Gabon

 

Bureau of African Affairs                                                     
June 2007                                                                     
                                                                       
  Background Note: Gabon                                                      
                                              
  Rain forest in Lope Reserve, Gabon,                                         
  July 4, 2001. [© AP Images]                                                 
                                                                       
  Flag of Gabon is three equal horizontal bands of green at top, yellow, and  
  blue.                                                                       
                                                                       
  PROFILE                                                                     
                                                                       
  OFFICIAL NAME:                                                              
  Gabonese Republic                                                           
                                                                       
  Geography                                                                   
  Area: 267,667 sq. km. (103,347 sq. mi.); about the size of Colorado.        
  Cities: Capital--Libreville (pop. 673,995). Other cities--Port-Gentil       
  (118,940), Franceville.                                                     
  Terrain: Narrow coastal plain; hilly, heavily forested interior (about 80%  
  forested); some savanna regions in east and south.                          
  Climate: Hot and humid all year with two rainy and two dry seasons.         
                                                                       
  People                                                                      
  Nationality: Noun and adjective--Gabonese (sing. and pl.).                  
  Population (July 2007 est.): 1,454,867.                                     
  Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.036%.                                     
  Ethnic groups: Fang (largest), Myene, Bapounou, Eshira, Bandjabi, Bakota,   
  Nzebi, Bateke/Obamba.                                                       
  Religions: Christian (55%-75%), Muslim, animist.                            
  Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira,        
  Bandjabi.                                                                   
  Education: Years compulsory--to age 16. Attendance--60%. Literacy--63%.     
  Health: Infant mortality rate--54/1,000. Life expectancy--54 yrs.           
  Work force (500,000 est.): Agriculture--52%; industry and commerce--16%;    
  services and government--33%.                                               
                                                                       
  Government                                                                  
  Type: Republic.                                                             
  Independence: August 17, 1960.                                              
  Constitution: February 21, 1961 (revised April 15, 1975; rewritten March 26,
  1991; revised July 29, 2003).                                               
  Branches: Executive--president (head of state); prime minister (head of     
  government) and appointed Council of Ministers. Legislative--bicameral      
  legislature (National Assembly and Senate). Judicial--Supreme Court.        
  Administrative subdivisions: 9 provinces, 36 prefectures, and 8             
  subprefectures.                                                             
  Political parties: Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG) holds the largest number
  of seats in the National Assembly; there are several others.                
  Suffrage: Universal, direct.                                                
  Central government budget (2001 est.): Receipts--$1.6 billion; expenses--$1.2
  billion; defense (1999)--3.0% of government budget.                         
                                                                       
  Economy                                                                     
  GDP (2006 est.): $7.052 billion.                                            
  Annual real growth rate (2006 est.): 2.8%.                                  
  Per capita income (2006 est.): $7,200.                                      
  Avg. inflation rate (2006 est.): 2.2%.                                      
  Natural resources: Petroleum (43% of GDP), timber, manganese, uranium.      
  Agriculture and forestry (5.9% of GDP): Products--cocoa, coffee, rubber,    
  sugar, and pineapples. Cultivated land--1%.                                 
  Industry (59.7% of GDP): Types--petroleum related, wood processing, food and
  beverage processing.                                                        
  Services (25% of GDP).                                                      
  Trade (2006): Exports--$6.677 billion (f.o.b.): petroleum, wood, manganese. 
  Major markets--U.S. 53%, China 8.5%, France 7.4%, EU, Asia. Imports--$1.607 
  billion (f.o.b.): construction equipment, machinery, food, automobiles,     
  manufactured goods. Major suppliers--France 43%, U.S. 6.3%, U.K. 5.8%,      
  Netherlands 4%. Current account balance (2006 est.)--$1.807 billion.        
                                                                       
