ETHNIC DIVISIONS: about 40 Bantu tribes, including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke); about 100,000 expatriate Africans and Europeans, including 27,000 French
RELIGION: 55-75% Christian, less than 1% Muslim, remainder animist
LANGUAGE: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
LITERACY: 65%
LABOR FORCE: 120,000 salaried; 65.0% agriculture, 30.0% industry and commerce, 2.5% services, 2.5% government; 58% of population of working age (1983)
ORGANIZED LABOR: there are 38,000 members of the national trade union, the Gabonese Trade Union Confederation (COSYGA)
.GOVERNMENT OF GABON
LONG-FORM NAME: Gabonese Republic
TYPE: republic; one-party presidential regime since 1964
CONSTITUTION: 21 February 1961, revised 15 April 1975
LEGAL SYSTEM: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: Renovation Day (Gabonese Democratic Party established), 12 March (1968)
BRANCHES: power centralized in president, elected by universal suffrage for seven-year term; unicameral legislature (93-member National Assembly, including nine members chosen by Omar Bongo) has limited powers; Constitution amended in 1979 so that Assembly deputies will serve five-year terms; independent judiciary
CHIEF OF STATE: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister Leon MEBIAME (since 16 April 1975)
SUFFRAGE: universal over age 18
ELECTIONS: presidential election last held autumn 1986; parliamentary election last held February-March 1985; constitutional change separates dates for presidential and parliamentary elections Political party and LEADER: Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) led by President Bongo is only legal party
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION: Ambassador Jean Robert ODZAGA; Chancery at 2034 20th Street NW, Washington DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-1000
U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE POST: Ambassador Peter SECCHIA; Embassy at Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville (mailing address is B. P. 4000, Libreville); telephone 762003 or 762004, 761337, 721348, 740248
FLAG: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
.ECONOMY OF GABON
OVERVIEW: The economy, dependent on timber and manganese until the early 1970s, is now dominated by the oil sector. During the period 1981-85 oil accounted for about 46% of GDP, 83% of export earnings, and 65% of government revenues on average. The high oil prices of the early 1980s contributed to a substantial increase in per capita income, stimulated domestic demand, reinforced migration from rural to urban areas, and raised the level of real wages to among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Beginning in late 1985, however, world oil prices began to fall and in 1986 GDP declined for the first time in a decade. The agricultural and industrial sectors are relatively underdeveloped, accounting for only 8% and 10%, respectively, of GDP in 1986.
GNP: $3.4 billion, per capita $3,300; real growth rate - 2.0% (1986)
INFLATION RATE (CONSUMER PRICES): - 1% (1987)
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE: NA%
BUDGET: revenues $927 million; expenditures $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $33 million (1988)
EXPORTS: $1.95 billion (f.o.b., 1986 est.); commodities-- crude oil 67%, manganese 11%, wood 11%, uranium 6%; partners-- France 53%, US 22%, FRG, Japan
IMPORTS: $0.95 billion (c.i.f., 1986); commodities-- foodstuffs, chemical products, petroleum products, construction materials, manufactures, machinery; partners-- France 48%, US 2.6%, FRG, Japan, UK
EXTERNAL DEBT: $2.5 billion (December 1988)
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION: growth rate 1.7% (1986)
ELECTRICITY: 310,000 kW capacity; 976 million kWh produced, 930 kWh per capita (1988)
INDUSTRIES: sawmills, petroleum, food and beverages; mining of increasing importance (especially manganese and uranium)
AIRPORTS: 82 total, 72 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 21 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: adequate system of open-wire, radio relay, tropospheric scatter links and radiocommunication stations; 13,800 telephones; stations--6 AM, 6 FM, 8 TV; 2 Atlantic Ocean satellite stations; domestic satellite system with 12 stations
.DEFENSE FORCES OF GABON
BRANCHES: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie
MILITARY MANPOWER: males 15-49, 266,787; 133,247 fit for military service; 8,947 reach military age (20) annually
MILITARY BUDGET: $135.1 million, 12.3% of central government budget (1988)
.TRAVEL IN GABON
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Passport and visa required. Obtain visa before arrival. Submit 2 photos, 2 applications, and $20 fee for single-entry visa valid up to 1 month. Multiple-entry visa valid 3-4 months is $50 (personal checks not accepted). Detailed travel arrangements, including flight numbers and departure date, required. For business visa need company letter stating purpose of trip, contacts in Gabon, and proposed length of stay. Accompanying family must be included in letter. For extended stay with a company or institution in Gabon, letter of confirmation also required. Vaccination certificate required for yellow fever and cholera.
HEALTH: Tapwater is not always potable. Malaria suppressants are recommended. Unwashed raw foods or undercooked meats are not safe to eat. Health requirements change; check latest information.
TOURIST OFFICE: Gabon Tourist Information Office, 516 Fifth Ave. Ste. 205, New York, NY 10036; 212-719-2031.
WEATHER AND CLOTHING: Libreville is hot and humid most of the year. Wear lightweight summer clothes; sweaters for cool evenings Jun-August.
TELEPHONE: When direct dialing to Gabon from the U.S., dial 011 (international access code) + 241 [country code] + local number.
TIME: 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
ELECTRIC CURRENT: 220V
NATIONAL HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day (Jan 1); Renovation Day (Mar 12); Easter Monday (variable); Ramadan (variable); Pentecost (Jun); Independence Day (Aug 16-18); All Saints' Day (Nov); Christmas Day (Dec 25).
IMPORTANT!! All requirements/recommendations are subject to change. Be sure to check latest information.
