Gabon (pronounced /ɡəˈbɒn/; French pronunciation: [ɡabɔ̃]) is a country in west central Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population sharing borders with the Gulf of Guinea The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean west of Africa. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf to the west, Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a country located in Central Africa. With an area of 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi) it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It is also the most prosperous, however the wealth is concentrated in government and elite hands, with 70% of the population to the northwest, and Cameroon The Republic of Cameroon is a country of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of Bonny, part of the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, with the Republic of the Congo The Republic of the Congo , also known as Congo-Brazzaville, Little Congo, or simply the Congo, is a country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire), the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea curving around the east and south. It covers a land area of nearly 270,000 km² and has an estimated population of 1,500,000. Its capital and largest city is Libreville Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region.

Since its independence from France France (pronounced /ˈfrænts/ frantss or /ˈfrɑːnts/ frahnts; French pronunciation (help·info): [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced: [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, on August 17, 1960, Gabon has been ruled by three presidents. In the early 1990s, Gabon introduced a multi-party system Unlike a single-party system , it encourages the general constituency to form multiple distinct, officially recognized groups, generally called political parties. Each party competes for votes from the enfranchised constituents (those allowed to vote). A multi-party system is essential for representative democracies, because it prevents the and a new democratic Democracy is a political form of government where governing power is derived from the people, either by direct referendum or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy). The term comes from the Greek: δημοκρατία - (dēmokratía) "rule of the people", which was coined from δῆμος (dêmos) & constitution A constitution is a set of laws that a set of people have made and agreed upon for government—often codified as a written document—that enumerates and limits the powers and functions of a political entity. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is. In the case of countries and autonomous regions of federal countries the that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions. The small population density Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key geographic term together with abundant natural resources Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems. Natural resources are derived from the environment. Many of them are essential for our survival while others are used for and foreign private investment Investment is the commitment of money or capital to purchase financial instruments or other assets in order to gain profitable returns in form of interest, income, or appreciation of the value of the instrument. It is related to saving or deferring consumption. Investment is involved in many areas of the economy, such as business management and have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in the region, with the highest HDI The Human Development Index is a composite statistic used as an index to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate developed (high development), developing (middle development), and underdeveloped (low development) countries. The statistic is composed from statistics for Life Expectancy, Education, and GDP collected at in Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara. It contrasts with North Africa, which is considered a part of the Arab world.[4]

Contents

History

Main article: History of Gabon There is little written history of Gabon prior to European contact, but various Bantu peoples are known to have immigrated to the area beginning in the 1300s. Portuguese traders who arrived in the 15th century named the country after the Portuguese word gabão, a coat with sleeve and hood resembling the shape of the Komo River estuary. The coast

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually low; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed pygmoid. The best known pygmies are the Aka, Efé and Mbuti of central Africa. There are also pygmies in peoples. They were largely replaced and absorbed by Bantu Bantu is a large category of African languages. It also is used as a general label for 300-600 ethnic groups in Africa, from Cameroon east across Central Africa and Eastern Africa to Southern Africa. These peoples share a common language family sub-group, the Bantu languages, and broad ancestral culture, but Bantu languages as a whole are as tribes as they migrated Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. The movement of populations in modern times has continued under the form of both voluntary migration within one's region, country, or beyond, and involuntary migration . People who migrate are called migrants or more.

In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived. The nation's present name originates from "Gabão", Portuguese Portuguese ( português or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated from a fusion of the dialect spoken in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal with closely related dialects spoken in territories to the south which had not yet been reconquered by the Christians to the Arabs by the time Portugal was born as a Christian kingdom for "cloak", which is roughly the shape of the estuary An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea of the Komo River by Libreville. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza led his first mission to the Gabon-Congo area in 1875. He founded the town of Franceville Franceville or Masuku is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 22,000 people. It lies on the River Mpassa and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It grew from a village named Masuku when Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former slaves and renamed it in 1880, and was later colonial governor. Several Bantu groups lived in the area that is now Gabon when France France (pronounced /ˈfrænts/ frantss or /ˈfrɑːnts/ frahnts; French pronunciation (help·info): [fʁɑ̃s]), officially the French Republic (French: République française, pronounced: [ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz]), is a state in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, officially occupied it in 1885.

In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert, a federation that survived until 1959. These territories became independent on August 17, 1960. The first president of Gabon, elected in 1961, was Léon M’ba, with Omar Bongo Ondimba as his vice president. French interests were decisive in selecting the future leadership in Gabon after Independence; French logging interests poured funds into the successful election campaign of M'ba, an 'evolué' from the coastal region.

