Gabon is also known as the Gabonese Republic, the west central African country of Gabon lies on the equator and shares borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, the Republic of Congo and the Gulf of Guinea.
On June 8, 2009, President Omar Bongo, who took power in 1967, died after suffering a heart attack. Bongo was 73 years old and been undergoing treatment for intestinal cancer in a hospital in Spain.CNN: Africa's longest-serving ruler is dead
Unusual Prosperity
Independent of France since 1960, Gabon is a prosperous country for the Sub-Saharan region; it relies on its considerable natural resources such as magnesium, iron, and especially oil for its above-average wealth, exporting to countries including China, Russia and the United States.
References
Fast Facts
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Capital
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Government
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Population
Approx. 1,454,867 (2005)
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Currency
CFA franc (XAF)
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Exchange rate
1 CFA franc BEAC = 0.002292 U.S. dollar
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Official language
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Fact:
Only two Gabonese presidents since 1961
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Fact:
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National emblem
The tri-color flag (three horizontal bands of green, yellow and blue, all of equal size)
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National anthem
"The Concorde"
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National motto
"Union - Work - Justice"