  PEOPLE                                                                      
  Almost all Gabonese are of Bantu origin. Gabon has at least 40 ethnic groups,
  with separate languages and cultures. The largest is the Fang (about 30%).  
  Other ethnic groups include the Myene, Bandjabi, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke/  
  Obamba, Nzebi, and Bakota. Ethnic group boundaries are less sharply drawn in
  Gabon than elsewhere in Africa. French, the official language, is a unifying
  force. More than 12,000 French people live in Gabon, including an estimated 
  2,000 dual nationals, and France dominates foreign cultural and commercial  
  influences. Historical and environmental factors caused Gabon's population to
  decline between 1900 and 1940. It is one of the least densely inhabited     
  countries in Africa, and a labor shortage is a major obstacle to development
  and a draw for foreign workers. The population is generally accepted to be  
  just over 1 million but remains in dispute.                                 
                                                                       
  HISTORY                                                                     
  During the last seven centuries, Bantu ethnic groups arrived in the area from
  several directions to escape enemies or find new land. Little is known of   
  tribal life before European contact, but tribal art suggests rich cultural  
  heritages. Gabon's first European visitors were Portuguese traders who      
  arrived in the 15th century and named the country after the Portuguese word 
  "gabao," a coat with sleeve and hood resembling the shape of the Komo River 
  estuary. The coast became a center of the slave trade. Dutch, British, and  
  French traders came in the 16th century. France assumed the status of       
  protector by signing treaties with Gabonese coastal chiefs in 1839 and 1841.
  American missionaries from New England established a mission at Baraka (now 
  Libreville) in 1842. In 1849, the French captured a slave ship and released 
  the passengers at the mouth of the Komo River. The slaves named their       
  settlement Libreville--"free town." An American, Paul du Chaillu, was among 
  the first foreigners to explore the interior of the country in the 1850s.   
  French explorers penetrated Gabon's dense jungles between 1862 and 1887. The
  most famous, Savorgnan de Brazza, used Gabonese bearers and guides in his   
  search for the headwaters of the Congo River. France occupied Gabon in 1885 
  but did not administer it until 1903. In 1910, Gabon became one of the four 
  territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until   
  1959. The territories became independent in 1960 as the Central African     
  Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), and Gabon.                             
                                                                       
  At the time of Gabon's independence in 1960, two principal political parties
  existed: the Bloc Democratique Gabonais (BDG), led by Leon M'Ba, and the    
  Union Democratique et Sociale Gabonaise (UDSG), led by J.H. Aubame. In the  
  first post-independence election, held under a parliamentary system, neither
  party was able to win a majority. The BDG obtained support from three of the
  four independent legislative deputies, and M'Ba was named Prime Minister.   
  Soon after concluding that Gabon had an insufficient number of people for a 
  two-party system, the two party leaders agreed on a single list of          
  candidates. In the February 1961 election, held under the new presidential  
  system, M'Ba became President and Aubame became Foreign Minister.           
                                                                       
  This one-party system appeared to work until February 1963, when the larger 
  BDG element forced the UDSG members to choose between a merger of the parties
  or resignation. The UDSG cabinet ministers resigned, and M'Ba called an     
  election for February 1964 and a reduced number of National Assembly deputies
  (from 67 to 47). The UDSG failed to muster a list of candidates able to meet
  the requirements of the electoral decrees. When the BDG appeared likely to  
  win the election by default, the Gabonese military toppled M'Ba in a        
  bloodless coup on February 18, 1964. French troops re-established his       
  government the next day. Elections were held in April 1964 with many        
  opposition participants. BDG-supported candidates won 31 seats and the      
  opposition 16. Late in 1966, the constitution was revised to provide for    
  automatic succession of the vice president should the president die in      
  office. In March 1967, Leon M'Ba and Omar Bongo (then Albert Bongo) were    
  elected President and Vice President. M'Ba died later that year, and Omar   
  Bongo became President.                                                     
                                                                       