After M'ba's accession to power, the press was suppressed, political demonstrations banned, freedom of expression curtailed, other political parties gradually excluded from power and the Constitution changed along French lines to vest power in the Presidency, a post that M'ba assumed himself. However, when M'ba dissolved the National Assembly in January 1964 to institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him from power and restore parliamentary democracy. The extent to which M'ba's dictatorial regime was synonymous with "French Interests" then became blatantly apparent when French paratroopers flew in within 24 hours to restore M'ba to power.

After a few days of fighting, the coup was over and the opposition imprisoned, despite widespread protests and riots. The French government was unperturbed by international condemnation of the intervention; and paratroops still remain in the Camp de Gaulle on the outskirts of Gabon's capital. When M'Ba died in 1967, Bongo replaced him as president, and continued to be the head of state until his death in 2009, winning each contested election with a substantial majority.

Government

Main article: Politics of Gabon Former President Omar Bongo Ondimba in 2004

In March 1991, a new constitution was enacted. Among its provisions are a bill of rights, the creation of a body to guarantee those rights (National Council of Democracy) and a governmental advisory board which deals with economic and social issues. Multi-party legislative elections were held in 1990–91 even though opposition parties had not yet been formally declared legal.

President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009. He was succeeded as president after the August 2009 presidential election that followed his death by his son Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba, in power from 1967 until his death in June 2009,[5] was re-elected to his third consecutive seven-year term on November 27, 2005. According to figures provided by Gabon's Interior Ministry, he received a 79.1% majority of votes. Succeeding Bongo as interim president upon his death was Rose Francine Rogombé Rose Francine Rogombé (born 20 September 1942) is a Gabonese politician, currently serving as the Interim President of Gabon following the death of long-time President Omar Bongo in June 2009. She constitutionally succeeded Bongo due to her role as President of the Senate, a post to which she was elected in February 2009. She is a lawyer by, President of the Senate of Gabon The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of Gabon. It has 102 members, elected for a six year term in single-seat constituencies by local and départemental councillors. Beginning with the 2009 election, some constituencies elect two senators.

The voting age in Gabon is 21 years of age.[6] In 2003, the President amended the Constitution of Gabon to remove any restrictions on the number of terms a president is allowed to serve. The president retains strong powers, such as authority to dissolve the National Assembly, declare a state of siege, delay legislation, conduct referendums, and appoint or dismiss the prime minister as well as cabinet members. In provisional results, the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) won 84 out of 120 parliamentary seats.

On September 3, 2009, the son of Omar Bongo, Ali Ben Bongo, was elected president.[7] As with previous Gabonese elections, the opposition parties have contested the results. There were calls for a boycott and accusations of electoral fraud and bribery. The announcement of the result sparked looting and the torching of the French consulate in Port-Gentil.[8][9] However, several international observers including the Economic Community of Central African States have reported that the election "met international standards" for democratic Democracy is a political form of government where governing power is derived from the people, either by direct referendum or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy). The term comes from the Greek: δημοκρατία - (dēmokratía) "rule of the people", which was coined from δῆμος (dêmos) & voting, and urged the people of Gabon to accept the result.[10]

Further information: List of Presidents of Gabon Categories: Presidents of Gabon | Lists of heads of state | Gabon-related lists

Gabon has a small, professional military of about 5,000 personnel, divided into army, navy, air force, gendarmerie A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military body charged with police duties among civilian populations. The members of such a body are called gendarmes. The term maréchaussée (or marshalcy) may also be used (e.g., Royal Marechaussee) but is now uncommon, and national police. Gabonese forces are oriented to the defense of the country and have not been trained for an offensive role. A 1,800-member guard provides security for the president.

In September, 2007, René Ndémezo'o Obiang, the government's spokesperson, announced that Gabon's cabinet council had decided to formally abolish the death penalty Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a person by judicial process as a punishment for an offense. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from Latin capitalis, literally "regarding the head" . Hence, a capital crime was originally one, which had not been applied in the country in over a decade.

