition movement in the early 1980s and demands for a multiparty government.
Bongo was reelected to a fourth term in 1986. Popular discontent with the regime reached a high point in 1989 with seven days of riots in Port-Gentil, which were put down by the army. In 1990 opposition parties were legalized and multiparty legislative elections were held for the first time in 22 years. Amid charges of fraud, Bongo's party won a majority of seats. The same charges were leveled as Bongo was reelected in Gabon's first multiparty presidential election in 1993.
Despite constitutional reforms (1995) intended to reduce election fraud, the 1998 polls, in which Bongo once again was reelected, were termed unfair by observers. Bongo's party again won a majority of the legislative seats in 2001. The president was elected to a third term in 2005; the election was again criticized by the opposition, which was divided and relatively weak. The Dec., 2006, legislative elections were again solidly won by the president's party, but voter turnout was low. Bongo died in June, 2009; the head of the senate, Rose Francine Rogombe, became Gabon's interim president.
Bibliography
See J. Bouquerel, Le Gabon (1970); D. E. Gardinier, Historical Dictionary of Gabon (1981); M. A. Saint Paul, Gabon (1989).
| Dialing Code: Gabon Republic |
The international dialing code for Gabon Republic is: 241
| Local Time: Gabon |
| Statistics: Gabon |
| Background: | Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political 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: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 70 sq km (2003) |
| Total renewable water resources: | 164 cu km (1987) |
| Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): | total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%) per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000) |
| Natural hazards: | NA |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation; poaching |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling 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: | 1,514,993 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.1% (male 320,414/female 318,027) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 407,461/female 409,633) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,799/female 34,659) (2009 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2009 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.934% (2009 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 35.57 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.59 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -3.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) |
| Urbanization: | urban population: 85% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births male: 60.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 43.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 53.11 years male: 52.19 years female: 54.05 years (2009 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 5.9% (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 49,000 (2007 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 2,300 (2007 est.) |
| Major infectious diseases: | degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and chikungunya water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009) |
| 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.) |
| Education expenditures: | 3.8% of GDP (2000) |
| 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 |
| Capital: | name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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) |
| 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 Eyeghe NDONG (since 20 January 2006) 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 (no term limits); election last held 27 November 2005 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected; percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 79.2%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 13.6%, Zacharie MYBOTO 6.6% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009); National Assembly - last held 17 and 24 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2011) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 82, RPG 8, UPG 8, UGDD 4, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PGP-Ndaot 2, PSD 2, independents 4, others 5 |
| 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 [Benoit Mouity NZAMBA]; Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Zacherie MYBOTO]; National Rally of Woodcutters or RNB; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; Party of Development and Social Solidarity or PDS [Seraphin Ndoat REMBOGO]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots 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, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos BOUNGOU 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 Eunice S. REDDICK embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 07380171 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 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 oil sector now accounts for more than 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. 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 since 1999 have helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains, and will continue to temper the gains for most of this decade. 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 2007, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $21.44 billion (2008 est.) $20.7 billion (2007) $19.6 billion (2006) note: data are in 2008 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $15.91 billion (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3.6% (2008 est.) 5.6% (2007 est.) 1.2% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $14,400 (2008 est.) $14,200 (2007 est.) $13,700 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.7% industry: 57.2% services: 37% (2008 est.) |
| Labor force: | 592,000 (2008 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 21% (2006 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 32% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $4.463 billion expenditures: $2.746 billion (2008 est.) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| Public debt: | 26.3% of GDP (2008 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 5% (2008 est.) |
| Central bank discount rate: | 5.25% (31 December 2007) |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate: | 15% (31 December 2007) |
| Stock of money: | $1.547 billion (31 December 2007) |
| Stock of quasi money: | $799.3 million (31 December 2007) |
| Stock of domestic credit: | $359.8 million (31 December 2007) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Agriculture - products: | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish |
| Industries: | petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 1.5% (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 1.671 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 1.365 billion kWh (2006 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2007 est.) |
| Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Oil - production: | 243,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 13,170 bbl/day (2006 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 255,500 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - imports: | 2,485 bbl/day (2005) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 100 million cu m (2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 100 million cu m (2006 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2007 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $2.026 billion (2008 est.) |
| Exports: | $9.743 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001) |
| Exports - partners: | US 32.5%, China 15.8%, France 9.4%, Malaysia 6%, Trinidad and Tobago 5% (2007) |
| Imports: | $2.83 billion f.o.b. (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials |
