Gabonese Republic (English: The Gabonese Republic; French: La R é publish Gabonaise),[1]be locatedAfricaThe central west coast crosses the equatorial line.East, South andCongoConnected to the northCameroonBordering, northwest andEquatorial GuineaAdjacent to the westAtlanticThe coastline is 800 kilometers long, and the land area is 268000 square kilometers. The country is divided into nine provinces, the capital Libreville, with a population of 2.22 million (2022). There are more than 50 ethnic groups, and the ethnic groups with larger population areFangzu(32%), Mpenwe (15%), etc.[15]
In the 12th century,Bantu peopleMoving in from East AfricaOgoway RiverSome tribal kingdoms have been established on both sides of the strait.In the 15th century, Portuguese sailors arrived in the region.It became a French colony in the 18th century.It was transferred to Germany in 1911.Returned to France after World War I.In 1958, it became an autonomous republic within the "French Community".Independence was declared on August 17, 1960.Non permanent member of the UN Security Council (until January 1, 2024).[14]
Independence was declared on August 17, 1960.Leon Mba was the first president.
In 1967, Vice President Omar Bongo succeeded Mba, who died of illness, as President.After Omar Bongo came to power, he pursued the politics of "democratic and consultative progressivism" and the economic policy of "leading and planned liberalism"One party systemThe political situation is stable for a long time.
In March 1990, it changed to a multi-party system, and the political situation was once turbulent, but Omar Bongo and the rulingGabonese Democratic PartyThey still maintain control over the regime.
In 1998, Omar Bongo was elected president again.
In 2003, it was approved by the joint meeting of the Senate and the House of RepresentativesConstitutional amendment, lifting the limit on the number of presidential re-election.
In 2005, Gabon held a presidential election, and Omar Bongo won the presidency again with 79.18% of the votes.[1]
From January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023 local time, Gabon served as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.[12-13]
On August 31, 2023, the African Union decided to immediately suspend Gabon's membership of the African Union and not allow it to participate in all activities of the African Union and related institutions until the country restored constitutional order.[17]
Gabon's transitional government will be reorganized on January 17, 2024, which is the first time Gabon has reorganized its cabinet since the establishment of the transitional government in September 2023.[21]
geographical environment
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Regional location
Gabon is located in the middle of Africa, crossing the equator, bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and connecting withCongo BrazzavilleNeighboring with CameroonEquatorial GuineaJunction.The coastline is 800 kilometers long and the land area is 268000 square kilometers.[1]
Climatic characteristics
Gabon is located on both sides of the equator. The northern part of Gabon has a tropical rainforest climate, which is hot and humid. The annual temperature changes little, and the annual average temperature is 26 ° C.The rainy season lasts from January to the middle of May every year;The dry season lasts from mid May to September;The rainy season lasts from October to December;The small dry season is from December to January of the next year.The annual average precipitation is 2000-3000mm.Coastal areas have the most precipitation in China.The south belongs to the tropical grassland climate, which is divided into dry and wet seasons. The dry season is from May to October, and the rainy season is from November to next April.[9]
natural resources
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Commemorative signs on Gabon's equatorial line
Gabon is rich in natural resources and enjoys the reputation of "resource treasure house" and "green gold country". The forest coverage rate is up to 85%, and the exploitable area is about 60% of the land area. Gabon is a major oil, manganese ore and timber producer in Africa.At present, the remaining proved oil reserves are about 270 million tons.Manganese ore reserves are 200 million tons.Iron ore reserves exceed 1 billion tons, and the grade is up to 60%.The reserve of niobium ore is about 400000 tons.Other mineral deposits include phosphate, gold, barite, nickel, chromium, zinc, etc.
The log reserves are about 400 million cubic meters, ranking third in Africa.There are more than 400 kinds of trees in China, mainly Okumen and Ozigo, among which Okumen has a storage volume of 130 million cubic meters, ranking first in the world.
Aquatic resources are abundant, with 40600 square kilometers of continental shelf, annual fishing volume of about 40000 tons, 231000 square kilometers of marine exclusive economic zone, and tuna and other deep-sea fish fishing.The production of tuna in Gabon accounted for about 15% of the total production in the Atlantic Ocean.[9]
administrative division
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Zoning
Gabon has 9 provinces, including 48 states, 27 special regions, 150 districts, 737 towns and 2423 natural villages.[2][9]
Population area and capital of Gabon's nine provinces
Province
population
Area (km2)
capital
Estuaire
four hundred and sixty-three thousand one hundred and eighty-seven
Libreville, with a population of about 799000, is the national political, economic and cultural center and major port.The highest temperature is 31 ℃ (January), and the lowest temperature is 20 ℃ (July).[1][20]
Administrative divisions of Gabon
National symbol
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Country name
Country name: Gabonese Republic (English: The Gabonese Republic; French: La R é publish Gabonaise) Country code GA.[3]
Gabon national flagIt is rectangular, and the ratio of length to width is 4:3.From top to bottom, it is composed of three parallel horizontal rectangles, green, yellow and blue.Green symbolizes rich forest resources. Gabon is known as "the country of wood" and "the country of green gold";Yellow represents sunshine, yellow also represents rich mineral resources;Blue symbolizes the sea.[3]
national emblem
Gabon National Emblem[1]
Gabon National EmblemEstablished in 1963, it reflects the ingenious design idea of Louis Millerman, a Swiss emblem expert: the Okme tree on the top extends thick branches and leaves to defend the coat of arms, and in this coat of arms, a black ship with full sails is inviting to swim on the blue Atlantic Ocean against the golden sun, and the flag at the stern is flying in the wind,The strong and unyielding national spirit of the Gabonese people has spread to the distance with the wind.This picture vividly reflects the vitality of Gabon's maritime trade.The three golden spheres on the top of the sailboat symbolize the rich mineral resources of the country;Panthers standing on both sides of the coat of arms symbolize the brave Gabonese warriors.On the white ribbon under the Okme tree, the words "Unity makes us progress" are written in Latin;On the blue ribbon below the coat of arms, Gabon's motto: "Unity, diligence, justice" is inscribed in French.[3]
national flower
Spathodea campanulataFlamethree、Calyx bracteatus。byBignoniaceaeFlamingo is a large evergreen tree, which is native to tropical Africa. It is widely cultivated in Southeast Asia, Hawaii and other places. It is more cultivated in Taiwan, and a few introduced in South China.[3]
Population and nationality
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2.22 million (2022), with more than 50 ethnic groups. The ethnic groups with large population are Fang (32%) and Mpenwe (15%).[15]。In addition, according to the World Bank, Gabon has a total workforce of 727000 (2019), accounting for 33.2% of the total population in that year,rate of labor force participation54.7%。Gabon's population is mainly concentrated in Libreville, Port Gentil, Franceville, Oyem and other cities, including about 1 million people in the capital Libreville.In 2020, Gabon's urban population will account for 90.1% of the total population, of which 54.6% will be under the age of 25.
