Daily Almanac for
Nov 12, 2009
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Gabon

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Facts & Figures

President: Rose Francine Rogombé (interim; 2009)

Premier: Paul Biyoghé Mba (2009)

Land area: 99,486 sq mi (257,669 sq km); total area: 103,346 sq mi (267,667 sq km)

Population (2009 est.): 1,514,993 (growth rate: 1.9%); birth rate: 35.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 51.7/1000; life expectancy: 53.1; density per sq km: 5

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Libreville, 661,600

Other large cities: Port-Gentil, 116,200; Franceville, 41,300

Monetary unit: CFA Franc

More Facts & Figures

Flag of Gabon
Index
  1. Gabon Main Page
  2. Longest-Serving Head of State Bongo Is Sworn in As Gabon's President

Geography

This West African country with the Atlantic as its western border is also bounded by Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Congo. Its area is slightly less than Colorado's. Most of the country is covered by a dense tropical forest.

Government

Republic.

History

The earliest humans in Gabon were believed to be the Babinga, or Pygmies, dating back to 7000 B.C. , who were later followed by Bantu groups from southern and eastern Africa. Now there are many tribal groups in the country, the largest being the Fang peoples, who constitute 25% of the population.

Gabon was first explored by the Portuguese navigator Diego Cam in the 15th century. In 1472, the Portuguese explorers encountered the mouth of the Como River and named it “Rio de Gabao,” river of Gabon, which later became the name of the country. The Dutch began arriving in 1593, and the French in 1630. In 1839, the French founded their first settlement on the left bank of the Gabon estuary and gradually occupied the hinterland during the second half of the 19th century. The land became a French territory in 1888, an autonomous republic within the French Union after World War II, and an independent republic on Aug. 17, 1960.

Next: Longest-Serving Head of State Bongo Is Sworn in As Gabon's President
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France Countries Gambia

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The Rentier State in Africa: oil rent dependency and neocolonialism in the Republic of Gabon. (Shorter Notices). (Africa)

Black emirate: France and Gabon. (the former French colony of Gabon is having problems with France over its oil industry operations there)(Brief Article) (The Economist (US))

Hard times on the horizon: for decades Gabon enjoyed one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa on the back of its oil revenues. But the flood of 'black gold' has been dwindling alarmingly. Can Gabon cope with the new reality? Neil Ford looks at the options.(Gabon) (African Business)

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CNLCEI leading Gabon's fight against corruption: Gabon is the only African country to have established a commission mandated to fight corruption, the illicit diversion of funds and capital flight. In this interview, the president of Commission Nationale de Lutte Contre I'Enrichissement Illicite (CNLCEI), Vincent Lebondo Le-Mali, provides an insight into the organisation's mission and the importance of good governance.(GABON)(Interview) (African Business)

Gabon reopens hunting; sitatunga, buffalo are major draws.(Reports Afield) (Sports Afield)

Can oil and wildlife mix? For 40 years, the African republic of Gabon has been reliant on remote onshore oilfields that sit slap bang in the middle of pristine rainforest. And while logic would suggest that oil exploitation must be having a detrimental effect on the local wildlife, an innovative collaboration between the global oil company Shell and the Smithsonian Institution has proved otherwise. (Geographical)

Gabon and Congo-Brazza: unidentical twins. (Spotlight). (African Business)

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