Statistical information Gabon 2001

Gabon in the World
Gabon - Introduction 2001
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 coordinates: 1 00 S 11 45 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 267,667 km²
Land: 257,667 km²
Water: 10,000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundariesTotal: 2,551 km
Border countries: (3) Cameroon 298 km;
, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km;
, Equatorial Guinea 350 kmCoastline: 885 km
Maritime 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 hydropower
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 pagePopulationNote: 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 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 1.02% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
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 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality
Languages: French (official) Fang Myene Bateke Bapounou/Eschira Bandjabi
Religions: Christian 55%-75% animist Muslim less than 1%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 33.29% (male 203,677; female 202,833)
15-64 years: 60.77% (male 373,828; female 368,282)
65 years and over: 5.94% (male 35,867; female 36,688) (2001 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.02% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 27.42 births/1000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 17.22 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 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/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male/female
Total population: 1.01 male/female (2001 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 94.91 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 49.59 years
Male: 48.47 years
Female: 50.75 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.69 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsAdult prevalence rate: 4.16% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 23,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 2000 (1999 est.)
Major 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 in 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: Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) 12 March (1968)
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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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%
Legislative branchElections: National Assembly - last held 15 and 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 89, PGP 9, RNB 6, CLR 3, UPG 2, USG 2, independents 4, others 5; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9
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 leaders: African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; 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 secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Serge MBA BEKALE]; National Rally of Woodcutters (Bucherons) or RNB [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]
International organization participation: ACCT ACP AfDB BDEAC CCC CEEAC CEMAC ECA FAO FZ G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS (associate) ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC ITU NAM OAU OIC OPCW UN 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 James V. LEDESMA
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; 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 manganese and uranium exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth 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 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. An expected decline in oil output may lead to contraction in GDP in 2001-02.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 1.2% (2000 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2000 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 10%
Industry: 60%
Services: 30% (1999 est.)
Agriculture products: cocoa coffee sugar palm oil rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
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: 600,000
By occupation agriculture: 60%
By occupation services and government: 25%
By occupation industry and commerce: 15%
Unemployment rate: 21% (1997 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareLowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%
Distribution 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 prices: 1.5% (2000 est.)
Central bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $3.4 billion (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: crude oil 75% timber manganese uranium (1998)
Partners: US 47% France 19% China 8% Japan 1.3% (1999)
Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs chemicals petroleum products construction materials
Partners: France 64% US 4% UK 2% Netherlands 2% (1999)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $3.9 billion (2000 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001) 711.98 (2000) 615.70 (1999) 589.95 (1998) 583.67 (1997) 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999 the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
top of pageElectricityProduction: 1.02 billion kWh (1999)
Production by source fossil fuel: 29.9%
Production by source hydro: 70.1%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1999)
Consumption: 948.6 million kWh (1999)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitaGabon - Communication 2001
top of pageTelephonesMain lines in use: 37,000 (1997)
Mobile cellular: 9,500 (1997)
Telephone systemGeneral assessment: NA
Domestic: 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 mediaInternetCountry code: .ga
Service providers isps: 1 (2000)
Users: 5,000 (2000)
Broadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $91 million (FY96)
Percent of gdp: 1.6% (FY96)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupsGabon - Transportation 2001
top of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 59 (2000 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 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 49
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 17
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 24 (2000 est.)
HeliportsPipelines: crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
RailwaysTotal: 649 km (Gabon State Railways or OCTRA)
Standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge; single track (1994)
RoadwaysWaterways: 1600 km (perennially navigable)
Merchant marinePorts and terminalsGabon - Transnational issues 2001
top of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs