Gabon
nation state
| Gabon link | |
|---|---|
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| Location | West Africa, Africa |
| Leader | Gabon/President |
| Type | nation state |
| French speaking country on the west coast of Africa. | |
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a francophone country on the west coast of Central Africa which joined the Commonwealth on 25 June 2022.[1]
Zero latitude
Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the Gulf of Guinea to the west. It has an area of nearly 270,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) and its population is estimated at 2.3 million people.
Oil
Oil revenues constitute roughly 46% of the government's budget, 43% of the gross domestic product (GDP), and 81% of exports. Oil production declined from its higher point of 370,000 barrels per day in 1997.
Coups
A coup attempt failed on 7 January 2019.[2]
Another coup took place on 30 August 2023, when President Ali Bongo Ondimba was ousted.[3]
Reaction
The Commonwealth has voiced fears about the military coup in Gabon, which joined the bloc last year with Togo, another former French colony.
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the situation was “deeply concerning”, adding that the bloc was monitoring the situation closely:
- “The Commonwealth Charter is clear that member states must uphold the rule of law and the principles of democracy at all times.”