  In March 1968, Bongo declared Gabon a one-party state by dissolving the BDG 
  and establishing a new party--the Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG). He     
  invited all Gabonese, regardless of previous political affiliation, to      
  participate. Bongo was elected President in February 1975; in April 1975, the
  office of vice president was abolished and replaced by the office of prime  
  minister, who had no right to automatic succession. Bongo was re-elected    
  President in December 1979 and November 1986 to 7-year terms. Using the PDG 
  as a tool to submerge the regional and tribal rivalries that divided Gabonese
  politics in the past, Bongo sought to forge a single national movement in   
  support of the government's development policies.                           
                                                                       
  Economic discontent and a desire for political liberalization provoked      
  violent demonstrations and strikes by students and workers in early 1990. In
  response to grievances by workers, Bongo negotiated with them on a          
  sector-by-sector basis, making significant wage concessions. In addition, he
  promised to open up the PDG and to organize a national political conference 
  in March-April 1990 to discuss Gabon's future political system. The PDG and 
  74 political organizations attended the conference. Participants essentially
  divided into two loose coalitions, the ruling PDG and its allies, and the   
  United Front of Opposition Associations and Parties, consisting of the      
  breakaway Morena Fundamental and the Gabonese Progress Party.               
                                                                       
  The April 1990 conference approved sweeping political reforms, including    
  creation of a national Senate, decentralization of the budgetary process,   
  freedom of assembly and press, and cancellation of the exit visa requirement.
  In an attempt to guide the political system's transformation to multiparty  
  democracy, Bongo resigned as PDG chairman and created a transitional        
  government headed by a new Prime Minister, Casimir Oye-Mba. The Gabonese    
  Social Democratic Grouping (RSDG), as the resulting government was called,  
  was smaller than the previous government and included representatives from  
  several opposition parties in its cabinet. The RSDG drafted a provisional   
  constitution in May 1990 that provided a basic bill of rights and an        
  independent judiciary but retained strong executive powers for the president.
  After further review by a constitutional committee and the National Assembly,
  this document came into force in March 1991. Under the 1991 constitution, in
  the event of the president's death, the prime minister, the National Assembly
  president, and the defense minister were to share power until a new election
  could be held.                                                              
                                                                       
  Opposition to the PDG continued, however, and in September 1990, two coup   
  d'etat attempts were uncovered and aborted. Despite anti-government         
  demonstrations after the untimely death of an opposition leader, the first  
  multiparty National Assembly elections in almost 30 years took place in     
  September-October 1990, with the PDG garnering a large majority.            
                                                                       
  Following President Bongo's re-election in December 1993 with 51% of the    
  vote, opposition candidates refused to validate the election results. Serious
  civil disturbances led to an agreement between the government and opposition
  factions to work toward a political settlement. These talks led to the Paris
  Accords in November 1994, under which several opposition figures were       
  included in a government of national unity. This arrangement soon broke down,
  however, and the 1996 and 1997 legislative and municipal elections provided 
  the background for renewed partisan politics. The PDG won a landslide victory
  in the legislative election, but several major cities, including Libreville,
  elected opposition mayors during the 1997 local election.                   
                                                                       
  President Bongo coasted to easy re-elections in December 1998 and November  
  2005, with large majorities of the vote against a divided opposition. While 
  Bongo's major opponents rejected the outcome as fraudulent, some            
  international observers characterized the results as representative despite 
  any perceived irregularities. Legislative elections held in 2001-02, which  
  were boycotted by a number of smaller opposition parties and were widely    
  criticized for their administrative weaknesses, produced a National Assembly
  almost completely dominated by the PDG and allied independents. National    
  Assembly elections were held again in December 2006.                        
                                                                       
  GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS                                         
  Under the 1961 constitution (revised in 1975, rewritten in 1991, and revised
  in 2003), Gabon is a republic with a presidential form of government. The   
  National Assembly has 120 deputies elected for a 5-year term. The president 
  is elected by universal suffrage for a 7-year term. The president can appoint
  and dismiss the prime minister, the cabinet, and judges of the independent  
  Supreme Court. The president also has other strong powers, such as authority
  to dissolve the National Assembly, declare a state of siege, delay          
  legislation, and conduct referenda. A 2003 constitutional amendment removed 
  presidential term limits and facilitated a presidency for life.             
                                                                       
