Gabon

Gabon (pronounced /ɡəˈbɒn/; French pronunciation: [ɡaˈbõ]) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with the Gulf of Guinea to the west, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, and Cameroon to the north, with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. Its size is almost 270,000 km² with an estimated population of 1,500,000. The capital and largest city is Libreville. Since its independence from France on August 17, 1960, the Republic has been ruled by three presidents. In the early 1990s, Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new democratic constitution that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions. The small population together with abundant natural resources and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in the region, with the highest HDI in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Capital(and largest city)
Libreville 0°23′N 9°27′E / 0.383°N 9.45°E / 0.383; 9.45
Official languages
French
Demonym
Gabonese, Gabonaise
Government
Republic
-
Interim President
Rose Francine Rogombé
-
Prime Minister
Paul Biyoghé Mba
Independence
-
from France
August 17, 1960
Area
-
Total
267,745 km2 (76th)103,347 sq mi
-
Water (%)
3.76%
Population
-
July 2005 estimate
1,454,867 (150th)
-
Density
5.4/km2 (216th)13.5/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2008 estimate
-
Total
$21.049 billion[1]
-
Per capita
$14,478[1]
GDP (nominal)
2008 estimate
-
Total
$14.519 billion[1]
-
Per capita
$9,986[1]
HDI (2007)
▲ 0.729[2] (medium) (107th)
Currency
Central African CFA franc (XAF)
Time zone
CAT (UTC+1)
-
Summer (DST)
not observed (UTC+1)
Drives on the
right
Internet TLD
.ga
Calling code
241