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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

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

Internet country code [time series]

.ga

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

90 (2010) country comparison to the world: 205

Internet users [time series]

98,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 160

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations domestic: a growing mobile-cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available; subscribership reached 90 per 100 persons in 2009 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) (2009)

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

26,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 181

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1.373 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 141

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 99 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$591 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 50 $887 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.374 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.352 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 although the industry is in decline as fields pass their peak production. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports and the global recession led to a GDP contraction of 1.4% in 2009. 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 from 1999 to 2008 helped growth, but drops in production have hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2007, and later that year issued a $1 billion sovereign bond to buy back a sizable portion of its Paris Club debt.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.446 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.774 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Exchange rates [time series]

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)

Exports [time series]

$6.803 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100 $6.04 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium

Exports - partners [time series]

Russia 30.62%, US 16.56%, China 15.87%, France 4.28% (2009)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$12.56 billion (2010 est.)

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

$22.54 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 120 $21.39 billion (2009 est.) $21.69 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

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

agriculture: 4.5% industry: 62.7% services: 32.8% (2010 est.)

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

$14,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 78 $14,100 (2009 est.) $14,600 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

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

5.4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 47 -1.4% (2009 est.) 2.3% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 32.7% (2005)

Imports [time series]

$2.433 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 $2.298 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners [time series]

France 32.21%, US 7.92%, China 7.02%, Belgium 4.99%, Italy 4.81%, Cameroon 4.56%, Netherlands 4.35% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

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]

-1.3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 4 1.9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

28.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Labor force [time series]

712,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 60% industry: 15% services: 25% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

90 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Natural gas - production [time series]

90 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

Oil - consumption [time series]

14,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Oil - exports [time series]

227,300 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 51

Oil - imports [time series]

4,185 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - production [time series]

241,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 41

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

2 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

25.8% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 27.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$2.602 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $1.993 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$2.764 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.468 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$1.074 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 $826.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$1.835 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 122 $1.623 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate [time series]

21% (2006 est.); NA% country comparison to the world: 170

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 267,667 sq km country comparison to the world: 76 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, 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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%) per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

164 cu km (1987)

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 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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos Victor 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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Paul BIYOGHE MBA (since 15 July 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 30 August 2009 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba elected; percent of vote - Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO 3.9%, other 3.3% note: President BONGO died on 8 June 2009 after serving as president for 32 years; in accordance with the constitution he was replaced on an interim basis by the president of the Senate, Rose Francine ROGOMBE on 10 June 2009; new elections where held on 30 August 2009 and the son of the former president, Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba, was elected president

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Independence [time series]

17 August 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

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, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, 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 (102 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 on 18 January 2009 (next to be held in January 2015); National Assembly - last held on 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 75, RPG 6, UGDD 3, CLR 2, PGCI 2, PSD 2, UPG 2, ADERE 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 anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "La Concorde" (The Concorde) lyrics/music: Georges Aleka DAMAS note: adopted 1960

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 [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA] (former sole party); 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 parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Until recently, only two autocratic presidents had ruled Gabon since its independence from France in 1960. The recent president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - had 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 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. President BONGO died in June 2009. New elections in August 2009 brought Ali Ben BONGO, son of the former president, to power. 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. In January 2010, Gabon assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2010-11 term.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 344,147 females age 16-49: 345,292 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 198,970 females age 16-49: 192,807 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 17,283 female: 17,276 (2010 est.)

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

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

Military expenditures [time series]

0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 145

Military service age and obligation [time series]

20 years of age for voluntary military service; there is no conscription (2009)

People

Age structure [time series]

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) (2010 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

35.39 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Death rate [time series]

12.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.8% of GDP (2000) country comparison to the world: 120

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]

5.9% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 13

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

2,300 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

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

49,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 65

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 50.88 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 49 male: 59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 42.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 52.75 years country comparison to the world: 206 male: 51.96 years female: 53.58 years (2010 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 and chikungunya water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age [time series]

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2010 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate [time series]

-2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 176

Population [time series]

1,545,255 country comparison to the world: 151 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 2010 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.025% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Religions [time series]

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 12 years (1999)

Sex ratio [time series]

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 (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.62 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 85% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 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): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

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)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

44 (2010) country comparison to the world: 97

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 13 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 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 14 (2010)

Merchant marine [time series]

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 148

Pipelines [time series]

gas 240 km; oil 858 km (2009)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Railways [time series]

total: 814 km country comparison to the world: 100 standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways [time series]

total: 9,170 km country comparison to the world: 138 paved: 937 km unpaved: 8,233 km (2004)

Waterways [time series]

1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2010) country comparison to the world: 51