Politics
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In June 2009, President Omar Bongo died of illness in Spain.In August, Gabon held a new presidential election. Ali Bongo, the son of President Omar Bongo, was elected president and took office in October.The opposition questioned the election results and launched riots and violent demonstrations in a few cities, which were quelled by the authorities.At the end of 2011, Gabon held legislative elections, and the Gabonese Democratic Party led by Ali Bongo won 95% of the seats in the National Assembly. In December 2013, it won local elections by a large margin.In June 2014, President Ali Bongo signed the Social Contract Charter with the Canadian opposition party, leaders of the presidential majority party and three independents, committed to improving people's livelihood, eradicating poverty and social inequality.In August 2016, Gabon held a presidential election, and President Ali Bongo won the election. The opposition candidate and the former chairman of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping, was not satisfied. Riots broke out in the capital and other places, and Jean Ping appealed the election results to the Constitutional Court.On 24 September, the Constitutional Court confirmed Ali Bongo's victory.On the 27th, Ali Bongo was sworn in.From March to May 2017, Gabon held the "National Inclusive Political Dialogue", which resulted in a number of political dialogue achievements, including the change of the presidential election and parliamentary election to a two round majority system, the amendment of the electoral law and other important contents.In October 2018, Gabon's legislative election was successfully held, and the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party won the election by an absolute advantage.In August 2023, Gabon will hold the "three in one" presidential, parliamentary and local elections, and the Election Commission will announce Ali Bongo's re-election as president.Subsequently, the Gabonese military launched a coup, announced the cancellation of the election results, dissolved all state institutions, ended the rule of the Bongo family, established the Transition and Mechanism Restoration Commission, and elected General Bris Klotel Oligi Nguema, the commander of the Republican Guard, as the chairman of the Commission and the transitional president.In September, Nguema was sworn in as interim president and formed a transitional government.
constitution
The current Constitution is the third one, which was promulgated on March 26, 1991.Eight revisions were made in 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2011, 2018 and 2021.The Constitution stipulates that Gabon implements the separation of powers and the multi-party system;The President is the head of state, with a term of 7 years, who is elected directly by universal suffrage and can be re elected;When the presidential position is vacant, the President or the First Vice President of the Senate shall act as the President and organize the presidential election within 30 to 45 days;The Prime Minister is the head of government, appointed by the President.
parliament
It is composed of the National Assembly and the Senate, which jointly exercise legislative power.Its main functions are to formulate laws, supervise government work, approve the declaration of war and martial law for more than 21 days.Regular meetings are held twice a year.The National Assembly is elected by direct universal suffrage and indirect elections for a term of five years.The Senate is indirectly elected or nominated by the President, of which 52 are elected and 15 are nominated by the President for a term of six years.The last National Assembly was elected in January 2019, with 143 seats in total, including 96 seats of Gabonese Democratic Party.In August 2023, the coup d 'é tat soldiers announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and the Senate.In September, Transitional President Nguema appointed members of the Transitional National Assembly and the Executive Board of the Transitional Senate.In October, the Transition and Mechanism Restoration Committee announced the list of members and senators of the Transitional National Assembly, including 98 members and 70 senators.President of the Transitional National Assembly: Jean Francois NDONGOU; President of the Transitional National Assembly: Paulette MISSAMBO.
