GABON GABON REGION AFRICA NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY AGRICULTURE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION GLOBAL RELATIONS DATE OF INDEPENDENCE AUGUST 17 1960 FROM FRANCE DATE OF CURRENT CONSTITUTION MARCH 14 1991 POPULATION 1225853 1999 EST AREA 103347 SQ MI CAPITAL LIBREVILLE FORM OF GOVERNMENT REPUBLIC NATURAL RESOURCES OIL URANIUM MANGANESE GOLD TIMBER IRON ORE MAIN INDUSTRIES FOOD PROCESSING BEVERAGES TEXTILES WOOD PROCESSING CEMENT PETROLEUM PROCESSING MINING CHEMICALS SHIP REPAIRING FISHING AGRICULTURE COFFEE COCOA PALM OIL RUBBER CATTLE CURRENCY COMMUNAUTE FINANCIERE AFRICAINE CFA FRANC GDP 7.7 BILLION 1998 EST GDP PER CAPITA 6400 1998 EST LANGUAGES FRENCH OFFICIAL FANG MYENE BATEKE BAPOUNOU/ESCHINA BANDJABI RELIGIONS CHRISTIANITY ISLAM ANIMISM LITERACY RATE 63 LIFE EXPECTANCY 54 YEARS MALE 60 YEARS FEMALE BIRTHRATE 28 PER 1000 POPULATION DEATH RATE 13 PER 1000 POPULATION
