Gabon Government 1997

Country name
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon

Data code GB

Government type republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized1990)

National capital Libreville

Administrative divisions 9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo,Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted full independencefrom France)

Constitution adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial reviewof legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted

Suffrage 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government : Prime Minister Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9 December 1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultationwith the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election lastheld 5 December 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); prime minister appointed bythe president
election results: President Omar BONGO reelected; percent of vote - Omar BONGO 51%

Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of a Senate (91 seats) and a NationalAssembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms
elections : National Assembly - last held in December 1996 (next to be held in December2001); Senate - last held 12 January 1997 (next to be held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1, UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2;Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP4, ADERA 3, RDP 1, others 15
note: the provision of the constitution for the establishment of a senatewas implemented in the 12 January 1997 elections

Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers - Judicial,Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal (2);Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders Action Forum for Renewal or FAR [Leon MBOU-YEMBI, secretary general];Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE]; GaboneseDemocratic Party or PDG, former sole party [Simplice Guedet MANZELA, secretarygeneral]; Gabonese Party for Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE,president]; Gabonese People's Union or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]; Gabonese SocialistUnion or USG [Dr. Serge Mba BEKALE]; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacksor Morena-Bucherons/RNB [Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party orPUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA]; ADERA

International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth RASPOLIC
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

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

NOTE: The information regarding Gabon on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Gabon Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Gabon Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.