Page last updated on January 28, 2014

Introduction:
Background:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009) following independence from France in 1960. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03 and the presidential elections in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more prosperous and stable African countries.
Geography:
Location:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinates:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1 00 S, 11 45 E
Map references:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Africa
Area:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 267,667 sq km
country comparison to the world: 77
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Coastline:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
885 km
Maritime claims:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Elevation extremes:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
arable land: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 98.15% (2011)
Irrigated land:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
44.5 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
164 cu km (2011)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 0.14 cu km/yr (61%/10%/29%)
per capita: 97.68 cu m/yr (2005)
Natural hazards:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
NA
Environment - current issues:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity
People and Society:
Nationality:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese
Ethnic groups:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
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
Languages:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Religions:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%
Population:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1,640,286 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Age structure:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 347,203/female 344,008)
15-24 years: 20.3% (male 166,328/female 165,843)
25-54 years: 29.7% (male 243,111/female 243,442)
55-64 years: 4.1% (male 32,871/female 34,692)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 26,627/female 36,161) (2013 est.)
population pyramid: "> Dependency ratios:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total dependency ratio: 77.4 %
youth dependency ratio: 68.3 %
elderly dependency ratio: 9.2 %
potential support ratio: 10.9 (2013)
Median age:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 18.8 years (2013 est.)
Population growth rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1.96% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Birth rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
34.82 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Death rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Net migration rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
-2.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Urbanization:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
urban population: 86.2% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
LIBREVILLE (capital) 619,000 (2009)
Sex ratio:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
20.3
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2012 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
230 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 51
Infant mortality rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 48.02 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 44
male: 55.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total population: 52.15 years
country comparison to the world: 214
male: 51.58 years
female: 52.74 years (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
4.52 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
31.1% (2012)
Health expenditures:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
3.2% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 179
Physicians density:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0.29 physicians/1,000 population (2004)
Hospital bed density:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
6.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)
Drinking water source:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
improved:
unimproved:
Sanitation facility access:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
improved:
unimproved:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
5.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
46,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
2,400 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Major infectious diseases:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and dengue fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
13.9% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 124
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
8.8% (2001)
country comparison to the world: 70
Education expenditures:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
NA
Literacy:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 92.3%
female: 85.6% (2011 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2002)
Government:
Country name:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon
Government type:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
republic; multiparty presidential regime
Capital:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Independence:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
17 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
Constitution:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991; amended several times, last in 2003 (2011)
Legal system:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law
International law organization participation:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
chief of state: President Ali BONGO ONDIMBA (since 16 October 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Daniel ONA ONDO (since 27 January 2014)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 30 August 2009 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: President Ali BONGO ONDIMBA elected; percent of vote - Ali BONGO ONDIMBA 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO 3.9%, other 3.3%
note: President BONGO died on 8 June 2009 after serving as president for 32 years; in accordance with the constitution he was replaced on an interim basis by the president of the Senate, Rose Francine ROGOMBE on 10 June 2009; new elections were held on 30 August 2009 and the son of the former president, Ali BONGO Ondimba, was elected president
Legislative branch:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (102 seats; members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental assemblies to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 18 January 2009 (next to be held in January 2015); National Assembly - last held on 17 December 2011 (next to be held in December 2016)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 75, RPG 6, UGDD 3, CLR 2, PGCI 2, PSD 2, UPG 2, ADERE 1, independents 9; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 114, RPG 3, others 3
Judicial branch:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
highest court(s): Supreme Court (organized into Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts chambers and consists of NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointment and tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed - 3 by the national president, 3 by the president of the Senate, and 3 by the president of the National Assembly; judges serve 7-year, single renewable terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security; county courts; military courts
Political parties and leaders:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
NA
International organization participation:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael MOUSSA-ADAMO (since 2 September 2011)
chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Dante PARADISO; note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe
embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville
mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch:2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270
telephone: [241] 01-45-71-00, after hours - 07380171
FAX: [241] 74 55 07
Flag description:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue; green represents the country's forests and natural resources, gold represents the equator (which transects Gabon) as well as the sun, blue represents the sea
National symbol(s):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
black panther
National anthem:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
name: "La Concorde" (The Concorde)
lyrics/music: Georges Aleka DAMAS
note: adopted 1960
Economy:
Economy - overview:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The economy was reliant on oil for about 50% of its GDP, about 70% of revenues, and 87% of goods exports for 2010, although some fields have passed their peak production. A rebound of oil prices from 1999 to 2008 helped growth, but declining production has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. Gabon signed a 14-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2007, and later that year issued a $1 billion sovereign bond to buy back a sizable portion of its Paris Club debt. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management has stifled the economy. However, President BONGO ONDIMBA has made efforts to increase transparency and is taking steps to make Gabon a more attractive investment destination to diversify the economy. BONGO ONDIMBA has attempted to boost growth by increasing government investment in human resources and infrastructure. GDP grew more than 6% per year over the 2010-12 period.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$27.81 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$18.15 billion (2012 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
