Statistical information Gabon 1998

Gabon in the World
Gabon - Introduction 1998
top of pageBackground: Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France in 1960 Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population abundant natural resources and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries.
top of pageLocation: Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundariesCoastlineMaritime claimsContiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain: narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources: petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore
Land useArable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 18%
Forests and woodland: 77%
Other: 3% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 40 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: NA
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 1,207,844 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.48% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Gabonese
Ethnic groups: Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 6,000 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 33% (male 202,364; female 202,249)
15-64 years: 61% (male 372,157; female 364,806)
65 years and over: 6% (male 32,718; female 33,550) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.48% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 28 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 13.23 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: deforestation; poaching
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 85.43 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 56.51 years
Male: 53.55 years
Female: 59.56 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.81 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 63.2%
Male: 73.7%
Female: 53.3% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Gabonese Republic
Conventional short form: Gabon
Local long form: Republique Gabonaise
Local short form: Gabon
Government type: republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
Capital: Libreville
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Dependent areasIndependence: 17 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted full independence from France)
Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991
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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9 December 1994)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: President Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote_Omar BONGO 51%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (91 seats) and a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms
Elections: National Assembly_last held in December 1996 (next to be held in December 2001); Senate_last held 12 January 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)
Election results: National Assembly_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party - PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1, UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERA 3, RDP 1, others 15
Note: the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a senate was implemented in the 12 January 1997 elections
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA
In the us chancery: Suite 200, 2,034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
In the us fax: [1] (202) 332-0668
In the us consulates: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth RASPOLIC
From the us embassy: Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
From the us mailing address: B. P. 4,000, Libreville
From the us telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92
From the us fax: [241] 74 55 07
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 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 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, manganese, and uranium exports. Despite the 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 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95 and a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995. 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 chastened the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform (such as reduced public sector employment and salary growth).
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3% (1996 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $5,000 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 7.1%
Industry: 54.6%
Services: 38.3% (1996)
Agriculture products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil; rubber; okoume (a tropical softwood; cattle; small fishing operations (provide a catch of about 30,000 metric tons)
Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair
Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (1995)
Labor force: NA
By occupation agriculture: 65%
By occupation services and government: 25%
By occupation industry and commerce: 10%
Unemployment rate: 10%-14% (1993 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $1.5 billion
Expenditures: $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $302 million (1996 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: total value:$3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: crude oil 81%, timber 12%, manganese 5%, uranium (1996)
Partners: US 50%, France 16%, Japan 8%, China, Spain, Germany (1996)
Imports: total value:$969 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, petroleum products, construction materials
Partners: France 39%, Cote d'Ivoire 13%, US 6%, Netherlands 5%, Japan
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $3.9 billion (1996)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1_608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993)
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
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 310,000 kW (1995)
Production: 925 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 800 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaGabon - Communication 1998
top of pageTelephones: 22,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: 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)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $154 million (1993)
Percent of gdp: 2.4% (1993)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsGabon - Transportation 1998
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 64 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 54
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 18
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 26 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
RailwaysTotal: 649 km Gabon State Railways (OCTRA)
Standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)
RoadwaysWaterways: 1,600 km perennially navigable
Merchant marine: total:3 bulk (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 37,003 GRT/60,663 DWT (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalsGabon - Transnational issues 1998
top of pageDisputes international: maritime boundary dispute with Equatorial Guinea because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs