one-third of the population. Less-numerous groups include the Benga and Seke in the far northwest, the Kota and Teke in the east, and the Vili along the far southern coast.

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Many of the Bantu languages do not have written forms. During the 19th century, Christian missionaries transliterated several of them into the Latin alphabet and prepared Bible translations and catechisms for their followers. But the French policy of limiting the use of indigenous languages solely to religious instruction inhibited the growth of other types of literature. Because of the extensive efforts to teach French, nearly all adult Gabonese can speak the language, and nearly three-fourths can read it.

 

Religion

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A large majority of Gabon’s population is Christian, of which Roman Catholics account for more than two-fifths. Though Gabonese serve as Catholic bishops, they rely heavily on foreign clergy, particularly the French Holy Ghost Fathers. The largest Protestant body, the Evangelical Church of Gabon, has Gabonese pastors in its parishes throughout the north. Other Christian churches include the Christian Alliance church, generally found in the southwest and in coastal cities, and the Evangelical Pentecostal church (Assembly of God) and Adventist church, both found in the estuary and far northern regions.

 

A small segment of the country’s population is Muslim. Adherents of traditional religions also account for a small segment of the population, but that does not include Christians and Muslims who also follow some traditional beliefs and practices. A syncretic religion called Bwiti (based on an earlier secret society of the same name) came into existence in the early 20th century and later played a role in promoting solidarity among the Fang.

 

Settlement patterns

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The majority of Gabon’s population is urban, with about half living in its largest city, Libreville. Other major cities include Port-Gentil, Franceville, Oyem, and Moanda. The remainder of the population is scattered widely among several hundred rural villages, that are concentrated along the rivers and roads; a village often will have no more than a few families. Port-Gentil is the center of the country’s wood and petroleum industries, and Libreville is the administrative capital and commercial center.

 

Demographics

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Gabon, like its central African neighbors, has a low population density. Since 1970, as a result of increased urbanization, the low rate of natural increase of the previous half century gave way to a relatively high growth rate; by the early 21st century, it was more than twice the world average. The extent to which the heavy immigration of foreign workers and refugees has contributed to this growth is unclear. The population is relatively young: almost 75 percent are younger than age 30. Life expectancy is more than 50 years and is about average for the continent.

 

Economy of Gabon

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Gabon’s economy has more links with European and American markets than with those in neighboring states (with the exception of Cameroon) or elsewhere in Africa. The economy shares some characteristics with those of other African states—strong links with the former colonial ruler, a large degree of foreign investment and control, dependence on foreign technicians, and the decline of agriculture. Gabon differs from these states in its reliance on thousands of wage earners from other African countries to supplement its own sparse supply of workers in retailing, artisanship, and domestic transport.

 

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing

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Although agriculture (mainly subsistence farming) occupies about one-third of the workforce, it plays a small part in the economy of Gabon as a whole. Moreover, its appeal as a way of life has declined. Better educational and employment opportunities in the towns and cities have derived the countryside of young people. Despite govern- ment efforts during the 1970s to promote development that would stem the rural exodus and raise foodstuffs for urban markets, by 1980 Gabon was producing only enough food to satisfy 10-15 percent of its needs.

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During the 1980s the government turned to expensive capital-intensive projects for market gardening to supply Libreville and Franceville. Efforts to revive cocoa and coffee production brought only modest results, but new projects for sugar refining at Franceville and palm-oil processing at Lambaréné have been successful.

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The prevalence of the tsetse fly defeated attempts to raise beef and dairy cattle until 1980, when tsetse-resistant cattle were imported from other African nations. Sheep, goats, and pigs are also raised; chicken raising exists on a smaller scale. Commercial fishing, though it has considerable potential, remains scarcely developed.

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For many years Gabon’s forests, covering more than 75 percent of Gabon, were its principal natural resource. By the early 1970s, newly discovered and exploited mineral wealth surpassed timber and other forest products in significance. The principal forest districts have been at Kango, Booué, Fougamou, Ndjolé, Mitzic, and Mouila, while the forest resources near the coast and along the rivers have been largely depleted. Exploitation of interior areas began in the late 1970s, following the construction of the first section of the Transgabon Railroad.

