Gabon at a glance
2009-08-27 14:05
Libreville - Gabon, where an election takes place on Sunday to choose a successor to the late Omar Bongo, is a resource-rich country that straddles the equator on the Atlantic coast of Africa.
It retains strong links to France, which ruled it in colonial times.
- GEOGRAPHY: At 267 667 square kilometres, Gabon is slightly larger than the United Kingdom, and two-thirds the size of Japan. It has borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Republic of Congo.
- POPULATION: 1.4 million (2006, World Bank).
- CAPITAL: Libreville (525 000 inhabitants). Port Gentil is the main economic centre.
- OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: French.
- RELIGION: Christian (80%), Muslim and animist.
- HISTORY: Formerly part of French equatorial Africa, Gabon gained independence along with most other French African colonies in 1960. Leon M'Ba became president.
On his death in November 1967, he was succeeded by Bongo, who announced the formation of a one-party state.
Constitutional reforms were adopted in May 1990 to facilitate the transition to a multi-party system, but the death of an opposition leader caused violent demonstrations which resulted in French military intervention.
In 2003 a constitutional change provided for one-round elections and allowed the head of state to rule for more than two terms.
Despite pressure for democratisation, however, Bongo was able to remain as the head of the country for no less than 41 years, until his death in June.
- POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS: The 1991 Constitution provides for a multi-party system which invests broad executive power in the president. The president appoints the prime minister, who appoints the Council of Ministers. There is a two-chamber parliament.
- ECONOMY: Oil revenues represent between 50 and 60 percent of the country's resources.
In addition to tropical timber, Gabon also has large manganese and uranium reserves.
- GNP: $10 941 per capita (2008, World Bank).
