Country
Countries A-Z
Gabon
Gabonese Republic
République Gabonaise
Political Status: Independent since August 17, 1960; present constitution, providing for “semi-presidential” regime, adopted March 14, 1991.
Area: 103,346 sq. mi. (267,667 sq. km.).
Population: 1,014,976 (1993C). Despite the 1993 figure, recent estimates vary widely, the Africa Research Bulletin in early 1995 suggesting a total of 800,000, while the UN had previously assumed a figure of 1,237,000 for 1992.
Based on recent UN estimates, the 2006 total should be approximately 1,405,000.
Major Urban Center (2005E): LIBREVILLE (metropolitan area, 659,000).
Official Language: French.
Monetary Unit: CFA Franc (official rate November 2, 2007: 452.96 francs = $1US). (The CFA franc, previously pegged to the French franc, is now permanently pegged to the euro at 655.957 CFA francs = 1 euro.)
President: El Hadj Omar (formerly Albert-Bernard) BONGO Ondimba; elected vice president on ...