government
The government is generally nominated by the President and appointed by the Parliament, and the cabinet ministers are appointed according to the nomination of the Prime Minister.[9]
The Transitional Government was formed in September 2023 and reorganized slightly in January 2024.Including one Prime Minister, one Deputy Prime Minister and Minister, and 29 Ministers.The main members are: Raymond NDONG SIMA, Prime Minister and Head of Government; Alexandre BARRO CHAMBRIER, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and Development; Murielle MINKOU é p. MINTSA, Minister of Institutional ReformMichel R é gis ONANGA NDIAYE, Minister of Subregional Integration and Overseas Chinese, Brigitte ONKANOWA, Minister of Interior and Security Hermann IMMONGAULT, Minister of General AffairsUlrich MANFOUMBI MANFOUMBI, spokesman of the Transition and Mechanism Restoration Committee, Adrien MOUGOUGOU, Minister of Health, Cam é lia NTOUTOUME LECLERCQ, Minister of National Education, Vocational Education and Citizen TrainingHerv é NDOUM ESSINGONE, Minister of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, Mays MOUISSI, Minister of Economy and State owned Equity, Charles MBA, Minister of Public Finance, Marcel ABEKE, Minister of Petroleum, Flavien NZIENGUI NZOUNDOU, Minister of Public Works,Ludovic MEGN é, Minister of Housing, Urbanization and Cadastral, Jeannot KALIMA, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Adrian NGUEMA MBA, Minister of Labor and Unemployment Response, Louise BOUKANDOU, Minister of Public Affairs and Capacity BuildingJonathan IGNOUMBA, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, Laurence MENGUE ME ZOGHO, é pse NDONG, Minister of Press and Media and Government Spokesperson, Bonjean Fr é d é rik MBAZA, Minister of Digital Economy and New Information TechnologyArcadie Svetlana MINGUENGUI NDOMBA eps. NZOMA, Minister of Climate and Human and Natural Conflict Resolution, Andr é Jacques AUGAND, Minister of Culture, Youth, Sports and Arts, Maurice NTOSSUI ALLOGO, Minister of Water and ForestLo ï c MOUDOUMA DINGA, Minister of Maritime Trade and Oceans, Pascal NGO WET SIFFON, Minister of Tourism and Handicraft, Gilles NEMBE, Minister of Mines, Parfaite AMOUYEME OLLAME, Minister of Trade, SMEs and Income generating Activities,Nadine Natalie AWANANG é pse ANATO, Minister of Social Affairs, and Fran ç ois MBONGO RAFEMO BOURDETTE, Minister of Industry.[22]
judicial
There are Constitutional Court, Judicial Court, Administrative Court, Audit Court, Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, etc.Courts at all levels independently exercise judicial power according to law.Courts at all levels have chief procurators who exercise procuratorial power.The Supreme Judicial Council is the highest judicial administrative organ of the country. It decides on the appointment, dispatch, promotion and punishment of judges, with the President as the chairman and the Minister of Justice as the vice chairman.
The Constitutional Court is the highest legal body, which is responsible for determining the constitutionality of the Organic Law, the General Law and the rules and regulations of state institutions, supervising elections and the referendum and announcing the results.In September 2023, the Transitional President Nguema appointed nine judges to form the Transitional Constitutional Court, with Dieudonn é Aba'A Owono as the president.[1][19]
party
There are more than 40 legal political parties, and the main political parties are as follows:
(1) Party D é mocratique Gabonais (PDG): it was founded in March 1968, and former President Omar Bongo was the founder of the party.There are about 300000 Party members.The purpose of the Party is "dialogue, tolerance and peace", and the goal is "to consolidate national independence, strengthen national unity, carry forward democracy, promote economic development and social justice, and maintain peace".The National Congress is the highest organ of the Party, and the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and its Standing Committee are the leading organs of the Party, responsible for implementing the resolutions of the Party Congress and the Central Committee.At present, the party chairman is vacant, and former defense minister and councillor Ngoma serves as the general secretary.
(2) Coalition D é mocratique de l'Opposition: formerly Les D é mocrates.The Democratic People's Party was founded in March 2017 by Nzouba NDAMA, the former speaker of the National Assembly.In March 2019, the opposition Democratic Alliance was established, and Ndama served as the party chairman.The Party's goal is to build a just, democratic and free country.
(3) Rassembly pour le Gabon (RPG): Formerly known as the Rassembly National des B à cherons, it gained legal status in 1991.In the early days of the founding of the Party, he advocated seizing power by violence, advocated free competition economically, and opposed state intervention.The chairman is Paul MBA Abessole.In 1998, Arbesol broke with the First Secretary Pierre Andr é KOMBILA-KOUMBA and renamed the "National Alliance of Loggers" as "Alliance for the Defence of Gabon".He joined the presidential majority camp in 2002.In July 2009, Abesol announced that he would withdraw from the presidential majority and participate in the presidential election.In August, he gave up running for election and supported another opposition candidate, Andr é MBA OBAME. After losing the election, he joined the presidential majority again.
(4) Union Gabonaise pour la D é mocratie et le D é velopment (UGDD): In 2005, Zacharie, the former executive secretary of the Gabonese Democratic PartyMYBOTO) was founded after its withdrawal from the Party and was approved by the Ministry of Interior as a legal party in 2006.
(5) Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG): it was established in July 1989 and gained legal status in September 1991.Pierre Mamboundou, the former chairman, participated in the presidential election three times in 1998, 2005 and 2009, ranking the second, and died in October 2011.In June 2014, the party held its first general meeting and elected Mouckagni IWANGOU as the new chairman for a three-year term.However, the executive secretary of the party refused to recognize the election results and submitted the dispute to the court of first instance in Libreville.In August, the court of first instance of Libreville Court ruled that the intra party election organized by Ivancourt was illegal, and his election as the party chairman was invalid.
Other political parties include: Restoration des Valeurs R é publicaines, Social Democrats du Gabon, Rassembly pour la patrie et la modernit é, Party Social D é mocrateCentre des Lib é raux R é formateurs, Union pour la Nouvelle R é publique, etc.[22]
Dignitaries
Brice Clottel Oligie Nguema: Transitional President.Born in Nguni, Upper Ogovi Province, Gabon, in March 1975, former President Ali Bongo was his cousin.He joined the army in 1997 and served as the adjutant of former President Omar Bongo from 2001 to 2009.Since 2009, he has successively served as a military attache in Gabon's embassies in Morocco and Senegal.In 2019, he served as the Director of the General Special Service of the Republic Guard.In 2020, he will be commander of the Republic Guard.
Raymond Ndong Sima: Prime Minister of the Transitional Government.Born in January 1955 in Oyem, capital of Worle Entem Province, Gabon, of Fang nationality.Master of Economics, Paris XIII University, Master of Econometrics, Paris IX University.Since 1991, he has successively served as the chairman of Gabon Forest Corporation, general manager of National Rubber Planting Company and general manager of Gabon Railway Operation Company.Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Rural Development in 2009.Served as Premier from February 2012 to January 2014.He withdrew from the Democratic Party in 2015, joined the opposition alliance in 2023, and announced to withdraw from the alliance and serve as the Prime Minister of the Transitional Government in September.
