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| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Gabonese Republic
conventional short form:
Gabon
local long form:
Republique Gabonaise
local short form:
Gabon
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| Government type: |
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
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| Administrative divisions: |
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
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| Independence: |
17 August 1960 (from France)
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| National holiday: |
Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)
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| Constitution: |
adopted 14 March 1991
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| 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
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| Suffrage: |
21 years of age; universal
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| 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%
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| Legislative branch: |
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats) 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 15 and 29 December 1996 (next to be held NA December 2001); Senate - last held 26 January and 9 February 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)
election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 89, PGP 9, RNB 6, CLR 3, UPG 2, USG 2, independents 4, others 5; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, CLR 1, independents 9
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| 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
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| Political parties and leaders: |
African Forum for Reconstruction or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI]; 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, secretary general]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE, president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese Socialist Union or USG [Serge MBA BEKALE]; National Rally of Woodcutters (Bucherons) or RNB [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]
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
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| International organization participation: |
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Paul BOUNDOUKOU-LATHA
chancery:
Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 797-1000
FAX:
[1] (202) 332-0668
consulate(s):
New York
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador James V. LEDESMA
embassy:
Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
mailing address:
B. P. 4000, Libreville
telephone:
[241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, 74 34 92
FAX:
[241] 74 55 07
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| Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue
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