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Gabon |
Capital: Libreville
Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Background: Gabon became independent from France in 1960. A small population, abundant natural resources, and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black African countries. Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of sub-Saharan Africa. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor.
PEOPLE
Population: 1,454,867 (July 2007 est.); 1,545,255
Life expectancy at birth:
2007
Total Population: 53.99 years
Male: 52.85 years
Female: 55.17 years (2007 est.)
2010
Total population: 52.75 years
Male: 51.96 years
Female: 53.58 years (2010 est.)
Age structure:
2007
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 307,444/female 305,468)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 391,194/female 393,103)
65 years and over: 4% (male 23,978/female 33,680) (2007 est.)
2010
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 320,414/female 318,027)
15-64 years: 53.9% (male 407,461/female 409,633)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 24,799/female 34,659) (2010 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.036% (2007 est.); 2.025% (2010 est.)
Population below poverty line: N/A
HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate: 7.9% (2006 est.); 5.9% (2007 est.)
People living with HIV/AIDS: 60,000 (2006 est.); 49,000 (2007 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write - N/A
Refugees and Internally Displaced People:
Refugees (country of origin): 7,298 (Republic of Congo) (2006)
refugees (country of origin): 7,178 (Republic of Congo) (2007)
ECONOMY
Unemployment rate: 21% (2006 est.)
Labour force by Occupation:
Agriculture: 60%
Industry: 15%
Services: 25%
Agricultural Products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish
Industries: petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
Exports - Commodities: crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)
Exports - Partners:
US 27.6%, China 15.9%, France 7.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 5.4%, Thailand 4.3% (2006)
Russia 30.62%, US 16.56%, China 15.87%, France 4.28% (2009)
Imports - Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Imports - Partners:
France 35.3%, US 7.7%, Netherlands 5.6%, Cameroon 4.5%, Belgium 4.4% (2006)
France 32.21%, US 7.92%, China 7.02%, Belgium 4.99%, Italy 4.81%, Cameroon 4.56%, Netherlands 4.35% (2009)
ENVIRONMENT
Environment - Current issues: deforestation; poaching
Natural hazards: N/A
Source: CIA World Factbook
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