Economics
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Due to the abundant oil, the economy developed rapidly after independence.The oil based extractive industry has developed rapidly, and the processing industry and agricultural foundation are weak.Petroleum, manganese, uranium and timber were once the four pillars of the economy.In 1985, the per capita GDP reached 3177 US dollars, and it was listed as the only "middle-income" country in Francophone Africa.In the late 1980s, the economy was in trouble due to the weak oil price, so it was forced to sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund to implement the structural adjustment plan.After 1995, the economy recovered slowly, foreign trade grew, and the balance of payments improved.However, at the end of the 1990s, hit by the Asian financial crisis and the decline in international oil prices, the economy deteriorated again, with negative growth from 1998 to 2001.In recent years, the Gabonese government has actively implemented the economic diversification strategy, focused on the development of agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism, actively developed iron, manganese, wood and other non oil resources, and encouraged the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which has achieved some results.After Ali Bongo became president, he formulated an overall development strategy with the development direction of "green Gabon, service Gabon and industrial Gabon" and the goal of becoming an emerging country in 2025.The main economic indicators in 2023 are estimated as follows:
GDP: 19.32 billion US dollars
GDP per capita: 8830 US dollars
Economic growth rate: 2.8%
Currency name: China Africa Financial Cooperation Franc (FCFA)
Exchange rate: 1 US dollar, about 611.48 CFA francs
Inflation rate: 3.8%[1][22]
From the statistical data of the past five years, although the Gabonese government has actively promoted the optimization of economic structure, the actual progress is not obvious.Oil accounts for about 11% of GDP.Consumption accounts for more than 60% of GDP, but it has declined steadily. The proportion of investment has increased in the past two years, and net exports show a significant negative pull trend.The proportion of the three industries in GDP remained basically stable.[9]
Industry
Gabon's economy is highly dependent on oil. The oil industry accounts for about 11% of GDP, 35% of fiscal revenue and 70% of exports.In 2020, Gabon's crude oil output will be 10.77 million tons, about 78.7 million barrels, down 1.2% from the previous year;The export of crude oil was 9.9 million tons, a decrease of 6.4% over the previous year, and the average unit price was 40 dollars/barrel, down 37%.It is estimated that the crude oil output in 2021 will be 10.2 million tons, with an average unit price of 55 dollars/barrel.European and American enterprises dominate Gabon's oil exploration, including French British joint venture Perenco, American Assala, French Total, etc.
GabonIt is an important manganese ore producer in the world, with an annual output of about 8 million tons, ranking fourth in the world, and the export volume ranking third in the world.[19]In 2020, the output of manganese ore will reach 8.449 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 25.2%, but the price of manganese ore will fall 19% to 4.6 dollars per dry metric ton.Comilog S. A, Gabon's largest manganese mining company (the world's second largest manganese mining company), is a joint venture established by the Gabonese government and the French ERAMET Group. Canada holds 35% of the shares, and its output will reach 5.8 million tons in 2020.The second is Huazhou Mining (Gabon) Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.The third is Nouvelle Gabon Mining invested by Indian enterprises.[9]
The timber industry is the third largest export industry after oil, industry and mining.The export of logs has been prohibited since May 2010.In order to speed up the development of wood processing industry, the Gabonese government has set up the Encock Special Economic Zone in the north of Libreville, covering an area of 1126 hectares, 40% of which is used for the construction of wood processing plants.The annual output of logs is about 2 million cubic meters.[19]
Agriculture
There are 5 million hectares of arable land in Canada. The rainfall is sufficient. The annual rainfall is 1800 to 4000 mm. The agricultural production conditions such as water, heat and soil are good, but the development of agriculture and animal husbandry is slow. The cultivated land area is less than 2% of the national land area. Grain, meat, vegetables, eggs and fruits are not self-sufficient.The main agricultural products include cassava, plantain, corn, yam, taro, cocoa, coffee, vegetables, rubber, palm oil, etc.Palm oil is mainly produced by Belgium SIAT Company and Singapore OLAM Company.Fishery resources are abundant.
The Gabonese Tropical Crops Investment Company (SIAT GABON) was founded in 2004, with 70 billion francs invested by the Gabonese government and the Belgian SIAT Group. It is mainly engaged in the processing of agricultural products, including the planting and processing of bananas and oil palms.The company is basically in a monopoly position in the sideline market of agricultural processing.
In recent years, Canada has received a large amount of foreign investment in agriculture, especially in rubber and palm oil.Singapore OLAM invested 140 million euros to plant 28000 hectares of rubber in Bidham, northern Canada, from 2013. It is expected to harvest in 2020, with an initial output of 62000 tons of natural rubber pulp.Palm oil is mainly produced by SIAT and Singapore OLAM.Gabon produced 12065 tons of palm oil in 2018.[1]
From 2020 to 2021, Gabon will have 79653 households engaged in agricultural production, 105932 people in total, 96116 land for cassava production, 40052 land for planting bananas and other crops, and 193899 poultry.[7]
In 2020, Gabon's log output will be 1.99 million cubic meters, down 2.6% year on year;The timber output was 1.147 million cubic meters, down 2.1%.Calculated at current prices, the added value of log and timber output value is 317.6 billion francs, accounting for 3.6% of nominal GDP.Gabon has banned the export of logs since May 2010, and only processed timber (mainly including sawn timber, veneer and plywood) is allowed to be exported.In 2020, the timber export will be 835000 cubic meters, down 4.3%.[9]
Service industry
In the early 1980s, the number of employees accounted for 17.7% of the employed population.
tourism
Sunshine, sandy beaches and diverse animal and plant ecological structures have laid a good foundation for the development of tourism in Canada.However, because there is no special incentive policy, the tourism industry has been in a tepid state in the plan of emerging Gabon.There are more than 3000 employees, 5 large-scale travel agencies and nearly 100 hotels in China.[1]
Finance
Gabon's foreign exchange reserves are estimated to be about US $1372 million.By 2021, the public external debt is estimated to be about US $11.6 billion.[10]
Gabon's central bank is the Bank of Central African States, which is responsible for implementing the unified monetary policy of CEMAC.BGFI and BICIG are the largest commercial banks in Gabon. Other commercial banks include Gabonese Banking Union (UGB), Financial Bank (ORA), Gabonese Development Bank (BGD) and Postal Bank.Major foreign banks include Citibank and Pan African Bank.
