Gabon

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=Gabon=

=Background Information= The first inhabitants of Gabon were groups of people called Pygmies. These people lived in the isolated forests of Gabon in villages. Then,

around 1000 AD migrations of Bantu overran and dominated the area. The Bantu set up an empire at the southernmost part of Gabon ,and at the mouth of the Congo River. This empire was ruled by the powerful Bantu Bakongo. The rest of B

antus lived in small villages scattered throughout Gabon. When the first Europeans began to arrive in the 15th Century the tr

ade of slaves and ivory began to rise. These exports did not last long because timber and rubber took there place in the early 1800s. In 1910 the French had allied themselves with the coastal traders and this opened up Gabon for French influences. In the colonial era

Gabon experienced little development due to small population and dense forests. Gabon recieved their independence in 1960, but there was still strong French influences. When Gabon gained independence they set up a Republic government. Their first Preside

nt was Leon M'ba. He died in 1967 and then Albert-Bernard Bongo took over his duties. In 1970, Gabon Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. In 1990

and 1991 protests forced Bongo to loosen political restrictions and legalize opposition parties. In the 1991's ele

ction 40 parties ran

for seats in the National Assembly. Bongo's party of the Gabonese Democratic Party won the majority vote. T

wo years later Bong

o ran for re-election and won. In 1998 he was re-elected for the majority party also. In July 2003, the PGD amended Gabon's constitution to elimate the number of terms that the president can hold office for. Opposition blamed the a

[[image:http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/images/time/africa/gabon.jpg width="417" height="348" align="right"]]
mendme

nt as an attempt to let Bo

ngo maintain power for life. He won another election in 2005 even though there was rumors of rigging. After 42 years a

s president Bongo die

d in June of 2009.

=**Flag**=

Gabon's flag was adopted on August 9 1960. The three horizontal stripes represent the forest, the equator, and the sea.

=Geography=
 * **Location** || Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea ||
 * **Area** || 267,667 sq km, 83 to the world, 257,667 sq km land and 10,000 sq km water, slightly smaller than Colorado ||
 * **Borders** || 2,551 km, bordering countries Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea ||
 * **Climate** || tropical; always hot and humid ||
 * **Terrain** || narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south ||
 * **Land use** || 1.21% arable land, .64% permanent crops, 98.15% other ||
 * **Natural resources** || petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower ||
 * **Natural hazards** || NA ||
 * **Environmental issues** || deforestation; poaching ||
 * Gabon's Loango Park (Central Africa)**

=Tourist Information= Gabonese people are generally polite, kind, and outgoing. Eventhough the Gabonese may get loud and angry when in disputes, they prefer to resolve problems quickly and never hold grudges. Certain ethnic groups do not say "please" and "thank you" because their cultures don't have these traditions. Although they don't use these words they will acknowledge kindness and consideration from others and usually will repay favors. Gabonese people shake hands and smile everytime they meet, even if they meet several times a day. If the hand is dirty, the person extends their hand closed so the greeter can shake the wrist. Urban friends might hug and brush alternating checks while men touch temples instead of brushing checks. In small parties everyone greets everyone and in large parties one will raise both hands and say bonjour tout le monde (hello, everyone). Peopl of the same sex will hold hands while talking or walking. It is improper, if two people of different sex do this. Shaking another person's hand with both hand is a sign of respect. In conclusion, Gabon is a greet place to visit because the Gabonese are friendly to Americans, very polite, and have very nice beaches.
 * Gabon's Loango National Park (Jungle)**

=**People**=
 * **Ethnic Groups** || Bantu tribes, including four major tribes: Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba, 154,000 other Africans and Europeans including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality ||
 * **Religon** || 55%-75% Christian, Animist, Muslim less than 1% ||
 * **Languages** || French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi ||
 * **Education** || 3.8% of GDP, 118 to the world, follows the French system, students attend school for as many as 13 years ||
 * **Population** || 1,514,993 people, 152 to the world ||
 * **Population growth rate** || 1.934%, 65 to the world ||
 * **Net migration rate** || -3.48 migrants/1,000 population, 155 to the world ||
 * **Infant mortality rate** || 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births, 48 to the world, 60.17 male deaths/1,000 live births, 43.15 female deaths/1,000 live births ||
 * **Life expectancy** || 53.11 years total, 198 to the world, 52.19 years for males, 54.05 years for females ||
 * **Literacy** || age 15 and over can read and write, total 63.2%, males 73.7% and females 53.3% ||
 * People of Gabon**