| Imports - partners: | France 27.7%, US 19.1%, Belgium 5.4%, Netherlands 4.7%, China 4.1% (2007) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $1.859 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $3.173 billion (31 December 2008 est.) |
| Currency (code): | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
| Currency code: | XAF |
| Exchange rates: | Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the Central African CFA franc (XAF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; Central African CFA franc (XAF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using West African CFA francs (XOF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 26,500 (2007) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.169 million (2007) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with multiple providers; mobile-cellular subscribership reached 80 per 100 persons in 2007 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; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 6, FM 7 (plus 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001) |
| Radios: | 208,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001) |
| Televisions: | 63,000 (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .ga |
| Internet hosts: | 88 (2008) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 145,000 (2007) |
| Airports: | 39 (2008) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2008) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 12 (2008) |
| Pipelines: | gas 240 km; oil 723 km (2008) |
| Railways: | total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006) |
| Roadways: | total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004) |
| Waterways: | 1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2008) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Port-Gentil |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police |
| Military service age and obligation: | 20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 331,181 females age 16-49: 332,498 (2008 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 195,519 females age 16-49: 190,519 (2009 est.) |
| Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: | male: 16,933 female: 16,942 (2009 est.) |
| Military expenditures: | 3.4% of GDP (2005 est.) |
| Disputes - international: | 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 |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007) |
| Trafficking in persons: | current situation: Gabon is predominantly a destination country for children trafficked from other African countries for the purpose of forced labor; girls are primarily trafficked for domestic servitude, forced market vending, forced restaurant labor, and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced street hawking and forced labor in small workshops tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Gabon is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007, particularly in terms of efforts to convict and punish trafficking offenders; the government has not reported the convictions or sentences of any trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to reduce demand for commercial sex acts (2008) |
| Wikipedia: Gabon |
| Gabonese Republic
République Gabonaise
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| Motto: "Union, Travail, Justice" (French for "Union, Work, Justice") |
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| Anthem: La Concorde |
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| Capital (and largest city) |
Libreville 0°23′N 9°27′E / 0.383°N 9.45°E |
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| Official languages | French | |||||
| Vernacular languages | Fang, Myene | |||||
| Demonym | Gabonese, Gabonaise | |||||
| Government | Republic | |||||
| - | President | Ali Bongo Ondimba | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Paul Biyoghé Mba | ||||
| Independence | ||||||
| - | from France | August 17, 1960 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 267,745 km2 (76th) 103,347 sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 3.76% | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2009 estimate | 1,475,000[1] (150th) | ||||
| - | Density | 5.5/km2 (216th) 14.3/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $21.146 billion[2] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $14,545[2] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2008 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $14.535 billion[2] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $9,997[2] | ||||
| HDI (2007) | ▲ 0.755[3] (medium) (103rd) | |||||
| Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) |
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| Time zone | CAT (UTC+1) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | not observed (UTC+1) | ||||
| Drives on the | right | |||||
| Internet TLD | .ga | |||||
| Calling code | 241 | |||||
Gabon (pronounced /ɡəˈbɒn/; French pronunciation: [ɡaˈbõ]) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with the Gulf of Guinea to the west, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, and Cameroon to the north, with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. Its size is almost 270,000 km² with an estimated population of 1,500,000. The capital and largest city is Libreville. Since its independence from France on August 17, 1960, the Republic has been ruled by three presidents. In the early 1990s, Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new democratic constitution that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions. The small population density together with abundant natural resources and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in the region, with the highest HDI in Sub-Saharan Africa.[4]
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The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy peoples. They were largely replaced and absorbed by Bantu tribes as they migrated.
In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived. The nation's present name originates from "Gabão", Portuguese for "cloak", which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River by Libreville. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza led his first mission to the Gabon-Congo area in 1875. He founded the town of Franceville, and was later colonial governor. Several Bantu groups lived in the area that is now Gabon when France officially occupied it in 1885.
In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1959. These territories became independent on August 17, 1960. The first president of Gabon, elected in 1961, was Léon M’ba, with Omar Bongo Ondimba as his vice president. French interests were decisive in selecting the future leadership in Gabon after Independence; French logging interests poured funds into the successful election campaign of M'ba, an 'evolué' from the coastal region. After M'ba's accession to power, the press was suppressed, political demonstrations banned, freedom of expression curtailed, other political parties gradually excluded from power and the Constitution changed along French lines to vest power in the Presidency, a post that M'ba assumed himself. However, when M'ba dissolved the National Assembly in January 1964 to institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him from power and restore parliamentary democracy. The extent to which M'ba's dictatorial regime was synonymous with "French Interests" then became blatantly apparent when French paratroopers flew in within 24 hours to restore M'ba to power. After a few days of fighting, the coup was over and the opposition imprisoned, despite widespread protests and riots. The French government was unperturbed by international condemnation of the intervention; and paratroops still remain in the Camp de Gaulle on the outskirts of Gabon's capital. When M'Ba died in 1967, Bongo replaced him as president, and continued to be the head of state until his death in 2009, winning each contested election with a substantial majority.
