THE GEOGRAPHY (Foreign Office UK)
Area: 267,667 sq km (103,347 sq mi)
Population: 1.3 million (2001 est)
Capital City: Libreville (population:
450,000)
People: Fang (largest), Myene,
Bapounou, Eschira, Bandjabi,
Bateke/Obamba
Language(s): French (official), Fang,
Myene, Bateke, Bapounou / Eschira,
Badjabi
Religion(s): Christian, Muslim,
indigenous
Currency: CFA Franc (fixed to euro)
Major political parties: Parti
Democratique Gabonais (PDG), Parti
Gabonais du Progres (PGP),
Rassemblement National Des Bucherons
(RNB), Union du Peuple Gabonais
(UPG)
GEOGRAPHY
Gabon sits on the Equator in western
Africa bordered by Equatorial Guinea,
Cameroon, and the Republic of Congo.
About 85% of the country is covered
with rainforest and the area is one of
the most mineral rich in Africa.
THE HISTORY (Foreign Office UK)
Longer Historical Perspective
Bantu ethnic groups have populated the
area since the fourteenth century. The
Portuguese were the first Europeans
to arrive in 1470. The British, French
and Dutch followed in the sixteenth
century, as the coastline became a
centre for the slave trade. A local
Mpongwe ruler signed sovereignty
over to the French in 1839. The French
captured a slave ship in 1849 and
released the slaves, whereupon they
named their settlement Libreville (Free
Town).
In 1910 Gabon became one of the four
territories of the Federation of French
Equatorial Africa (AEF) along with
Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), and the
Central African Republic. The AEF
fought for Charles de Gaulle's Free
France during World War II, and in 1946
all AEF inhabitants were granted
French citizenship and allowed to
establish local assemblies. In 1958 Gabon
voted to become an autonomous
republic in the French Communaute and
in 1960 achieved independence.
President Leon Mba was elected as
President in 1961. He was deposed in
the only coup in Gabon's history in
1964, but was restored after French
intervention. He ruled until his death in
1967. His Vice-President and hand
picked successor, Albert-Bernard
Bongo, took over and in 1968 declared
Gabon a one-party state, which it
remained until 1991. President Bongo
converted to Islam in 1973, taking the
name Omar el-Hadj.
Recent History
Gabon enjoyed political stability
throughout the 1970's, due largely to its
rapid oil-driven economic growth. In
1975 Gabon joined the Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC). However, the social and
political strain of such rapid growth
and ensuing economic decline was to be
felt in the early 1980's. A moderate
opposition group, Mouvement de
redressement national (MORENA),
accused Bongo of corruption and
formed a government-in-exile in Paris,
nominating a candidate to stand against
Bongo in the November 1986
presidential election. They were not
able to organise a campaign and Bongo
won the election with 99.7% of the
vote.
In response to a number of strikes,
continued deterioration of the
economy, and MORENA's continued
pressure for greater democracy,
President Bongo convened a National
Conference to establish the principles
for change. The first multi-party
National Assembly elections for nearly
thirty years took place in September
1990 and Bongo's party, the Parti
Democratique Gabonais (PDG),
returned an overall majority, although
opposition parties won in Libreville and
some other provinces. Parliament
adopted a new constitution formalising
the multi-party system in 1991.
Presidential elections first took place in
December 1993. President Bongo won
in the first round with 51 per cent,
against 26 per cent for his nearest
rival, Father Paul Mba Abessole.
International observers noted
administrative flaws, but no
large-scale fraud. However serious
civil disturbances provoked the
government and opposition elements to
find a political agreement and the Paris
Accords were signed in November
1994. These successful Accords
provided for reform of the electoral
code, the creation of an independent
national electoral commission and the
organisation of free and fair elections.
A referendum was held on 23 July
1995 revising the Constitution as
recommended.
On 18 April 1997 the National Assembly
passed a motion to extend the
presidential term from five to seven
years and created the position of
Vice-President, to be appointed by the
Head of State. Bongo named
Divungui-Di-Ndinge Didjob as the first
incumbent.
