Gabon

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Gabon's Information


Capital	Libreville
Languages	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
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
Religion	Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 13.7%, other Christian 32.4%, Muslim 6.4%, animist 0.3%, other 0.3%, none/no answer 5% (2012 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	17 August 1960 (from France)
Area	267,667.00 km²
Water Area	10,000.00 km²
Land Area	257,667.00 km²
Population	1,738,541.00
Location	Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
No. Bordering Countries	3
Bordering Countries	Cameroon 349 km, Republic of the Congo 2,567 km, Equatorial Guinea 345 km
GDP(PPP)	$35,980,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$19,300.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, Italy, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are crude oil, manganese, and uranium.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, France, and the United States.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, and chemicals.
Climate	Tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain	Narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Where is Gabon?

Located in Central Africa, Gabon has a 3,261.00 km border with Cameroon (349 km), Republic of the Congo (2,567 km) and Equatorial Guinea (345 km). It has a 885.00 km coastline. The United Nations has urged Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over the Gabon-occupied Mbane Island.

Libreville is Gabon’s capital. It is found near Komo River and had a population of 703,904 in 2013. The city became a capital in 1960. Libreville is a magnificent city attracting many tourists to it annually. Some of the tourist destinations located within the city include Seaside Boulevard, St. Michel Church, Sabang Arboretum, Akanda National Park, and Point-Denis Beach. The climate of Libreville is tropical monsoon with both dry and wet seasons.

Geography

Gabon has a mean elevation of 377 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate that is very hot and humid. Its terrain is narrow with a hilly interior and savanna in the east and south.

Population

Gabon has a population of 1,738,541 making it the 152nd largest in the world.

French is the official language. The major ethnicity is Bantu tribes. The majority of the population identifies as Christian.

The people of Gabon speak many languages which can be designed as either Bantu or Non-Bantu. Some of the Bantu languages include Fang, Punu, Nzebi, Mpengwe, Benga, Simba, Sake, and Barama. French is the official language used within the country for instruction. Fang is the most popular vernacular language used in Gabon.

Government

Gabon is an independent country. It gained independence from France in 1960. Its constitution was last ratified in 1991.

The government of Gabon is a republic whose leader is a president. The president, assisted by the vice president, performs all functions related to being the head of state and government. Similar to most governments, there are three arms of the Gabon government namely the legislature, executive, and judiciary. These leaders took office in October 2009, August 2017, and September 2016 respectively. Although Gabon has a multi-party presidential system, the Gabonese Democratic Party has dominated the politics of the country for a long time. Voting in Gabon is a compulsory exercise. Any person who is eligible to vote but does not vote may be fined.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Gabon's GDP is $35,980,000,000.00 (USD) with $19,300.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 121st largest economy and its citizens the 84th richest in the world. The currency of Gabon is the Franc (XAF).

Its major export partners are China, Italy, and Trinidad and Tobago. Its main exports are crude oil, manganese, and uranium. Its major import partners are China, France, and the United States. Its major imports include machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, and chemicals.

Flag

The flag of Gabon is a symbol of the country’s unity and pride. It consists of the three colors of blue, green, and yellow. Blue stands for the South Atlantic Ocean and the other waters in Gabon. Yellow represents the sun while green alludes to the forests that cover a large portion of Gabon’s land area. Gabon’s flag was adopted in 1960 when it achieved its independence. It is not clear who designed the flag. The current flag was an improvement of that which was used before independence. The previous flag had the French Tricolor similar to the French flag.