1996 Edition

Description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Location

1 00 S, 11 45 E -- Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Congo and Equatorial Guinea Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Colorado

land area

257,670 sq km

total area

267,670 sq km

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; poaching

international agreements

party to - Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94

natural hazards

NA

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

International disputes

maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

border countries

Cameroon 298 km, Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

total

2,551 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

78%

meadows and pastures

18%

other

2%

permanent crops

1%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

highest point

Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 34% (male 197,188; female 196,562) 15-64 years: 61% (male 364,033; female 353,451) 65 years and over: 5% (male 30,270; female 31,294) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

28.22 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 100,000, including 27,000 French

Infant mortality rate

90.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Life expectancy at birth

female

58.56 years (1996 est.)

male

52.72 years

total population

55.59 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

53.3%

male

73.7%

total population

63.2%

Nationality

adjective

Gabonese

noun

Gabonese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

1,172,798 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.47% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist

Sex ratio

all ages

1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.89 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Capital

Libreville

Constitution

adopted 14 March 1991

Data code

GB

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA

telephone

[1] (202) 797-1000

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president

chief of state

President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage on 5 December 1993 (next election to be held 1998); results - President Omar BONGO received 51% of the vote

head of government

Prime Minister Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9 December 1994) was appointed by the president

FAX

[1] (202) 332-0668

[241] 74 55 07

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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

Legislative branch

unicameral; note - the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a senate has not been implemented

Name of country

conventional long form

Gabonese Republic

conventional short form

Gabon

local long form

Republique Gabonaise

local short form

Gabon

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held on 5 December 1993 (next to be held by July 1996, according to the October 1994 Paris Accords; however, President BONGO has indicated that date might slip); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) PDG 64, National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons/RNB) 17, PGP 12, National Recovery Movement (Morena-Original) 2, PUP 4, CLR 1, FAR 4, UPG 1, independents 15

National holiday

Renovation Day, 12 March (1968) (Gabonese Democratic Party established)

Political parties and leaders

Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, former sole party), Simplice Guedet MANZELA, secretary general; Circle of Liberal Reformers (CLR), General Jean Boniface ASSELE; People's Unity Party (PUP), Louis Gaston MAYILA; Gabonese Socialist Union (USG), Dr. Serge Mba BEKALE; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons/RNB), Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE; Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP), Pierre-Louis AGONDHO-OKAWE, president; National Recovery Movement (Morena-Origina), note - this party won 2 seats in the 5 December 1993 elections for the National Assembly but is no longer very active; Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP), Pierre Louis AGONDJO OKAWE; African Forum for Reconstruction (FAR), Leon MBOU-YEMBI, secretary general; Gabonese People's Union (UPG), Pierre MAMBOUNDOU

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Elizabeth RASPOLIC

embassy

Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville

mailing address

B. P. 4000, Libreville

telephone

[241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92

Agriculture

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber; okoume (a tropical softwood); cattle; small fishing operations (provide a catch of about 20,000 metric tons)

Budget

expenditures

$1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $311 million (1993 est.)

revenues

$1.3 billion

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $75 million (1993)

Economic overview

Notwithstanding its serious ongoing economic problems, Gabon enjoys a per capita income more than three times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Real GDP growth has been feeble since 1992 and Gabon continues to face the problem of fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite an abundance of natural wealth, and a manageable rate of population growth, 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 15% in 1995. Nevertheless, the government must continue to keep a tight rein on spending and wage increases. The IMF and France are considering offering financial assistance in 1996 if Gabon shows progress in privatization and fiscal discipline.

Electricity

capacity

315,000 kW

consumption per capita

757 kWh (1993)

production

910 million kWh

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)

note

beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

crude oil 80%, timber 14%, manganese 6%, uranium

partners

US 50%, France 16%, Japan 8%, Spain 6%, Germany NA (1994 est.)

External debt

$3.8 billion (1993 )

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

8.2%

industry

44.7%

services

47.1% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$5,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

2% (1995 est.)

Imports

$800 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

foodstuffs, chemical products, petroleum products, construction materials, manufactures, machinery

partners

France 35%, African countries, US, Japan, Netherlands (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

-3% (1991)

Industries

food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15% (1995 est.)

Labor force

120,000 salaried

by occupation

agriculture 65.0%, industry and commerce 30.0%, services 2.5%, government 2.5%

Unemployment rate

10%-14% (1993 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $154 million, 2.4% of GDP (1993)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

273,662

males fit for military service

139,439

males reach military age (20) annually

10,966 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios

250,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone 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)

Telephones

22,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

3 (repeaters 5)

Televisions

40,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

54

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

7

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

21

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

8

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

15 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

560 km

total

7,456 km

unpaved

6,896 km (1988 est.)

Merchant marine

total

3 bulk (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 36,976 GRT/60,319 DWT (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km

Ports

Cape Lopez, Kango, Lambarene, Libreville, Mayumba, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Railways

standard gauge

649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)

total

649 km Gabon State Railways (OCTRA)

Waterways

1,600 km perennially navigable