5.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$18,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
Gross national saving:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
47.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
GDP - composition, by end use:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
household consumption: 37.3%
government consumption: 9.8%
investment in fixed capital: 30.3%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 61.2%
imports of goods and services: -38.7%
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 64.3%
services: 32% (2012 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Industries:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Industrial production growth rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
6.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Labor force:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
616,700 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Labor force - by occupation:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
agriculture: 60%
industry: 15%
services: 25% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
21% (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Population below poverty line:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 32.7% (2005)
Budget:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
revenues: $4.987 billion
expenditures: $4.623 billion (2012 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
27.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
Public debt:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
22.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Fiscal year:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
calendar year
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
2.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Central bank discount rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
3% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
15% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
Stock of narrow money:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$2.552 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Stock of broad money:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$3.918 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Stock of domestic credit:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$1.672 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$NA
Current account balance:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$2.687 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Exports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$10.2 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Exports - commodities:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium
Exports - partners:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Japan 24.1%, US 17%, Australia 11.3%, India 7.4%, China 5.4%, Spain 4.1% (2012)
Imports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$3.638 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Imports - commodities:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - partners:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
France 28.2%, China 12.6%, US 9.4%, Belgium 5.8%, Cameroon 4.3% (2012)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$2.373 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Debt - external:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
$3.196 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
Exchange rates:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -
Energy:
Electricity - production:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1.777 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
Electricity - consumption:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1.442 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Electricity - exports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Electricity - imports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
415,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
59% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
41% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Crude oil - production:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
242,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
Crude oil - exports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
225,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Crude oil - imports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Crude oil - proved reserves:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 36
Refined petroleum products - production:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
19,280 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
15,800 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
Refined petroleum products - exports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
7,670 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
Refined petroleum products - imports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
4,594 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Natural gas - production:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
70 million cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Natural gas - consumption:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
80 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Natural gas - exports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Natural gas - imports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 70
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
4.758 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Communications:
Telephones - main lines in use:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
17,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 194
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
2.93 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 133
Telephone system:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
general assessment: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
domestic: a growing mobile-cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available with mobile-cellular teledensity exceeding 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 241; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and Asia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)
Broadcast media:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
state owns and operates 2 TV stations and 2 radio broadcast stations; a few private radio and TV stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible; satellite service subscriptions are available (2007)
Internet country code:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
.ga
Internet hosts:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
127 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 205
Internet users:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
98,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 160
Transportation:
Airports:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
44 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 99
Airports - with paved runways:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m:
Pipelines:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
gas 807 km; oil 1,639 km; water 3 km (2013)
Railways:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 649 km
country comparison to the world: 105
standard gauge: 649 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
total: 9,170 km
country comparison to the world: 138
paved: 1,097 km
unpaved: 8,073 km (2007)
Waterways:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 49
Merchant marine:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
registered in other countries: 2 (Cambodia 1, Panama 1) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 145
Ports and terminals:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
major seaport(s): Libreville, Owendo, Port-Gentil
oil/gas terminal(s): Gamba, Lucina
Military:
Military branches:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
Gabonese Defense Forces (Forces de Defense Gabonaise): Land Force (Force Terrestre), Gabonese Navy (Marine Gabonaise), Gabonese Air Forces (Forces Aerienne Gabonaises, FAG) (2012)
Military service age and obligation:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
Manpower available for military service:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
males age 16-49: 350,640
females age 16-49: 351,718 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
males age 16-49: 202,404
females age 16-49: 195,389 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
male: 17,638
female: 17,614 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
Field Background: For all countries in alphabetical order
1.34% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 237