Gabon

Internet country code

.ga

Internet hosts

93 (2004)

Internet users

35,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

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: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Telephones - main lines in use

38,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

300,000 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Agriculture - products

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Budget

revenues: $1.771 billion expenditures: $1.413 billion, including capital expenditures of $310 million (2003 est.)

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code

XAF

Current account balance

$-101 million (2003)

Debt - external

$3.284 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$331 million (1995)

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, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. 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. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Electricity - consumption

742.5 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

798.4 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)

Exports

$2.891 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners

US 51.5%, France 8.7%, China 7.5%, Japan 4% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $7.301 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 8.1% industry: 48.8% services: 43.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$1.079 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners

France 49.9%, US 5.3%, UK 4.6% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

1.6% (2002 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.5% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.7% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

610,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Natural gas - consumption

80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

66.47 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

301,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

2.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

31.5% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$201.9 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

21% (1997 est.)

Area

total: 267,667 sq km land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

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

Irrigated land

150 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,551 km border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Land use

arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

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

Country name

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic conventional short form: Gabon local long form: Republique Gabonaise local short form: Gabon

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth P. MOOREFIELD embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92 FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York

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%

Flag description

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

Government type

republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

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

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

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 2003 (next to be held by January 2009) 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

National holiday

Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Political parties and leaders

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]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; 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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Background

Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. In addition, recent strikes have underscored the popular disenchantment with the political system. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the 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.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$149.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 314,434 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 162,847 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 13,462 (2004 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 286,819; female 285,184) 15-64 years: 53.7% (male 362,311; female 365,132) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,157; female 32,643) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

36.4 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

11.43 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

48,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 54.34 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 56.46 years male: 54.85 years female: 58.12 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Median age

total: 18.5 years male: 18.3 years female: 18.8 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

1,355,246 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 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.5% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.8 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Equatorial Guinea is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

Airports

56 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Pipelines

gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)