POLITICS
Recent Elections
Presidential elections were last held in
December 1998. Bongo was re-elected
for a further 7-year term with 66 per
cent of the vote in the first round. The
elections passed off peacefully but
flawed voting lists, claims of
intimidation, and opposition abstention
led to a low turnout. The main
opposition party, the Rassemblement
National des Bucherons (RNB),
fragmented its vote with their leader
Paul Mba Abessole, his long-time
deputy Pierre Andre Kombila and Alain
Nze all standing as candidates. However
the President again agreed to
post-election concessions, revising
legislation to guarantee free and fair
elections. The opposition leader, Pierre
Maboundou of the Gabonese People's
Union (UPG), refused to conciliate.
Legislative elections were held in
December 2001. Pierre Maboundou
called for a boycott of the election
with his supporters disrupting
elections. The ruling Parti
Démocratique Gabonais (PDG) won 85
out of the 120 seats. President Bongo
formed his new government on 27
January with 39 members, offering
posts to four opposition politicians
including Father Paul Mba Abessole.
Although the opposition are well
represented in municipal posts, both
the legislature and senate are
predominantly formed from President
Bongo's ruling party.
There has been concern over the
independence and effectiveness of the
national electoral commission and there
were allegations of irregularities in
drawing up the electoral register.
Political leaders have met in the past to
agree electoral arrangements.
President Bongo would not agree to
opposition calls for single ballot voting
or access to polling station reports. He
did however agree to increase state
funding of political parties. Social
tensions reached a high in June 2002
when protests at rising unemployment
in Port Gentil deteriorated into riots.
THE ECONOMY (Foreign Office UK)
GDP: US$4.3bn (2001)
GDP per head: US$3307.7
Inflation: 1%
Major Industries: Petroleum,
agriculture, forestry
Major trading partners: Markets - US,
France. Suppliers - France, Germany,
Japan, US
Exchange rate: Euro 1 = CFA 655.957
(fixed)
Trade Partners UK Country Profile:
Gabon
Between 1970 and 1994 oil production
rose from 5 million tons to 17.2 million
tons and turned Gabon into the richest
country in sub-Saharan Africa with a
GDP per head of US$2,997. However
this growth was not sustained in the
late 1990's when timber and oil prices
slid downwards. The ensuing rise in oil
prices eased the pressure only slightly.
Gabon's oil output is in decline and
substantial reserves have been
forward sold at a loss. Known oil
reserves are running low and
predictions for further oil finds are
pessimistic.
Although Gabon is in one of the most
mineral rich and fertile areas in Africa,
the country depends heavily upon the
oil industry. There are extensive
reserves of manganese, uranium, and
timber, and deposits of high-grade iron
ore, gold and diamonds. Agricultural
products include cocoa, coffee,
rubber, sugar, and pineapples. The
development of agriculture and other
sectors has until recently been largely
neglected. However, there have been
increasing efforts to reduce Gabon's
dependence on oil, with increased
investment in both mining and
agriculture, and the recent creation of
national parks to promote tourism.
In October 2000 the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $118
million eighteen-month stand-by
arrangement. In the recent review the
IMF recommended that Gabon speed up
its privatisation programme, encourage
private sector development, enact
anti-corruption laws, and reform the
regulatory framework. Gabon has been
criticised by the Paris Club and IMF
management of both its debt and
revenues.
President Bongo continues to
encourage economic regional
integration through the Economic and
Monetary Community of Central Africa
(CEMAC) and Gabon has met all four
convergence criteria.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Gabon's Relations with Neighbours
Gabon has traditional ties with
Congo-Brazzaville, which has a number
of ethnic groups in common with
Gabon. President Bongo was educated
in Congo-Brazzaville and is married to
the daughter of its President
Sassou-Nguesso.
President Bongo has often acted as a
mediator in regional disputes. He
chaired the OAU ad hoc committee
seeking to resolve the border dispute
between Chad and Libya, intervened in
mediation in Congo-Brazzaville in 1999,
and has supported CEMAC
peacekeepers to the Central African
Republic.
President Bongo has also shared the
reins of Burundi's Arusha Peace
Process, alongside South African
Deputy President, Jacob Zuma.
Ex-President Mandela has been the
facilitator of the Arusha Peace Process
since the death of ex-President
Nyerere in 1999. He expressed his
intention to take more of a back seat
following the swearing in of Burundi's
Transitional National Government
(TNG) on 1 November 2001.
Gabon's Relations with the International
Community
Relations with the former colonial
power France remain close although
strained by several financial corruption
scandals that have been highlighted by
the French media.
Flags Of The World: République Gabonaise
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