Following, independence from France in 1960, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-ruling heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential election in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.

President Ali BONGO Ondimba’s controversial August 2016 reelection sparked unprecedented opposition protests that resulted in the burning of the parliament building. The election was contested by the opposition after fraudulent results were flagged by international election observers. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the election results but ruled in favor of President BONGO, upholding his win and extending his mandate to 2023.

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

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Africa

slightly smaller than Colorado

885 km

tropical; always hot, humid

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

highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

arable land 1.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 17.2%

40 sq km (2012)

the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest

none

deforestation; burgeoning population exacerbating disposal of solid waste; oil industry contributing to water pollution; wildlife poaching

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

1,772,255

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

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

Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 13.7%, other Christian 32.4%, Muslim 6.4%, animist 0.3%, other 0.3%, none/no answer 5% (2012 est.)

Gabon’s oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. With a fertility rate still averaging more than 4 children per woman, the youth population will continue to grow and further strain the mismatch between Gabon’s supply of jobs and the skills of its labor force.

Gabon has been a magnet to migrants from neighboring countries since the 1960s because of the discovery of oil, as well as the country’s political stability and timber, mineral, and natural gas resources. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa. In 2011, Gabon declared an end to refugee status for 9,500 remaining Congolese nationals to whom it had granted asylum during the Republic of the Congo’s civil war between 1997 and 2003. About 5,400 of these refugees received permits to reside in Gabon.

1.92% (2017 est.)

34.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

13 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

-2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest

LIBREVILLE (capital) 707,000 (2015)

20.3 years

291 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

4.39 children born/woman (2017 est.)

31.1% (2012)

3.4% of GDP (2014)

6.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)

urban: 97.2% of population

rural: 66.7% of population

total: 93.2% of population

urban: 2.8% of population

rural: 33.3% of population

total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 43.4% of population

rural: 31.5% of population

total: 41.9% of population

urban: 56.6% of population

rural: 68.5% of population

total: 58.1% of population (2015 est.)

3.6% (2016 est.)

48,000 (2016 est.)

1,500 (2016 est.)

15% (2016)

6.5% (2012)

2.7% of GDP (2014)

presidential republic

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

17 August 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean-Boniface ASSELE]

Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [DIDJOB Divungui di Ndinge]

Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG [Ali BONGO Ondimba]

Independent Center Party of Gabon or PGCI [Luccheri GAHILA]

Rally for Gabon or RPG

Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

Union for the New Republic or UPRN [Louis Gaston MAYILA]

Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Richard MOULOMBA]

Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean PING]

Gabones Trade Union Confederation or GOSYGA [Martin ALLINI] (affiliated with the International Union Confederation)

National Convention of Trade Unions in the education sector or CONASYSED (banned by the governemnt in early 2017)

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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue; green represents the country's forests and natural resources, gold represents the equator (which transects Gabon) as well as the sun, blue represents the sea

black panther; national colors: green, yellow, blue

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 relied on timber and manganese exports until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. From 2010 to 2016, oil accounted for approximately 80% of Gabon’s exports, 45% of its GDP, and 60% of its state budget revenues.

Gabon faces fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. A rebound of oil prices from 2001 to 2013 helped growth, but declining production, as some fields passed their peak production, has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. GDP grew nearly 6% per year over the 2010-14 period, but slowed significantly in 2015 as oil prices declined. Low oil prices also weakened government revenue and negatively affected the trade and current account balances.

Despite an abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management and over-reliance on oil has stifled the economy. Power cuts and water shortages are frequent. Significant cuts in budget expenditures - Gabon’s budget has contracted for four years in a row - have not extended to the government’s priority projects, like a new stadium for the Africa Cup of Nations.

$35.78 billion (2016 est.)

$34.61 billion (2015 est.)

$32.96 billion (2014 est.)

$14.02 billion (2016 est.)

2.1% (2016 est.)

3.9% (2015 est.)

4.4% (2014 est.)

$19,000 (2016 est.)

$18,900 (2015 est.)

$18,400 (2014 est.)

24% of GDP (2016 est.)

29.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

43.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

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

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement

-2.5% (2016 est.)

546,300 (2016 est.)

28% (2015 est.)

20.4% (2014 est.)

34.3% (2015 est.)

20.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

-6.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

42.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

38.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

calendar year

2.1% (2016 est.)

-0.3% (2015 est.)

3% (31 December 2010)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

15.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

15.3% (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.053 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.251 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.207 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$3.483 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.097 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$2.382 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$NA

$-1.432 billion (2016 est.)

$-568.3 million (2015 est.)

$4.364 billion (2016 est.)

$5.023 billion (2015 est.)

crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium

US 45.7%, China 14.6%, South Korea 6.6%, Ireland 5.5%, Italy 5.1% (2016)

$3.19 billion (2016 est.)

$3.061 billion (2015 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

France 24.7%, Belgium 14.7%, China 12.8%, Australia 6.7% (2016)

$804.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$1.877 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$5.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$5.097 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

2.045 billion kWh (2015 est.)

1.907 billion kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

337 million kWh (2015 est.)

670,000 kW (2015 est.)

50.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

49.3% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

210,800 bbl/day (2016 est.)

202,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

2 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es)

16,810 bbl/day (2014 est.)

22,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

5,118 bbl/day (2014 est.)

8,851 bbl/day (2014 est.)

378 million cu m (2015 est.)

957 million cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

0 cu m (2013 est.)

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

6 million Mt (2013 est.)

state owns and operates 2 TV stations and 2 radio broadcast stations; a few private radio and TV stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible; satellite service subscriptions are available (2007)

.ga

TR (2016)

44 (2013)

gas 807 km; oil 1,639 km; water 3 km (2013)

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2010)

1.43% of GDP (2016)

1.19% of GDP (2015)

1.14% of GDP (2014)

1.6% of GDP (2013)

1.62% of GDP (2012)

Gabonese Defense Forces (Forces de Defense Gabonaise): Land Force (Force Terrestre), Gabonese Navy (Marine Gabonaise), Gabonese Air Forces (Forces Aerienne Gabonaises, FAG) (2012)

20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

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