The largest insurance company in Gabon is OGAR Group. Its OGAR company, mainly engaged in property insurance and personal injury insurance, is the largest insurance company in the CEMAC region;The other subsidiary, OGARVIE, which is mainly engaged in life insurance and insurance savings business, is the first life insurance company in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community.The second largest insurance company in Gabon is Nsia Assurances Gabon.In addition, there is the Gabonese Commercial Reinsurance Company (Soci é t é commercial gabonaisede r é insurance), which is jointly established by the Gabonese government and the Gabonese Insurance Company.[9]
The Caisse des D é p ô ts et Consignations (CDC) was established in August 2010. It is a public financial institution of industrial and commercial nature, with a start-up capital of 10 billion CFA francs, aimed at revitalizing the national economy and finance.[10]
Telecommunication industry
It is the Internet Exchange Center in Central Africa.The main mobile communication operators are Libertis, Celtel Gabon and Moov, of which Celtel Gabon has a market share of more than 50%.[1][19]
foreign trade
We have implemented the free trade policy and established trade relations with more than 140 countries and regions.It mainly exports oil, timber and manganese to China, Singapore, South Korea and the Netherlands;Imported food, light industrial products, machinery and equipment, and the main import source countries are France, China, Belgium, Togo, etc.[22]According to Canadian statistics, China has maintained Gabon's largest trading partner status for eight consecutive years, and has become Gabon's largest export destination and third largest source of imports in recent years.
Foreign trade in recent years is as follows (unit: 100 million US dollars)
two thousand and nineteen
two thousand and twenty
two thousand and twenty-one
two thousand and twenty-two
Exports
sixty-seven point five three
fifty-two point seven six
seventy-six point four one
ninety-three point four five
Import volume
thirty point two one
twenty-eight point four nine
thirty point eight eight
sixty-two point one seven
difference
thirty-seven point three two
twenty-four point two seven
forty-five point five three
thirty-one point two eight
reference material:[22]
According to the statistics of Canada, the service export will reach 19.63 billion francs and the service import will reach 524 billion francs in 2020.[9]
foreign investment
According to the data of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Gabon's attraction of foreign direct investment has grown steadily since 2016.In 2020, the flow of foreign direct investment absorbed by Gabon will increase from US $1.38 billion in 2018 and US $1.55 billion in 2019 to US $1.72 billion (about 971 billion CFA francs);The stock of foreign direct investment is 13.96 billion US dollars (7920.8 billion African francs).Foreign investment mainly comes from China, Morocco, France, etc.The investment fields include traditional industries such as oil and mining, and new industries such as infrastructure, timber, financial services, food processing, etc.[9]
In 2022, Gabon will attract foreign direct investment of US $1.5 billion.
Foreign aid
According to the data of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as of 2019, Gabon has received a total of $120.2 million in official development assistance, including $119.6 million from France, which is the largest donor.
The industry distribution of Gabon's external public assistance: nearly 90% of the funds are used for the construction of roads, public works and other infrastructure;Among them, 62% is used for highway construction, and 27% is used for public works and other infrastructure construction.The funds used for environmental protection, agricultural development, institution building, education and culture accounted for only 4%, 2%, 2% and 1% respectively.[9]
Culture
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language
The official language of Gabon is French.The national languages are Fang, Miyene and Batakai.[9]
Religion
St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Libreville
50% of Gabonese residents believe in Catholicism;20% believe in Protestantism;10% believe in Islam;The rest believe in primitive religion.[9]
custom
Dance of northern tribes in Gabon
Gabonese people are very particular about addressing and greeting each other when they meet. They should add Mr., Mrs., Miss and other honorific titles before their surnames.It is generally impolite to make an appointment when meeting the other party.Gabonese are generally not punctual and inefficient.It is forbidden to ask Gabonese about personal income and other privacy issues.[4]
festival
Gabon's statutory holidays include Catholic festivals, New Year's Day, National Day (August 17), and major Islamic festivals.A five-day working week is implemented, and Saturday and Sunday are public holidays.[9]
military
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History of military building
National Day Parade
The predecessor of the Canadian army was the French colonial army.When independent, the number of people shall not exceed 300.The defense agreement signed with France in 1960;Gabonese officers are trained by France;The weapons and equipment are supplied by France.Since 1961, the number of troops has increased.After 1972, the sources of military equipment tended to be diversified.With the continuous expansion of the army, three independent services, land, sea and air, were established. In 1983, three staff departments, land, sea and air, were established;In 1986, the General Staff Department of the Armed Forces was established to govern the three armed forces.
commanding organization
There is a defense committee, chaired by the President, responsible for formulating defense policies.The Minister of Defence, Security and Immigration is responsible for the implementation of the defence policy, supplemented by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Gendarmerie Commander and the Police Commander.The army, navy and air force have their own staff headquarters.The Presidential Guard is under the personal command of the President.The whole country is divided into seven military regions, each of which has its headquarters, which governs the troops in the region.
troops
The total number of Canadian armed forces is about 12000, consisting of three parts:
1. The armed forces include the army, navy and air force, the armed forces light flying team and the fire camp, with a total of about 6000 people, including 150 women soldiers.The army has 1900 people, belonging to one command and reinforcement battalion, one umbrella battalion, four infantry companies, one engineering company and one service company.There are 500 naval personnel deployed in Libreville and Port Gentil.The Air Force has 600 people and bases in Mbay, Libreville and Franceville.
2. 1400 members of the Presidential Guard.