 

Resources and power

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Gabon is one of the world’s largest producers of manganese. Expansion of production at Moanda has been possible since the completion of the railroad to nearby Franceville in December 1986 and the completion of improved ore-handling facilities at the rail terminus at the deep water port of Owendo in 1988. The exploitation and processing of uranium 16 miles north of Moanda began in 1961. Diamonds and gold are also mined in the country, and there are reserves of high-quality iron ore (60-65 percent iron content) in the northeast at at Méka- mbo and Bélinga.

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Since the late 1960s, revenues from petroleum have brought Gabon unprecedented income, which the govern- ment has used to construct infrastructure and to fund the expansion of education and health services. National budgets multiplied 15 times between the late 1960s and late ’70s, when petroleum came to represent 70 percent of the country’s exports. Despite fluctuating prices and resultant drops in production, revenues from petroleum still provide the majority of national budgets. Nearly half of production is from offshore fields, which are most productive near Port-Gentil.

 

The major onshore production sites are at Sette Cama and Rabi-Kounga. Gabon exports a major proportion of its petroleum production outside Africa, with the bulk of the crude oil going to the US and France. Natural gas from the fields at Port-Gentil is used largely to generate electricity, but hydropower supplies a greater amount of the country’s electricity. Important sources of hydroelectric power include the Tchimbélé, Kinguélé, and Poubara complexes.

 

Manufacturing

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Light industry expanded and diversified after the opening in 1967 of a petroleum refinery at Port-Gentil. The refinery and its support operations (a shipyard and metalworking facilities) overshadow other manufacturing enterprises, which include lumber processing centers, cement and cigarette factories, a sugar refinery, breweries, palm oil, and flour mills; and light electronics and textile-printing factories. A number of these enterprises were among the many state corporations (some of which allowed private investors to hold shares) created by the government to give Gabon control of its industrial and commercial sectors.

 

Finance and trade

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Membership in the French economic community has given Gabon considerable stability. The CFA (Communauté Financière Africaine) franc, issued by the Bank of Central African States (Banque des États de l’Afrique Centrale), is tied to the euro, giving trading partners confidence in Gabonese currency. The government has also encour- aged foreign investors with its policy of economic liberalism, although there is governmental direction and planning. The US, Japan, China, and France are among Gabon’s main trading partners. Some of these countries provide the bulk of investment funds and foreign assistance. Gabon and five other countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea) belong to the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale).

 

Transportation

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The lack of good transportation facilities has long hindered Gabon’s development. The Ogooué River is navigable from the Atlantic to Ndjolé, 150 miles upstream. The Ogooué and such rivers as the Abanga and the Nyanga can be used to float logs downstream from the interior. The main ports are located at Port-Gentil, Owendo, and Mayumba. The difficulty of building and maintaining all-weather roads led to an expansion of air transport after World War II. Gabon acquired a network of airfields served by light planes, as well as international airports located at Libreville, Port-Gentil, and Franceville. But air transport could not move such bulk goods as timber and minerals. In the 1970s petroleum revenues were used to construct the Transgabon (Transgabonais) Railroad to move such heavy products and to prepare for the depletion of Gabon’s petroleum reserves. With loans and aid from France, West Germany, and international financial organizations, work began in 1974. The first section, from Owendo to Ndjolé, opened in 1979; the second section, to Booué, in 1983; and the third, to Franceville, at the end of 1986.

 

Government

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Under the constitution of February 1961, which was in force for three decades, the Gabonese republic had an executive branch more powerful than the legislative and judicial branches. During the 1970s the constitution was amended to give the Gabonese Democratic Party (Parti Démocratique Gabonais; PDG), the only legal party after 1968, roles in the executive and legislative processes.

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In May 1990, following a national conference that was called in response to the upheaval of the previous four months, the constitution was amended to end the institutional role of the PDG and to restore a multiparty system. Parliamentary elections were held in September-October 1990, after which a new National Assembly adopted the constitution of March 1991, which has since been amended.

