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World > Africa > Gabon
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Gabon |
Introduction:
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Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene for almost four decades. 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 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political 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.
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| Official name: |
Gabonese Republic |
| Capital: |
name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Government type: |
republic; multiparty presidential regime |
| Population: |
1,454,867
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 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi |
| Official Currency: |
XAF |
| Currency code: |
XAF |
| Area: |
total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km |
| Climate: |
tropical; always hot, humid |
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Map of Gabon
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