Gabon placed 21st out of 53 African countries in the 2009 Ibrahim Index of African Governance The Ibrahim Index of African Governance is an attempt to statistically monitor African governance levels throughout all the sub-Saharan African countries. It uses a number of difference indicators to compile an overall ranking of countries, which is designed to be used as a tool for civil society in African countries to hold their governments to. The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive measure of African governance, based on a number of different variables which reflect the success with which governments deliver essential political goods to its citizens.[11]

Provinces and departments

Main articles: Provinces of Gabon Estuaire · Haut-Ogooué · Moyen-Ogooué · Ngounié · Nyanga · Ogooué-Ivindo · Ogooué-Lolo · Ogooué-Maritime · Woleu-Ntem and Departments of Gabon The provinces of Gabon are divided into thirty-seven departments. The departments are listed below, by province : Provinces of Gabon

Gabon is divided into nine provinces Estuaire · Haut-Ogooué · Moyen-Ogooué · Ngounié · Nyanga · Ogooué-Ivindo · Ogooué-Lolo · Ogooué-Maritime · Woleu-Ntem and further divided into 37 departments The provinces of Gabon are divided into thirty-seven departments. The departments are listed below, by province :.

The provinces are:

  1. Estuaire
  2. Haut-Ogooué
  3. Moyen-Ogooué
  4. Ngounié
  5. Nyanga
  6. Ogooué-Ivindo
  7. Ogooué-Lolo
  8. Ogooué-Maritime
  9. Woleu-Ntem

Geography

Satellite image of Gabon, generated from raster graphics In computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap is a data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium. Raster images are stored in image files with varying formats data supplied by The Map Library The Map Library is a project of The Map Maker Trust charity, and supported by Map Maker Ltd., for the supplying of free GIS data. The project website also hosts free conversion software for raster and vector files. As of November 2008, the only data sets available were for the continents of Africa and Central America Main article: Geography of Gabon

Gabon is located on the Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106,400,000 square kilometres , it covers approximately twenty percent of the Earth's surface and about twenty-six percent of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek mythology, making the Atlantic the " coast of central Africa. Located on the equator An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass. The capitalized term Equator refers to the Earth's equator, Gabon has an equatorial climate A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a type of tropical climate in which there is no dry season – all months have mean precipitation values of at least 60 mm . Tropical rainforest climates have no pronounced summer or winter; it is hot and wet throughout the year and rainfall is heavy and falls throughout the with an extensive system of rainforests covering 85% of the country. There are three distinct regions: the coastal plains (ranging between 20 to 300 km from the ocean's shore), the mountains (the Cristal Mountains to the northeast of Libreville, the Chaillu Massif in the centre, culminating at 1575 m with Mont Iboundji), and the savanna A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses. Some classification systems[which?] also recognize a in the east. The coastal plains form a large section of the World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in the United States and Canada. It is the world's largest independent conservation organization with's Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species. The biodiversity of flora, fauna and contain patches of Central African mangroves especially on the Muni River estuary on the border with Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a country located in Central Africa. With an area of 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi) it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It is also the most prosperous, however the wealth is concentrated in government and elite hands, with 70% of the population.

Gabon's largest river is the Ogooué which is 1200 km long. Gabon has three karst Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite areas where there are hundreds of caves located in the dolomite and limestone rocks. Some of the caves include Grotte du Lastoursville, Grotte du Lebamba, Grotte du Bongolo, and Grotte du Kessipougou. Many caves have not been explored yet. A National Geographic Expedition visited the caves in the summer of 2008 to document them (Expedition Website).

Gabon is also noted for efforts to preserve the natural environment. In 2002, President Omar Bongo Ondimba put Gabon firmly on the map as an important future ecotourism destination by designating more than 11% of the nation's territory to be part of its national park system (with 13 parks in total), one of the largest proportions of nature parkland A national park is a reserve of land, declared or owned by a national government, they are protected from most human development and pollution. National parks are protected areas of IUCN category II. The largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974. According to The World Conservation in the world. Natural resources include: petroleum, magnesium, iron, gold, uranium, and forests.

See also: List of places in Gabon

Economy

Main article: Economy of Gabon 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

Gabon is more prosperous than most nearby countries, with a per capita income Per capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms. It is the measure of the amount of money that each person earns in the country, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported of four times the average for Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara. It contrasts with North Africa, which is considered a part of the Arab world. This is in large part due to offshore oil production. Critics note that the income was not invested in modernizing or diversifying the economy and Gabon remains heavily reliant on its natural resources. Gabon was a full member of OPEC from 1975 to 1995. It is an exporter of manganese, iron, and wood. Uranium mines near Franceville were shut down in 2001 with the arrival of new competition on the global market and there is work in progress to re-open them. Planned efforts to exploit rich iron deposits north-east of Makokou are expected to begin in 2012.

During the 1990s, devaluation of the CFA franc left Gabon struggling to pay its overseas debt; France and the IMF have provided further loans and aid in exchange for the implementation of changes to the economy. Gabon's principal trading partners are the United States, China, and Russia for exports while importing mainly from France.[6]

On December 5, 2007 JPMorgan acted as Joint-Bookrunner on the Gabonese Republic’s (BB-/BB-) debut international US$1 billion 10-year bond issue.

