Gabon

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.ga

Internet hosts

127 (2012) country comparison to the world: 206

Internet users

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

Telephone system

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 with mobile-cellular teledensity exceeding 100 per 100 persons 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) (2011)

Telephones - main lines in use

22,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 187

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.8 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 145

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $5.395 billion expenditures: $4.277 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

6.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Central bank discount rate

3% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 44 15% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

$3.747 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 32 $3.514 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$2.758 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $2.726 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Economy - overview

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 economy was reliant on oil for about 50% of its GDP, about 70% of revenues, and 87% of goods exports for 2010, although some fields have passed their peak production. A rebound of oil prices from 1999 to 2008 helped growth, but declining production has 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. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management has stifled the economy. However, President BONGO has made efforts to increase transparency and is taking steps to make Gabon a more attractive investment destination to diversify the economy. BONGO has attempted to boost growth by increasing government investment in human resources and infrastructure. GDP grew more than 6% per year over the 2010-12 period.

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 515.1 (2012 est.) 471.87 (2011 est.) 495.28 (2010 est.) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008)

Exports

$10.82 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $10.86 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium

Exports - partners

US 41.7%, Australia 9.3%, Malaysia 8.5%, Japan 6%, China 5.1%, Spain 4.6% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.8 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$26.71 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $25.17 billion (2011 est.) $23.61 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4.2% industry: 53.7% services: 42% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$17,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $16,600 (2011 est.) $15,800 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.1% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 6.6% (2011 est.) 6.6% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$3.496 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $3.194 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners

France 32.6%, China 8.3%, US 6.3%, Belgium 5.7%, Cameroon 4.3% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 62 1.3% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

32.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Labor force

756,200 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

23% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 22.2% of GDP (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.43 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $2.177 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$3.918 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $3.534 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.95 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $1.817 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$2.68 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $2.47 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Unemployment rate

21% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 163

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

4.592 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Crude oil - exports

226,800 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Crude oil - production

244,700 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Crude oil - proved reserves

1.309 billion bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Electricity - consumption

1.301 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Electricity - from fossil fuels

59% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

41% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Electricity - installed generating capacity

415,000 kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - production

1.604 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - consumption

80 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Natural gas - production

80 million cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Refined petroleum products - consumption

15,800 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Refined petroleum products - exports

8,985 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Refined petroleum products - imports

5,890 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Refined petroleum products - production

20,700 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Area

total: 267,667 sq km country comparison to the world: 77 land: 257,667 sq km water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

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

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Geography - note

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

40 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

164 cu km (1987)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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

Constitution

adopted 14 March 1991

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Eric D. BENJAMINSON 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael MOUSSA-ADAMO chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 note: temporary address: 1630 Connecticut Avenue NW, 7th floor, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668 consulate(s): New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Raymond NDONG SIMA (since 27 February 2012) 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 were held on 30 August 2009 and the son of the former president, Ali Ben BONGO Ondimba, was elected president

Flag description

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

republic; multiparty presidential regime

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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

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

Legal system

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

Legislative branch

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 December 2011 (next to be held in December 2016) 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 114, RPG 3, others 3

National anthem

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

National symbol(s)

black panther

Political parties and leaders

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 pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. 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. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections in brought Ali Ben BONGO, son of the former president, 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 prosperous and stable African countries.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 350,640 females age 16-49: 351,718 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 202,404 females age 16-49: 195,389 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 17,638 female: 17,614 (2010 est.)

Military branches

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

Military expenditures

0.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 142

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 340,483/ female 337,491) 15-64 years: 54% (male 433,251/ female 435,162) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 26,155/ female 35,779) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

35 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

8.8% (2001) country comparison to the world: 68

Death rate

13.07 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

5.2% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,400 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

46,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59

Health expenditures

6% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 106

Hospital bed density

1.25 beds/1,000 population (2008)

Infant mortality rate

total: 49 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 44 male: 56.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 41.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.29 years country comparison to the world: 210 male: 51.65 years female: 52.93 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.4% male: 91.9% female: 84.9% (2010 est.)

Major cities - population

LIBREVILLE (capital) 619,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

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)

Maternal mortality rate

230 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 49

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.4 years female: 18.9 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate

-2.16 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Physicians density

0.29 physicians/1,000 population (2004)

Population

1,608,321 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 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

Population growth rate

1.977% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 33% of population rural: 30% of population total: 33% of population unimproved: urban: 67% of population rural: 70% of population total: 67% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2002)

Sex ratio

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: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.56 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Urbanization

urban population: 86% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

45 (2012) country comparison to the world: 96

Airports - with paved runways

total: 14 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 14 (2012)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 140

Pipelines

gas 294 km; oil 893 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Railways

total: 649 km country comparison to the world: 105 standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

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

Waterways

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