3. The security forces include the gendarmerie and the police, with 2400 and 2500 respectively.
arms
80% of the weapons and equipment come from France, and the rest from Britain, the United States, Italy, Germany, Brazil and other countries.The army is mainly equipped with more than 40 light tanks and 35 armored personnel carriers,Howitzer4, 8 multi barrel rockets, 40 mortars, 6 recoilless guns, 21 anti-aircraft guns, etc.The Navy has one four tube ship to ship missile launch boat, one landing ship, three small landing boats, one maritime patrol boat, four inland river patrol boats, etc.The Air Force has 9 Mirage fighters, 1 maritime patrol aircraft, 4 large and medium-sized transport aircraft, 1 medium-sized passenger aircraft, 4 small passenger aircraft, 6 trainer aircraft and 14 helicopters.
Military service system
The system of voluntary military service shall be implemented.
Military expenditure
In 1990, military expenditure was 167 million dollars, accounting for 5.2% of the gross national product.
traffic
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overview
Starting point of Libreville Waterfront Avenue
GabonLand transportation is underdeveloped, mainly relying on water and air transportation, and 90% of import and export materials rely on sea transportation.In 2013, Gabon transport holding company, which is controlled by the state, was established to manage the national transport industry and coordinate various branches to promote the development of the transport industry.[9][19]
Railway
At present, Gabon has only one railway line, which was built in the 1970s and completed in 1986, connecting Port Ovundo and Franceville, with a total length of 814 kilometers.The railway line passes through 5 provinces and has 22 stations, mainly used for the transportation of manganese ore, logs, containers and other goods and personnel.
In 2020, the freight volume will reach 8.91 million tons, up 24.4% year on year.Among them, the transport volume of manganese ore was 8.06 million tons, up 29% year on year, accounting for 90% of the total freight volume.Affected by the epidemic, the passenger volume was only 163000 person times, down 49.3% year on year.In November 2005, the Gabonese government granted the Trans Gabonese Railway Operation Company (SETRAG) the right to operate the railway for 30 years. The main shareholder of the railway company is the French manganese mining company in Gabon.[9]
highway
Land transportation is underdeveloped. By the end of 2017, the total length of roads was 10378km.Among them, 3726 kilometers are national roads, 2700 kilometers are provincial roads, 2784 kilometers are county-level roads, 1168 kilometers are rural roads, and only 20% are asphalt roads.Gabon's national highway is divided into two main lines, with a total length of 870km from Cameroon in the north to Congo Brazzaville in the south and 774km from east to west.Transport is a major bottleneck in Gabon's economic development.Highway construction is the development focus of Gabon's engineering field.In addition to self financing, the Gabonese government also funds the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the French Development Agency and other institutions to build roads.However, in recent years, with the decline of oil prices and the reduction of government solvency, many highway projects have stagnated due to insufficient funds.[9]
water transport
The waterway route is 1600 kilometers long, divided into two categories: sea transportation and river transportation.The main seaports are Port Gentil, Port Ovindo and Port Mayomba, with an annual total throughput of 25 million tons.The port of Gentil mainly transports oil, and the port of Ovindo mainly transports logs and ores.In October 2017, the new port of Aowenduo was opened, and its throughput capacity was further enhanced.[9][19]
air transport
There are 44 public airports, among which Libreville, Port Gentil and Franceville are international airports, opening more than 20 international routes to Africa and Europe.[19]The capital Libreville Mba International Airport is Gabon's air transport hub, with an annual capacity of 1.7 million passengers and a cargo throughput of 40000 tons.In 2020, affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, Gabon's air transport volume declined significantly, including 7281 commercial flights, a year-on-year decline of 52.4%;The passenger traffic volume was nearly 300000, down 62.3%;The freight volume was 12000 tons, down 9%.
Gabon has more than 20 international routes to Africa, Europe and other places, mainly operated by more than 10 international airlines, such as Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, Moroccan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, etc. The main routes include Libreville Paris, Libreville Addis Ababa, Libreville Casablanca, Libreville Istanbul, etc.Gabon is open to navigation with neighboring Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, etc.[9]
Sociology
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science education
Gabon's science and technology education level is relatively backward, and its backbone teachers and research teams mainly rely on foreign institutions for training.
Public primary schools provide free education, and students in public secondary schools and universities enjoy state grants.The education system is similar to that of France, and French is widely used in teaching.Gabon has two comprehensive universities: National Omar Bongo University and Makoku University of Science and Technology.Due to the arrears of subsidies, wages and other reasons, teacher strikes have occurred frequently in recent years.
According to the latest census, there are still 164000 illiterate people over 15 years old in Gabon.The female literacy rate is 89% and the male literacy rate is 91%.Only 4% of women and 7% of men aged 15-49 have no education.[9]
medical care
According to the statistics of the World Bank, the national recurrent medical and health expenditure accounted for 2.75% of GDP in 2018. According to PPP, the per capita recurrent medical and health expenditure was 218.37 dollars;In 2019, the life expectancy per capita was 66.5 years, ranking second in central Africa and second only to Rwanda (69 years).
In addition, the climate is hot and humid, the bacteria are easy to reproduce, and there are many tropical diseases, among which malaria is the most common, with an incidence of about 22% and a mortality of 1.6 per 10000.The prevalence of AIDS is about 5%, the prevalence of hepatitis B is about 10%, and the prevalence of hepatitis C is about 8%.
China and Canada have signed a medical cooperation agreement. So far, China has sent 23 groups of 26 medical teams to work in the Libreville China Canada Cooperation Hospital and the Franceville China Canada Friendship Hospital.[9]
Journalism
The basic information of the main media in Gabon is as follows:
L'UNION, issued by the government, is the most influential newspaper in Gabon, with a circulation of about 20000 copies per issue, and is sold in Gabon's major cities and some countries in Central and West Africa.Network media include GABONECO, GABONREVIEW, ALIBREVILLE, GABONMEDIA TIME, DIRECTINFOSGABON, INFOS241, etc.