Gabon is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).[12]

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Gabon

Straddling the equator, this rainforest nation is situated on West Africa’s Atlantic coast. Animals are abundant – Gabon is the continent’s fifth least densely populated country – and is 85 per cent covered in tropical forest. [citation needed] This, along with savannahs, mangroves, lagoons and beaches makes it an ideal habitat for varied species of animals and reptiles including 20,000 western lowland gorillas and 60,000 forest elephants – the largest population in Africa – and 700 types of exotic birds. [citation needed]

The National Tourism Strategy, written in consultation with the The Wildlife Conservation Society, aims to achieve 100,000 visitors per annum. [citation needed]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Gabon Population, in thousands, of Gabon from 1961 to 2003

The population of Gabon is nearly 1.5 million (1,442,334).[6] Almost all Gabonese are of Bantu origin, though Gabon has at least forty ethnic groups with diverse languages and cultures. The Fang are generally thought to be the largest, although recent census data seem to favor the Bandjabi (or Nzebi). Others include the Myene, Bakota, Eshira, Bapounou, and Okande. Ethnic group boundaries are less sharply drawn in Gabon than elsewhere in Africa. French, the official language, may be regarded as a unifying force. It is estimated that 80% of the country's population are able to speak French, and that 30% of Libreville residents are native speakers of the language. Nationally, 32% of the Gabonese people speak the Fang language as a mother tongue.[13] More than 10,000 French people live in Gabon, and France is the predominant foreign cultural and commercial influence.

Historical and environmental factors caused Gabon's population to decline between 1900 and 1940. It has one of the lowest population densities of any country in Africa, and labor shortages form a major obstacle to development and a draw for foreign workers. Most inhabitants are Christians, with estimates of the Christian population ranging from 55 to 77%, mostly members of the Roman Catholic Church. Other religious groups include animists, Muslims, and practitioners of indigenous African religions. Gabon's literacy rate is 63.2%.[6]

See also: Ethnic groups of Gabon, Languages of Gabon, Religion in Gabon, and Bwiti

Culture

Main article: Culture of Gabon
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be and removed. (June 2009)
Chancery building, Libreville. Gabonese mask

Gabonese music is lesser-known in comparison with regional giants like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. The country boasts an array of folk styles, as well as pop stars like Patience Dabany and Annie Flore Batchiellilys, a Gabonese singer and renowned live performer. Also known are guitarists like Georges Oyendze, La Rose Mbadou and Sylvain Avara, and the singer Oliver N'Goma. Imported rock and hip hop from the US and UK are popular in Gabon, as are rumba, makossa and soukous. Gabonese folk instruments include the obala, the ngombi, balafon and traditional drums.

A country with a primarily oral tradition up until the spread of literacy in the 21st century, Gabon is rich in folklore and mythology. "Raconteurs" are currently working to keep traditions alive such as the mvett among the Fangs and the ingwala among the Nzebis.

Gabon also features internationally celebrated masks, such as the n'goltang (Fang) and the relicary figures of the Kota. Each group has its own set of masks used for various reasons. They are mostly used in traditional ceremonies such as marriage, birth and funerals. Traditionalists mainly work with rare local woods and other precious materials.

International rankings

Organization Survey Ranking
Institute for Economics and Peace [5] Global Peace Index[14] 51 out of 144
United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 103 out of 182
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 106 out of 180

See also

Africa portal
Geography portal
Main articles: Outline of Gabon and Index of Gabon-related articles

References

  1. ^ Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009) (PDF). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. 2008 revision. United Nations. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf. Retrieved 2009-03-12.
  2. ^ a b c d "Gabon". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2010/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2007&ey=2010&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=646&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=39&pr.y=13. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
  3. ^ "Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G". The United Nations. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
  4. ^ "Human Development Indices: A statistical update 2008 - HDI rankings". Human Development Reports. United Nations Development Programme. 2008. http://hdr.ndp.org/en/statistics/. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  5. ^ "Bongo set to rise to senior world leader", Chicago Sun-Times, February 19, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d CIA - The World Factbook - Gabon
  7. ^ [1]BBC News, Country Profile
  8. ^ [2]Bloomberg, September 4, 2009.
  9. ^ [3]BBC News, September 8, 2009. Sarkozy congratulates Ali Ben Bongo.
  10. ^ [4]CEEAC, September 6, 2009.
  11. ^ "Ibrahim Foundation". Moibrahimfoundation.org. http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
  12. ^ "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa". http://www.ohada.com/index.php. Retrieved 2009-03-22
  13. ^ Conrad Ouellon. "Le Gabon". Tlfq.ulaval.ca. http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/afrique/gabon.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-27.
  14. ^ "Vision of Humanity". Vision of Humanity. http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/home.php. Retrieved 2010-02-04.