  In 1990 the government made major changes to Gabon's political system. A    
  transitional constitution was drafted in May 1990 as an outgrowth of the    
  national political conference in March-April and later revised by a         
  constitutional committee. Among its provisions were a Western-style bill of 
  rights; creation of a National Council of Democracy to oversee the guarantee
  of those rights; a governmental advisory board on economic and social issues;
  and an independent judiciary. After approval by the National Assembly, the  
  PDG Central Committee, and the President, the Assembly unanimously adopted  
  the constitution in March 1991. Multiparty legislative elections were held in
  1990-91, despite the fact that opposition parties had not been declared     
  formally legal.                                                             
                                                                       
  The elections produced the first representative, multiparty National        
  Assembly. In January 1991, the Assembly passed by unanimous vote a law      
  governing the legalization of opposition parties. After President Bongo was 
  re-elected in a disputed election in 1993 with 51% of votes cast, social and
  political disturbances led to the 1994 Paris Conference and Accords, which  
  provided a framework for the next elections. Local and legislative elections
  were delayed until 1996-97. In 1997, constitutional amendments were adopted 
  to create an appointed Senate and the position of vice president, and to    
  extend the president's term to 7 years.                                     
                                                                       
  Facing a divided opposition, President Bongo was re-elected in December 1998.
  Although the main opposition parties claimed the elections had been         
  manipulated, there was none of the civil disturbance that followed the 1993 
  election. Peaceful though flawed legislative elections in 2001-02 produced a
  National Assembly dominated by the President's party and its allies. National
  Assembly elections were held again in 2006.                                 
                                                                       
  In November 2005, President Bongo was elected for his sixth term. He won    
  re-election easily, but opponents claim that the balloting process was marred
  by irregularities. There were some instances of violence following the      
  announcement of Bongo's win, but Gabon generally remained peaceful.         
                                                                       
  For administrative purposes, Gabon is divided into 9 provinces, which are   
  further divided into 36 prefectures and 8 separate subprefectures. The      
  president appoints the provincial governors, the prefects, and the          
  subprefects.                                                                
                                                                       
  Principal Government Officials                                              
  President of the Republic, Founder of the Gabonese Democratic Party--El Hadj
  Omar Bongo                                                                  
  Vice President--Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge                                    
  Prime Minister, Head of Government--Jean Eyeghe Ndong                       
  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Jean Ping                      
  Ambassador to the United States--Jules Marius Ogouebandja                   
  Ambassador to the United Nations--Denis Dangue-Rewaka                       
                                                                       
  Gabon maintains an embassy in the United States at 2034 20th Street NW,     
  Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202-797-1000).                                   
                                                                       
  ECONOMY                                                                     
  Gabon's economy is dominated by oil. Oil revenues comprise 65% of the       
  Government of Gabon budget, 43% of gross domestic product (GDP), and 81% of 
  exports. Oil production is now declining rapidly from its high point of     
  370,000 barrels per day in 1997. In spite of the decreasing oil revenues,   
  little planning has been done for an after-oil scenario. Gabon public       
  expenditures from the years of significant oil revenues were not spent      
  efficiently. Overspending on the Transgabonais railroad, the oil price shock
  of 1986, the CFA franc devaluation of 1994, and low oil prices in the late  
  1990s caused serious debt problems. Gabon has earned a poor reputation with 
  the Paris Club and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the management 
  of its debt and revenues. Successive IMF missions have criticized the       
  government for overspending on off-budget items (in good years and bad),    
  over-borrowing from the Central Bank, and slipping on the schedule for      
  privatization and administrative reform. In September 2005, Gabon           
  successfully concluded a 15-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF. Gabon  
  seeks a multi-year successor arrangement.                                   
                                                                       
