NAVIGATION
|
HOME
• FLAG FINDER
• MAP FINDER
• SOURCES
• ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS! COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z |
NAVIGATION
Gabonese Republic
Republique Gabonaise
INTRODUCTION
|
Background:
|
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 considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. |
GEOGRAPHY
|
Location:
|
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 references:
|
Africa |
|
Area:
|
total: 267,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km land: 257,667 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
slightly smaller than Colorado |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
|
Coastline:
|
885 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous 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 |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
|
Land use:
|
arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
150 sq km (1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards:
|
NA |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
deforestation; poaching |
|
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: 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 |
PEOPLE
|
Population:
|
1,233,353
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 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 2002 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 33.3% (male 205,559; female 204,796)
15-64 years: 60.6% (male 376,103; female 371,422) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 37,220; female 38,253) (2002 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
0.97% (2002 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
27.24 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
17.59 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
93.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 49.11 years
female: 50.25 years (2002 est.) male: 48.01 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
3.65 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
9% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
23,000 (1999 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
2,000 (1999 est.) |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: 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:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.) |