The official news agency is the Gabonese News Agency, which was founded in November 1966.
The state-owned Gabonese radio station "The Voice of Innovation" was founded in 1959. It has medium, short wave and FM transmitters and broadcasts in French and local languages all day long.The Second Radio Station was established in 1973, with only FM transmitter stations.There are also dozens of private radio stations, such as Moyabi Short Wave Radio (one in Africa), Unity Radio, Homesickness Radio and Sun Radio.It has GABON TELEVISION, GABON24 and other state-owned television stations.Satellite TV was launched in 1992.At the same time, there are private TV stations such as "RTG CHAINE2" and "TV Plus".In Gabon, you can also buy satellite TV packages to watch TV programs in Europe, Asia and other places.[9]
media
Radio station: The state-owned Gabonese radio station "The Voice of Innovation" was founded in 1959. It has medium, short wave and FM transmitters and broadcasts in French and local languages all day long.The Second Radio Station was established in 1973, with only FM transmitter stations.In addition, there are five private radio stations, including Moyabi Short Wave Radio (Radio Africa 1), Unity Radio, Homesickness Radio, and Sun Radio. Among them, Radio Africa 1 was founded in 1981 as a joint venture between Gabon and France, which has more influence in Africa.
Television stations: There are two national television channels, which were launched in 1963 and 1973 respectively.Satellite TV was launched in 1992.There are African television stations, television plus stations and other private television stations.In Gabon, we can also receive TV programs such as Euronews and French TV 5.[4]
Sports
Pierre Emerique Obameyan
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (June 18, 1989 -), a Gabonese football player, started in AC Milan, once played for Dortmund Club, and now plays for the Premier League Arsenal Club.On January 7, 2016, Obameyan was elected to 2015Mr. African Football。[5]
power
The installed power capacity of the country is about 710 MW, of which 56% is thermal power generation such as oil and natural gas, and 43% is hydropower generation.In 2020, the power generation will be 2396GWh, with a year-on-year growth of 0.6%.The power supply in some areas is insufficient, and there is no connection with surrounding countries.The Gabonese government plans to increase the installed capacity to 1200 MW by 2022, and the new part is mainly hydropower generation, which will increase the proportion of hydropower to 80%.Up to now, Gabon has no power interconnection with neighboring countries.[9]
According to the latest Global Energy Progress Report 2022 issued by the World Bank, the electricity penetration rate of Canada is 91.6%, ranking fifth in the African continent and first in Central African countries, but the rural electricity penetration rate of Canada is only 27.76%.[8]
communication
Gabon attaches great importance to the development of communication technology. In 2014, it completed the 4G commercial communication technology network, which is the first 4G commercial communication network in Central Africa.By the end of 2020, Gabon has 3.05 million mobile phone users, with a market penetration rate of 145%.Among them, Gabon Telecom holds 59% of the mobile phone market share and Airtel holds 41% of the market share.In November 2019, Gabon Telecom announced the launch of the 5th generation mobile communication network test.
Gabon is an Internet exchange center in Central Africa. Currently, it is actively promoting projects related to optical backbone networks in Central Africa with the support of the World Bank, with an investment amount of about 110 million dollars.By the end of 2020, Gabon has 2.09 million Internet users, including 2.07 million GSM users and 20000 broadband users.Add 730000 social media users, with a market penetration rate of 33%.[9]
International Relations
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foreign policy
Pursue the policy of openness, non alignment, international cooperation, good neighborliness and friendship.It emphasizes that diplomacy serves the domestic economy.We call on Africa to unite and promote regional cooperation.It advocates resolving world and regional conflicts through dialogue, reconciliation and consultation.To date, Ghana has established diplomatic relations with 101 countries.[1]
external relations
Relations with China
Bilateral political relations
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Canada on April 20, 1974, the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries have developed smoothly. In April 2023, the two countries decided to upgrade their relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership[11]。
Important visits: President Hu Jintao (February 2004), Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Wu Guanzheng (September 2006), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo (November 2008), Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang (attended the funeral of President Omar Bongo as the special envoy of President Hu Jintao in June 2009)Minister of Education Yuan Guiren (attended the 50th anniversary of the independence of Canada as the special envoy of President Hu Jintao in August 2010), Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (February 2011), Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng (April 2016), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Ji Bingxuan (May 2017), Foreign Minister Wang Yi (January 2018), State Councilor and Minister of Defense Chang Wanquan (February 2018)Shao Hong, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee (December 2019), etc.
Important visits: President Omar Bongo (11 times in China, including attending the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in November 2006 and August 2008 respectively), Vice Premier and Minister of Culture Paul Mba Abesol é (October 2008)President Ali Bongo (attended the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo in May 2010, paid a state visit to China in December 2016, attended the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation in August September 2018, attended the video conference of the Special Summit of China Africa Unity and Anti epidemic in June 2020, and paid a state visit to China in April 2023), Prime Minister Mumba (attended the Gabon National Pavilion Day of the Shanghai World Expo in July 2010)Bukubi, General Secretary of the Democratic Party (April 2012), Massar, President Affairs and Minister of Defense (December 2017), Mileb, President of the Senate (January 2018), Billy, Foreign Minister (June 2019 to attend the meeting of coordinators for the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation), and Imongo, Foreign Minister (July 2023 to attend the first high-level meeting of the Global Forum for Shared Development Action)Etc.
Bilateral economic and trade relations
In recent years, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has yielded remarkable results.China's assistance to Canada mainly includes: the National Assembly Building, the Senate Building, the China Canada Friendship Stadium, the repair and reconstruction of the National Assembly Building and other projects.The projects implemented with preferential loans provided by the Chinese side include timber processing plants, pharmaceutical plants, etc.In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Canada will be 4.55 billion US dollars, with a year-on-year growth of 50.8%, of which the import volume of China will be 3.97 billion US dollars, with a year-on-year growth of 53.5%;The export volume was 580 million US dollars, up 34.6% year on year.China mainly imports oil, manganese ore and timber, and exports mechanical and electrical products, steel and cement.