  Gabon's oil revenues have given it a strong per capita GDP of $7,200,       
  extremely high for the region. On the other hand, a skewed income           
  distribution and poor social indicators are evident. The richest 20% of the 
  population receives over 90% of the income, and about a third of Gabonese   
  live in poverty. The economy is highly dependent on extraction of abundant  
  primary materials. After oil, logging and manganese mining are the other    
  major sectors. Foreign and Gabonese observers have consistently lamented the
  lack of transformation of primary materials in the Gabonese economy. Various
  factors have so far stymied more diversification--small market of 1 million 
  people, dependence on French imports, inability to capitalize on regional   
  markets, lack of entrepreneurial zeal among the Gabonese, and the fairly    
  regular stream of oil "rent". The small processing and service sectors are  
  largely dominated by just a few prominent local investors. At World Bank and
  IMF insistence, the government embarked on a program of privatization of its
  state-owned companies and administrative reform, including reducing public  
  sector employment and salary growth, but progress has been slow.            
                                                                       
  DEFENSE                                                                     
  Gabon has a small, professional military of about 10,000 personnel, divided 
  into army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, and national police. Gabonese forces
  are oriented to the defense of the country and have not been trained for an 
  offensive role. A well-trained, well-equipped 1,500-member guard provides   
  security for the president.                                                 
                                                                       
  FOREIGN RELATIONS                                                           
  Gabon has followed a nonaligned policy, advocating dialogue in international
  affairs and recognizing both parts of divided countries. Since 1973, the    
  number of countries establishing diplomatic relations with Gabon has doubled.
  In inter-African affairs, Gabon espouses development by evolution rather than
  revolution and favors regulated free enterprise as the system most likely to
  promote rapid economic growth. Concerned about stability in Central Africa  
  and the potential for intervention, Gabon has been directly involved with   
  mediation efforts in Chad, the Central African Republic, Angola, Congo/     
  Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. In December 
  1999, through the mediation efforts of President Bongo, a peace accord was  
  signed in Congo/Brazzaville between the government and most leaders of an   
  armed rebellion. President Bongo has remained involved in the continuing    
  Congolese peace process, and has also played a role in mediating the crisis 
  in Cote d'Ivoire. Gabon has been a strong proponent of regional stability,  
  and Gabonese armed forces played an important role in the Central African   
  Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) mission to the Central African      
  Republic.                                                                   
                                                                       
  Gabon is a member of the UN and some of its specialized and related agencies,
  as well as of the World Bank; the African Union (AU); the Central African   
  Customs Union/Central African Economic and Monetary Community (UDEAC/CEMAC);
  EU/ACP association under the Lome Convention; the Communaute Financiere     
  Africaine (CFA); the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC); and the  
  Nonaligned Movement. Gabon withdrew from the Organization of Petroleum      
  Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1995.                                         
                                                                       
  U.S.-GABONESE RELATIONS                                                     
  Relations between the United States and Gabon are excellent. In 1987,       
  President Bongo made an official visit to Washington, DC. In September 2002,
  Secretary of State Colin Powell made a brief but historic visit to Gabon to 
  highlight environmental protection and conservation in the Central Africa   
  region. This was followed by a visit to the White House by President Bongo in
  May 2004. The United States imports a considerable percentage of Gabonese   
  crude oil and manganese and exports heavy construction equipment, aircraft, 
  and machinery to Gabon. Through a modest International Military Education and
  Training program, the United States provides military training to members of
  the Gabonese armed forces each year. U.S. private capital has been attracted
  to Gabon since before its independence.                                     
                                                                       
  Principal U.S. Officials                                                    
  Ambassador--R. Barrie Walkley                                               
  Deputy Chief of Mission--Katherine Dhanani                                  
  Management Officer--Mark Moody                                              
  Public Affairs/Economic/Commercial Officer--Michael Garcia                  
  Consular Officer--Bridgette Anderson                                        
                                                                       
  The U.S. Embassy is located on the Blvd. de la Mer, B.P. 4000, Libreville,  
  Gabon (tel: 241-762-003/004; fax: 241-745-507).                             
                                                                       
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