The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

female: 18.7 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       2.54% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       36.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       11.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 55.05 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 65.12 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 57.12 years

       male: 55.45 years

       female: 58.84 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       4.83 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       9% (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       23,000 (1999 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       3,000 (2001 est.)

      Nationality:

       noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)

       adjective: Gabonese

      Ethnic groups:

       Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou,

       Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including

       10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

      Religions:

       Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

      Languages:

       French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

      Literacy:

       definition: age 15 and over can read and write

       total population: 63.2%

       male: 73.7%

       female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

      Government Gabon

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Gabonese Republic

       conventional short form: Gabon

       local short form: Gabon

       local long form: Republique Gabonaise

      Government type:

       republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties

       legalized in 1990)

      Capital:

       Libreville

      Administrative divisions:

       9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,

       Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

      Independence:

       17 August 1960 (from France)

      National holiday:

       Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

      Constitution:

       adopted 14 March 1991

      Legal system:

       based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review

       of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;

       has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

       21 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)

       head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE

       (since 23 January 1999)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in

       consultation with the president

       elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;

       election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime

       minister appointed by the president

       election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of

       vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO 66.6%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul

       M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

      Legislative branch:

       bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members

       elected by members of municipal councils and departmental

       assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120

       seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve

       five-year terms)

       elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001

       (next to be held NA December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January

       and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2004)

       election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -

       NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP

       1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by

       party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,

       CLR 1, independents 9

      Judicial branch:

       Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -

       Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts

       of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

      Political parties and leaders:

       Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];

       Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [Divungui-di-Ndinge

       DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG, former sole party

       [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP

       [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,]; National Rally of Woodcutters-Rally

       for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's

       Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; Rally for Democracy and

       Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD

       [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]

      Political pressure groups and leaders:

       NA

      International organization participation:

       ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77,

       IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,

       IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,

       UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

      Diplomatic