Other transactions
China and Canada have signed cultural cooperation agreements.China Acrobatic Troupe, Hunan Song and Dance Troupe, Hebei Peking Opera Troupe, Henan Shaolin Temple Warrior Monk Troupe and others have visited Canada for performances, and the Chinese Wushu Association has sent delegations to attend the "Wushu Night" performance activities in Canada for many years in a row.Canadian dance troupe has visited China.In February 2011, the Shanghai Art Troupe went to Canada to participate in China's "Happy Spring Festival" performance.In May 2012, the Chinese Wushu delegation went to Canada to attend the 21st "Wushu Night" in Canada.In February 2014, Canada's national television station and China Radio International jointly launched the TV series "Daughter in law's good times" in Canada.In April, the Yunnan Dance Acrobatic Troupe of China visited Canada to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Canada.In February 2018, Henan Culture and Art Troupe went to Canada to perform the "Happy Spring Festival Africa Tour".In October 2019, the Hangzhou Literary and Art Delegation visited Gabon.
China has sent medical teams to Canada since 1977.Up to now, 24 batches of medical teams, each with 26 people, have been dispatched.
China has provided government scholarships to Canada since 1975.Three professional schools have opened Chinese courses.In December 2017, the Confucius Institute at Bongo University was awarded the license.In December 2018, the Confucius Institute held its opening ceremony.
The two militaries maintain friendly exchanges.In June 2009, the Chinese and Canadian militaries held a joint humanitarian medical rescue operation in Canada, which was the first bilateral military operation between the Chinese military and an African country.In October 2017, the Chinese Navy Peace Ark Hospital ship paid a friendly visit to Canada and provided humanitarian medical services to the local people.In June 2018, the 28th convoy formation of the Chinese Navy visited Canada.In July 2023, the 43rd convoy of the Chinese Navy visited Canada.[22]
Important bilateral agreements
（1） The joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Gabonese Republic (April 20, 1974):
The two governments agreed to develop friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
（2） In December 2015, China and Gabon signed the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Gabonese Republic on Mutual Exemption of Visas for Persons Holding Diplomatic and Service Passports, which came into force on February 5, 2016.
（3） In April 2023, China and Gabon issued the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and Gabon on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation。
Relations with France
Maintain traditional relations with France.France's investment in Canada is mainly concentrated in the fields of oil, timber and minerals.France is Canada's largest source of imports, accounting for 35% of the market share of Canada.France mainly exports machinery and equipment, industry and agricultural and sideline products to Canada, and mainly imports raw materials and primary products from Canada.France has 12000 overseas Chinese in Canada and more than 120 enterprises in Canada. It has set foot in all economic fields in Canada and controls 50% of Canada's exports.Among the top 10 enterprises in Canada, 6 are French funded enterprises.France has a military base in Libreville, with about 450 permanent officers and soldiers.The two heads of state exchange visits frequently.In January 2015, Canadian President Ali Bongo went to France to participate in the anti-terrorism march and met with French President Francois Hollande.In November, Ali Bongo went to France to attend the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.In December 2017, Ali Bongo attended the "One Planet" Climate Action Financing Summit held in Paris.In November 2018, Canadian Foreign Minister Emongo attended the commemoration of the centennial of the Armistice in World War I held in Paris, and attended the opening ceremony of the Paris Peace Forum.In September 2019, President Mileb of the Canadian Senate and Secretary General Thiel of the Presidential Palace attended the funeral of former French President Chirac.In November 2021, Ali Bongo visited France.In March 2023, French President Makron went to Canada to attend the "One Forest" Summit.In December 2023, French President Makron met with Nguema briefly during his attendance at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).[22]
Relations with the United States
Canada and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1960.The investment protection agreement was signed in 1962.Canada mainly exports oil to the United States.In August 2014, Canadian President Ali Bongo went to the United States to attend the US Africa Summit and met with the US Minister of Environment and Energy.In September, Ali Bongo went to the United States to attend the New York Forum.In November 2021, Ali Bongo went to Britain to attend the 26th Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention of the United Nations Climate Change Conference and exchanged greetings with US President Biden.In December 2022, Ali Bongo went to the United States to attend the second US Africa Summit.
Relations with neighboring countries and other African countries
In general, we should maintain good neighborly and friendly relations with our neighbors, actively promote regional peace, participate in solving the crises in Central Africa and Burundi, combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and advocate resolving conflicts through dialogue, reconciliation, consultation and other means.
Relations with regional and international organizations
We will actively promote African integration and participate in regional and international affairs such as climate change.Since January 2020, he has served as the chairman of the African Climate Negotiating Group.Joined the Commonwealth in June 2022.In June 2021, he was elected as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2022 to 2023.It is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, the Commonwealth and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.After the coup in August 2023, both the African Union and the Central African Economic Community announced the suspension of their membership in Canada.In March 2024, the Central African Economic Community agreed to restore Canada's membership.[22]
On September 4, 2023 local time, after the leaders' summit in Equatorial Guinea, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) said that Gabon had decided to suspend Gabon's membership because some soldiers seized power and removed President Bongo's power.[18]
We will actively promote African integration and participate in regional and international affairs such as climate change.Since January 2020, he has served as the chairman of the African Climate Negotiating Group.Joined the Commonwealth in June 2022.In June 2021, he was elected as a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council from 2022 to 2023.It is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, the Commonwealth and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.After the coup in August 2023, both the African Union and the Central African Economic Community announced the suspension of their membership in Canada.In March 2024, the Central African Economic Community agreed to restore Canada's membership.
