Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF GABON
RÉPUBLIQUE GABONAISE

General Information

Total Land Area:	257,670 km²
Land boundaries:	2,551 km
Coastline:	885 km
Capital:	Libreville
Other Large Cities:	Port Gentil, Franceville, Lambaréné
Official Language:	French
National Currency Unit:	Communauté Financière Africaine Franc (XAF)
National Day:	August 17

Location and Geography

Gabon is a West African country bordered by Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in the North, the Republic of the Congo in the East, and the Atlantic Ocean in the West. The terrain is made up of a narrow coastal plain, a hilly interior and savanna to the East and South. A very small area is arable and there are few crops. Meadows and pastures take up about one fifth of the land. Most of the country is covered by a dense equatorial rain forest containing more than 3000 species of vegetation, including the okoume which is a hardwood tree that forms the backbone of Gabon‘s wood industry. Ogooue, the largest river in West Africa between Niger and Congo, drains most of Gabon. The climate is tropical (equatorial-hot and humid) throughout the year.

Demography

Population:	1.30 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	35 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	15 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	63 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 52 years, Female: 54 years (2002)
Urban Population:	83.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	71.00 percent (2001)

Economy

Gabon is one of the highest per capita income nations of sub-Saharan Africa. Its economy used to depend on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. Today, the oil industry, which accounts for more than one-third of GDP, is the main source of income. Other major natural resources of the country are uranium, gold and the extensive forests that cover 85 percent of the country. Cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil and fish are the main agricultural products.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	4557 million US$ (2001)
Per Capita GDP:	3675 US$ (2001)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	8.0% Agriculture, 46.0% Industry, 46.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	3281 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	1149 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Crude oil, timber, manganese and uranium
Major Imports Items:	Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals and petroleum products
Major Trading Partners:	France, US, China and Netherlands