In March 1991, a new constitution was enacted. Among its provisions are a bill of rights, the creation of a body to guarantee those rights (National Council of Democracy) and a governmental advisory board which deals with economic and social issues. Multi-party legislative elections were held in 1990–91 even though opposition parties had not yet been formally declared legal.
President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba, in power from 1967 until his death in June 2009,[5] was re-elected to his third consecutive seven-year term on November 27, 2005. According to figures provided by Gabon's Interior Ministry, he received a 79.1% majority of votes. Succeeding Bongo as interim president upon his death was Rose Francine Rogombé, President of the Senate of Gabon.
The voting age in Gabon is 21 years of age.[6] In 2003, the President amended the Constitution of Gabon to remove any restrictions on the number of terms a president is allowed to serve. The president retains strong powers, such as authority to dissolve the National Assembly, declare a state of siege, delay legislation, conduct referendums, and appoint or dismiss the prime minister as well as cabinet members. In provisional results, the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) won 84 out of 120 parliamentary seats.
On September 3 2009, the son of Omar Bongo, Ali Ben Bongo, was elected president.[7] As with previous Gabonese elections, the opposition parties have contested the results. There were calls for a boycott and accusations of electoral fraud and bribery. The announcement of the result sparked looting and the torching of the French consulate in Port-Gentil.[8][9] However, several international observers including the Economic Community of Central African States have reported that the election "met international standards" for democratic voting, and urged the people of Gabon to accept the result.[10]
Gabon has a small, professional military of about 5,000 personnel, divided into army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, and national police. Gabonese forces are oriented to the defense of the country and have not been trained for an offensive role. A 1,800-member guard provides security for the president.
In September, 2007, René Ndémezo'o Obiang, the government's spokesperson, announced that Gabon's cabinet council had decided to formally abolish the death penalty, which had not been applied in the country in over a decade.
Gabon placed 21st out of 53 African countries in the 2009 Ibrahim Index of African Governance. The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive measure of African governance, based on a number of different variables which reflect the success with which governments deliver essential political goods to its citizens. [11]
Gabon is divided into nine provinces and further divided into 37 departments.
The provinces are:
Gabon is located on the Atlantic coast of central Africa. Located on the equator, Gabon has an equatorial climate with an extensive system of rainforests covering 85% of the country. There are three distinct regions: the coastal plains (ranging between 20 to 300 km from the ocean's shore), the mountains (the Cristal Mountains to the northeast of Libreville, the Chaillu Massif in the centre, culminating at 1575 m with Mont Iboundji), and the savanna in the east. The coastal plains form a large section of the World Wildlife Fund's Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion.
Gabon's largest river is the Ogooué which is 1200 km long. Gabon has three karst areas where there are hundreds of caves located in the dolomite and limestone rocks. Some of the caves include Grotte du Lastoursville, Grotte du Lebamba, Grotte du Bongolo, and Grotte du Kessipougou. Many caves have not been explored yet. A National Geographic Expedition visited the caves in the summer of 2008 to document them (Expedition Website). Gabon is also noted for efforts to preserve the natural environment. In 2002, President Omar Bongo Ondimba put Gabon firmly on the map as an important future ecotourism destination by designating more than 11% of the nation's territory to be part of its national park system (with 13 parks in total), one of the largest proportions of nature parkland in the world. Natural resources include: petroleum, magnesium, iron, gold, uranium, and forests.
Gabon is more prosperous than most nearby countries, with a per capita income of four times the average for Sub-Saharan Africa. This is in large part due to offshore oil production. Critics note that the income was not invested in modernizing or diversifying the economy and Gabon remains heavily reliant on its natural resources. Gabon was a full member of OPEC from 1975 to 1995. It is an exporter of manganese, iron, and wood. Uranium mines near Franceville were shut down in 2001 with the arrival of new competition on the global market and there is work in progress to re-open them. Plans to exploit rich iron deposits north-east of Makokou are foreseen to begin in 2012.
During the 1990s, devaluation of the CFA franc left Gabon struggling to pay its overseas debt; France and the IMF have provided further loans and aid in exchange for the implementation of changes to the economy. Gabon's principal trading partners are the United States, China, and Russia for exports while importing mainly from France.[6]
On December 5, 2007 JPMorgan acted as Joint-Bookrunner on the Gabonese Republic’s (BB-/BB-) debut international US$1 billion 10-year bond issue.
