A relatively stable nation, Gabon gained independence in 1960 and was ruled by President Bongo for over 40 years. His son was elected President following his death. Gabon is rich in natural resources, and its chief exports are oil, manganese, and timber.

• Country Profile
  • Land Mass/Major Cities – Gabon sits on the Western edge of Africa on the Atlantic, and shares its borders with Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo.
  • Languages – French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
• Business Activity
  • Agriculture – Cattle, cocoa, coffee, fish, okoume, palm oil, rubber, and sugar
  • Industries – Beverages, cement, chemicals, food, gold, lumbering and plywood, manganese, petroleum extraction and refining, ship repair, and textiles
  • Natural Resources – Diamond, gold, hydropower, iron ore, manganese, natural gas, niobium, petroleum, timber, and uranium
  • Exports – Crude oil, manganese, timber, and uranium
  • Imports – Chemicals, construction materials, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
  • Major Trading Partners – Australia, Benin, China, France, Italy, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States

Source: CIA. (2017). The World Factbook: Gabon. CIA. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gb.html