Gabon ( Republique Gabonaise) is a country in Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea. Gabon geographic coordinates 1 00 S, 11 45 E; area 257,667 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Colorado; land boundaries Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km; coastline 885 km; maritime claims 24 n; climate tropical; always hot, humid; terrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south; elevation extremes Mont Iboundji 1,575 m; natural resources petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower; land use 98.08% (2001); irrigated land 150 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards NA; environment current issues deforestation; poaching; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; 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;

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Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are unlikely to bring change since the 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. 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; independence 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; suffrage 21 years of age; universal;

people

Gabon population 1,389,201 estimates for this country explicit; age structure 4.1% (male 23,551/female 33,182) (2005 est.); median age 18.8 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 2.45% (2005 est.); birth rate 36.24 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 11.72 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 63.21 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 57.34 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 8.1% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 48,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 3,000 (2003 est.); major infectious diseases malaria (2004); nationality Gabonese; 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; religions Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%; languages French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi; literacy 53.3% (1995 est.);

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