=**Government**=
 * **Government type** || republic; multiparty presidential regime ||
 * **Suffrage** || 21 years of age; universal ||
 * **Capital** || Libreville, coordinates 0 23 N, 9 27 E ||
 * **Leader** || President Ali Ben Bongo ||
 * **Independence** || 17 August 1960 (from France) ||


 * President Ali Ben Bongo**

=Economy=
 * **Economic overview** || Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most sub-Saharan African Nations, but because of high income inequality a large part of the population remains poor. More than 50% of Gabon's GDP comes from the exporting of oil. ||
 * **GDP per capita** || $14,200, 82 to the world ||
 * **Agriculture products** || cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, cattle, okoume, fish ||
 * **Imports** || $2.577 billion, 143 to the world ||
 * **Exports** || $9.333 billion, 90 to the world ||
 * **Idustries** || petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement ||
 * **Currency/Exchange Rate** || per US dollar - 447.81 ||
 * **Unemployment** || 21%, 168 to the world ||

=**Communications**=
 * **Internet Access** || 145,000 internet users, 135 to the world ||

=Military=
 * **Military expenditures** || 3.4% of GDP, 38 to the world ||

=Issues=
 * Illicit drugs || NA ||

=Timeline=
 * 1470** - Portuguese arrive in what is now Gabon.
 * 1839** - Local Mpongwe ruler signs away sovereignty to the French.
 * 1910** - Gabon becomes part of French Equatorial Africa.
 * 1958** - Gabon votes to become autonomous republic in the French Community.
 * 1960** - Gabon becomes independent.
 * 1961** - Leon Mba elected president.
 * 1964** - French forces restore Mba's presidency after crushing military coup.
 * 1967** - Bongo becomes president after Mba dies.
 * 1973** - Bongo converts to Islam and assumes the first name of Omar.
 * Multi-party elections**
 * 1990** - Opposition parties legalised, accuse the government of fraud in parliamentary elections held in September and October.
 * 1991** - Parliament adopts a new constitution that formalises the multi-party system.
 * 1993** - Omar Bongo narrowly wins presidential election, the first held under the new multi-party constitution; opposition accuses government of electoral fraud.
 * 1996** - Governing Gabonese Democratic Party wins significant majority in parliamentary elections.
 * 1998** - Bongo re-elected to a seven-year term.
 * 2002** January - Ruling Gabonese Democratic Party retains a convincing majority in parliamentary elections.
 * Constitution amended**
 * 2003** July - Constitution changed to allow President Bongo to run for president as many times as he wishes.
 * 2004** February - French oil firm Total signs deal to export Gabonese oil to China.
 * 2004** September - Agreement signed with Chinese company to exploit around one billion tonnes of iron ore.
 * 2005** November - Omar Bongo is re-elected as president. Opposition supporters clash with police in the capital.
 * 2006** February - Gabon and Equatorial Guinea agree to start talks over disputed islands in potentially oil-rich waters in the Gulf of Guinea.
 * 2006** December - President Bongo's party wins parliamentary elections comfortably amid opposition accusations of fraud.
 * 2008** January - Government temporarily bans 20 non-governmental organisations for alleged interference in politics.
 * 2009** February - French court freezes President Omar Bongo's bank accounts in the country after he was ordered to return a payment made to him to release a jailed French businessman, Rene Cardona.
 * 2009** June - President Omar Bongo dies while undergoing treatment at a clinic in Spain.
 * 2009** August - Presidential election to find successor to Omar Bongo takes place, despite opposition calls for it to be postponed.
 * 2009** September - Ali Ben Bongo, the son of the late president, is declared the winner of the presidential election. Critics say the poll was fixed to ensure a dynastic succession, and opposition supporters clash with security forces.

=Current Event= September 4, 2009- Ali Ben Bongo won the Presidental election, but some controversy over the election some think it was rigged. He is the son of the former President Omar Bongo.

=Works Cited= [] []
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