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Geography of Gabon

Location:Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Geographic coordinates:1 00 S, 11 45 E
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Colorado
Land boundaries:total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Coastline:885 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 98.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:70 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:NA
Environment - current issues:deforestation; poaching
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gabon Quickstats

  • Population: 1454867
  • Area: 267,667 sq km
  • Density: 5.2 /km² (216th)
  • GDP (total): $9.621 billion (136th)
  • GDP (per capita): $7,055 (89th)
  • Literacy: 0.632

Languages of Gabon

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  • Currency: CFA franc (XAF)
  • Dial code: +241

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