cherons) 19, PGP 18, National Recovery Movement
(Morena-Original) 7, APSG 6, USG 4, CRP 1, independents 3
President:
last held on 9 November 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results -
President Omar BONGO was reelected without opposition
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UDEAC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador-designate Alexandre SAMBAT; Chancery at 2034 20th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-1000

:Gabon Government

US:
Ambassador Keith L. WAUCHOPE; Embassy at Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville
(mailing address is B. P. 4000, Libreville); telephone (241) 762003/4, or
743492
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

:Gabon Economy

Overview:
The economy, dependent on timber and manganese until the early 1970s, is now
dominated by the oil sector. During the period 1981-85, oil accounted for
about 46% of GDP, 83% of export earnings, and 65% of government revenues on
average. The high oil prices of the early 1980s contributed to a substantial
increase in per capita income, stimulated domestic demand, reinforced
migration from rural to urban areas, and raised the level of real wages to
among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. The three-year slide of Gabon's
economy, which began with falling oil prices in 1985, was reversed in 1989
because of a near doubling of oil prices over their 1988 lows. In 1990 the
economy posted strong growth despite serious strikes, but debt servicing
problems are hindering economic advancement. The agricultural and industrial
sectors are relatively underdeveloped, except for oil.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $3.3 billion, per capita $3,090; real growth rate
13% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $1.1 billion; expenditures $1.5 billion, including capital
expenditures of $277 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$1.16 billion (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
crude oil 70%, manganese 11%, wood 12%, uranium 6%
partners:
France 53%, US 22%, FRG, Japan
Imports:
$0.78 billion (c.i.f., 1989)
commo