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Ministerial Meetings 2nd (1993) · 3rd (1994) · 4th (1996) · 5th (1998) · 6th (2007)
Member states and observers of the Francophonie
Members Albania · Andorra · Armenia · Belgium (French Community) · Benin · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada (New Brunswick • Quebec) · Cape Verde · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Cyprus1 · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Dominica · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · France (French Guiana • Guadeloupe • Martinique • St. Pierre and Miquelon) · Gabon · Ghana1 · Greece · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Haiti · Laos · Luxembourg · Lebanon · Macedonia2 · Madagascar · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Moldova · Monaco · Morocco · Niger · Romania · Rwanda · St. Lucia · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Switzerland · Togo · Tunisia · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Observers Austria · Croatia · Czech Republic · Georgia · Hungary · Latvia · Lithuania · Mozambique · Poland · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Thailand · Ukraine
1 Associate member. 2 Provisionally referred to by the Francophonie as the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"; see Macedonia naming dispute.
Languages
Niger-Congo-speaking nations
Kordofanian
Sudan
Mande

Gambia Guinea

Guinea-Bissau Mali

Mauritania Senegal

Sierra Leone Liberia

Côte d'Ivoire Nigeria

Burkina Faso Benin

Togo
Atlantic-Congo

Atlantic Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon CAR

Ijoid Nigeria

Chad Côte d'Ivoire Gambia Guinea

Dogon Mali

Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali

Mauritania Niger Senegal

Sierra Leone Sudan Togo
Volta-Congo

Senufo Benin Côte d'Ivoire Mali

Gur Benin Burkina Faso Côte d'Ivoire Ghana Mali Nigeria Togo

Adamawa-Ubangi Cameroon CAR Chad Nigeria

Kru Burkina Faso Côte d'Ivoire Liberia

Kwa Benin Côte d'Ivoire Ghana Nigeria Togo
Benue-Congo

Bantu Angola Botswana Burundi Cameroon DRC

Yoruba and Igbo Nigeria

Rep. of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Gabon Kenya Lesotho

Nigeria Malawi Mozambique Namibia

Rwanda South Africa Swaziland

Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
CAR = Central African Republic • DRC = Democratic Republic of the Congo

Categories: Gabon | African countries | African Union member states | Countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean | Former colonies of France | French-speaking countries | Member states of La Francophonie | Organisation of the Islamic Conference members | States and territories established in 1960

 

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'Gabon' News
Nippon Denko diversifies sources to import manganese ore - SteelGuru
steelguru.com
Nippon Denko diversifies sources to import manganese ore - SteelGuru
Sat, 24 Jul 2010 05:13:22 GMT+00:00
SteelGuru Apart from BHP Billiton, Gabon is another source for Nippon Denko to import manganese ore and, according to the statistics for 2009 released in Japan, ...
Google News Search: Gabon,
Thu Jul 29 22:35:36 2010
'Gabon' Images
gabon1 jpg
nodc-gabon.org
gabon1 jpg
425px x 384px | 28.60kB

[source page]



Yahoo Images Search: Gabon,
Sun Jun 27 00:39:04 2010
'Gabon' Blogs
Two Billion Year Old Fossils Unearthed in Gabon Haysville ...
haysvillelibrary.wordpress.com
Two Billion Year Old Fossils Unearthed in Gabon Haysville ...

bellerophonchimera

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:14:12 GM

Today, the journal Nature printed a remarkable letter reporting the discovery in . Gabon. , in western Africa, of a substantial number of specimens of complex multicellular life forms more than two billion years old. ...

Google Blogs Search: Gabon,
Thu Jul 15 04:02:13 2010
'Gabon' Answers
What were the pig-like animals in Survivor Gabon?
Q. I was watching Survivor Gabon and saw a herd of pig-like animals that were brown and had fancy ears... Does anybody know what those are called? No Timo, I don't think they were warthogs... They didn't have tusks, at least I think I didn't see any tusks... And their ears were kind of like lynx, with long fur at the tips
Asked by Fenrir - Thu Oct 2 21:20:30 2008 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I think jarlee2040 is right List of mammals in Gabon Red River Hog
Answered by Heather H - Fri Oct 3 03:40:10 2008

Yahoo Answers Search: Gabon,
Sat Jul 3 05:19:04 2010
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