Gabon is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).[12]
Gabon is tipped to be the Costa Rica of Africa in recognition of the large percentage of land recently designated to 13 new national parks and the extraordinary variety of wildlife on offer. Straddling the equator, this rainforest nation is situated on West Africa’s Atlantic coast. Animals are abundant – Gabon is the continent’s least densely populated country – and is 85 per cent covered in tropical forest. This, along with savannahs, mangroves, lagoons and beaches makes it an ideal habitat for varied species of animals and reptiles including 20,000 western lowland gorillas and 60,000 forest elephants – the largest population in Africa – and 700 types of exotic birds. Its beaches are the only place on earth where you can find hippos swimming in the surf. The coast is an important breeding ground for humpbacks migrating from the Antarctic. In 2002, the late President Omar Bongo set aside 11 per cent of the country to create the national park network, cancelling 800,000 hectares of logging concessions. Ecotourism is in its infancy but three parks are up and running and pulling in visitors keen to be the first to experience this virgin destination. The National Tourism Strategy, written in consultation with the The Wildlife Conservation Society, aims to achieve 100,000 visitors per annum. The capital Libreville is the doorway to the country. It sits on a palm-fringed ocean boulevard. Most visitors spend a day or two here before moving onto the parks. The most developed park is Loango [5]. Here is where the largest variety of whales and dolphins after South Africa can be found. Loango has 100 kilometres of unspoiled coastline where elephants and buffalo roam. There is a main lodge overlooking a lagoon and five satellite camps on open savannah, beach and river locations. Safari activities include game drives, kayaking, forest treks, gorilla and birdwatching. The park is renowned as a sport fishing site for tarpon and barracuda. Lopé and Ivindo National Parks are in the interior. Lopé has a patchwork of open savannah and dense rainforest. It is famous for its large numbers of elephants, gorillas and multicoloured mandrills that can be viewed in troops of hundreds. The main lodge sits above the Ogooué River. Ivindo contains the Kongou and Mingouli waterfalls, the most spectacular of forested Africa, as well as bais (waterholes) such as Langoué Bai with the largest concentration of easily observable wildlife in Gabon. Some of the primates in this region are said to be naïve: unfearing of humans due to their lack of contact. [13]
The population of Gabon is nearly 1.5 million (1,442,334).[6] Almost all Gabonese are of Bantu origin, though Gabon has at least forty ethnic groups with separate languages and cultures. The Fang are generally thought to be the largest, although recent census data seem to favor the Bandjabi (or Nzebi). Others include the Myene, Bakota, Eshira, Bapounou, and Okande. Ethnic group boundaries are less sharply drawn in Gabon than elsewhere in Africa. French, the official language, may be regarded as a unifying force. It is estimated that 80%[14] of the country's population are able to speak French, and that one-third of Libreville residents are native speakers of the language.[15] More than 10,000 French people live in Gabon, and France is the predominant foreign cultural and commercial influence.
Historical and environmental factors caused Gabon's population to decline between 1900 and 1940. It has one of the lowest population densities of any country in Africa, and labor shortages form a major obstacle to development and a draw for foreign workers. Most inhabitants are Christians, with estimates of the Christian population ranging from 55 to 77%, mostly members of the Roman Catholic Church. Other religious groups include animists, Muslims, and practitioners of indigenous African religions. Gabon's literacy rate is 63.2%.[6]
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Gabonese music is lesser-known in comparison with regional giants like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. The country boasts an array of folk styles, as well as pop stars like Patience Dabany and Annie Flore Batchiellilys, a Gabonese singer and renowned live performer. Also known are guitarists like Georges Oyendze, La Rose Mbadou and Sylvain Avara, and the singer Oliver N'Goma. Imported rock and hip hop from the US and UK are popular in Gabon, as are rumba, makossa and soukous. Gabonese folk instruments include the obala, the ngombi, balafon and traditional drums.
A country with a primarily oral tradition up until the spread of literacy in the 21st century, Gabon is rich in folklore and mythology. "Raconteurs" are currently working to keep traditions alive such as the mvett among the Fangs and the ingwala among the Nzebis.
Gabon also features internationally celebrated masks, such as the n'goltang (Fang) and the relicary figures of the Kota. Each group has its own set of masks used for various reasons. They are mostly used in traditional ceremonies such as marriage, birth and funerals. Traditionalists mainly work with rare local woods and other precious materials.
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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