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Under the constitution the president, as head of state, serves a seven-year term. The National Assembly has legislative powers, but the president has the authority to dissolve the National Assembly and postpone legislation. The president nominates the prime minister, who as head of the government selects the members of the Council of Ministers in consultation with the president. The president also has the power to remove the prime minister and council members from office. In practice most of the ministers are drawn from the 120 deputies in the National Assembly, which confirms the Council of Ministers and may oust the government through a vote of no confidence after a certain period.

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The constitution provided for an upper legislative house (Senate) for the first time in the history of the republic, and the first elections to the Senate (indirect by local councils) were held in early 1997. A constitutional amend- ment passed by a PDG-dominated Assembly in April 1997 designated that the president of the Senate would succeed the president of the republic in case of the latter’s death or incapacity. The position of vice president of the republic was also created by amendment; the vice president, who cannot succeed the president, is appointed by and assists the president.

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The 1991 constitution also provides strong guarantees for both individual and public liberties not found in the document of 1961. A Charter of Parties adopted at the same time as the constitution defines the role of Gabon’s political parties in a multiparty democracy.

 

Local government and justice

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Administratively, Gabon is divided into nine provinces, which are further divided into préfectures and sous-préfectures (subprefectures). Provincial governors, prefects, and subprefects are all appointed by the president.

The highest courts in Gabon’s judiciary system are the country’s former Supreme Court chambers: a judicial court, an administrative court, and a court of accounts, each with absolute authority over its area of expertise. Courts of appeal are found in Franceville and Libreville, and smaller tribunal courts exist throughout the country. There is also a constitutional court, which is the highest court with regards to constitutional matters. The judicial system includes customary law courts, presided over by traditional chiefs who mediate local disputes.

 

Health and welfare

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Health facilities remain inadequate, particularly outside the Libreville area, despite improvements since the 1970s. The government provides nearly all health care services. The internationally known hospital operated by Albert Schweitzer from 1924 to 1965 and now named after him is located in Lambaréné. Malaria, sleeping sickness, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases are widespread problems. HIV/AIDS is also a growing problem in Gabon, as the prevalence rate has increased since the early 1990s.

 

Education

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Gabon’s educational system continues to be modeled closely on that of France. French remains the sole medium of instruction; Bantu languages are studied as electives at the secondary and higher levels. Education is officially mandatory from ages 6-16. Primary education lasts for six years, and secondary education comprises a four-year cycle followed by a three-year cycle. Institutions of higher education include Omar Bongo University in Libreville, which has programs in most fields and some advanced studies; the University of Health Sciences, also in Libreville; and the University of Science and Technology of Masuku, located near Franceville. Many Gabonese study abroad, particularly in France, at the university and graduate levels. Approximately 75 percent of the adult population is literate, similar to the regional average and slightly lower than the world average.

 

Culture

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French influence in Gabonese culture is prevalent. Gabon’s contemporary writers express themselves almost exclusively in French. At the same time, there has been continued interest in Gabon’s pre-colonial history and traditions, and much research continues on the Fang epic (mvet) and the art of the Mpongwe, Fang, and Kota. In 1983 the International Centre for Bantu Civilizations was created, with headquarters at Libreville. The National Museum of Arts and Traditions is also in Libreville.

 

Sports and recreation

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Soccer is the national sport in Gabon, though much of the play is limited to the coast because of the dense rainforest in the interior. Gabon founded a football federation in 1962, and it became affiliated with the interna- tional Federation of Association Football the following year. Basketball is also popular in Gabon, and the country is a member of the International Basketball Federation. A number of Gabonese participate in boxing, and squash is developing a following, especially in Libreville.

 

The nation's scenic landscape also attracts hikers and cyclists.

In 1965 Gabon formed an Olympic committee, which was recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1968. Gabonese athletes first competed in the Olympics at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich. The country’s first Olympic medal was earned at the 2012 Summer Games in London by Anthony Obame, who won the silver medal in the tae kwon do competition.

 

Media and publishing

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Several newspapers and other periodicals are published in French. The government-owned L’Union is published daily, while most private publications are published weekly or less frequently. National radio stations broadcast in French as well as in local languages. Gabon is also the site of an international radio network, Africa No. 1, that reaches much of the continent. There are both state-owned and private television stations in the country. French publications circulate extensively, and television programs are relayed from France.