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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.ga

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

288 (2007)

Internet users [time series]

81,000 (2006)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

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

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate service by African standards and improving with the help of a growing mobile cell network system with three providers; mobile-cellular subscribership exceeded 50 per 100 persons in 2006 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)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

36,500 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

764,700 (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

4 (plus 4 repeaters) (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $3.027 billion expenditures: $2.146 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

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

Current account balance [time series]

$1.691 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$3.849 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$53.87 million (2005)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. 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 currency by 50% in 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 mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon 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. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.241 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.52 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

Exports [time series]

$6.053 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

US 27.6%, China 15.9%, France 7.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2006)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$6.945 billion (2006 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$10.19 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 6% industry: 58.4% services: 35.6% (2006 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$7,100 (2006 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

1.2% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$1.501 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners [time series]

France 35.3%, US 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Cameroon 4.5%, Belgium 4.4% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.6% (2002 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

23.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force [time series]

574,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25%

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

95.91 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production [time series]

95.91 million cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

32.59 billion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

13,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

268,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

1.835 billion bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

49.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.122 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

21% (2006 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate [time series]

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline [time series]

885 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; poaching

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, 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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Geography - note [time series]

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 [time series]

70 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1.21% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 98.15% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Libreville geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

adopted 14 March 1991

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY embassy: Boulevard du Bord de 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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Independence [time series]

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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 [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; 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]; 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]; Union for Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS; Union of Gabonese Patriots or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 almost 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.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 278,826 females age 18-49: 279,865 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 159,198 females age 18-49: 156,122 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 15,325 females age 18-49: 15,367 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

3.4% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

20 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2007)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 42.1% (male 307,444/female 305,468) 15-64 years: 53.9% (male 391,194/female 393,103) 65 years and over: 4% (male 23,978/female 33,680) (2007 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

35.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate [time series]

12.45 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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 [time series]

8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

48,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 53.65 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.53 deaths/1,000 live births female: 44.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 53.99 years male: 52.85 years female: 55.17 years (2007 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Median age [time series]

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.8 years (2007 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate [time series]

-3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population [time series]

1,454,867 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 2007 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.036% (2007 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.006 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.995 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.712 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.71 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 7,298 (Republic of Congo) (2006)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

53 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 43 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 23 (2007)

Merchant marine [time series]

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2007)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 272 km; oil 1,354 km (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Railways [time series]

total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways [time series]

total: 9,170 km paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Waterways [time series]

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2007)