Economy of Gabon

Last updated

Economy of Gabon
Libreville immeubles.jpg
Libreville is the capital and financial center of Gabon
Currency1 Central African CFA franc (XAF) = 100 centimes
calendar year
Trade organisations
AU, AfCFTA, WTO
Country group
Statistics
GDP
  • Increase2.svg $16.875 billion (nominal, 2018) [3]
  • Increase2.svg $37.840 billion (PPP, 2018) [3]
GDP growth
  • 2.1% (2016) 0.5% (2017)
  • 0.8% (2018e) 2.8% (2019f) [4]
GDP per capita
  • Increase2.svg $8,220 (nominal, 2018 est.) [3]
  • Increase2.svg $18,434 (PPP, 2018 est.) [3]
GDP by sector
agriculture: 4.5%; industry: 62.7%; services: 32.8% (2010 est.)
4.777% (2018) [3]
Population below poverty line
  • Increase Negative.svg 33.4% (2017) [5]
  • Decrease Positive.svg 32.2% on less than $5.50/day (2017) [6]
Labour force
712,000 (2010 est.)
Labour force by occupation
agriculture: 60%; industry: 15%; services: 25% (2000 est.)
Unemployment27% (2012 est.)
Main industries
petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement
External
Exports$6.803 billion (2010 est.)
Export goods
crude oil 70%, timber, manganese, uranium
Main export partners
Imports$2.973 billion (2015 est.)
Import goods
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials
Main import partners
$2.374 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Public finances
25.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
Revenues$4.057 billion (2015 est.)
Expenses$3.645 billion (2015 est.)
Economic aidrecipient: $331 million (1995)
$3.202 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
Main data source: CIA World Fact Book
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.

The economy of Gabon is characterized by strong links with France, large foreign investments, dependence on skilled foreign labor, and decline of agriculture. [10] Gabon on paper enjoys a per capita income four times that of most nations of Africa, but its reliance on resource extraction industry fail to release much of the population from extreme poverty, as much of 30% of the population lives under the poverty threshold (Many Foreign Guest Workers).

Contents

Resources

The country is rich in natural resources such as timber, manganese and oil. The country is the fifth largest oil producing nation in Africa, which has helped drive its strong growth in the later 20th century. [11]

The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP and 80% of exports. Although there have been recent offshore finds, [12] [13] oil production is now declining from its peak of 370,000 barrels per day (59,000 m3/d) in 1997, and periods of low oil prices have had a negative impact on government revenues and the economy. In 2012 there were six active oil rigs in Gabon. [14]

As of 2023, Gabon produces about 200,000 barrels a day (bpd) of crude oil. [15]

The government has plans to diversify its economy away from its dwindling oil reserves. [11] The government announced in 2012 that it would reassess exactly how much iron ore the Belinga site contains before awarding the concession to a mining company, most likely to be China's CMEC, which temporarily secured the rights to the ore in 2007. [16]

Around 80% of Gabonese live in cities. The capital city, Libreville is home to 59% of the total population. The remainder of the country is still sparsely populated, as those areas remain densely forested. [11]

Statistics

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5.7%
industry: 57.2%
services: 37% (2008 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2008 est.)

Labour force: 592,000 (2008 est.)

Labour force - by occupation: agriculture 60%, services and government 25%, industry and commerce 15% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 21% (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.46 billion
expenditures: $2.75 billion (2008 est.)

Industries: food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement; petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, uranium, and gold mining; chemical production; ship repair

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2008)

Oil - production244,000 bbl/d (38,800 m3/d) (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption13,170 bbl/d (2,094 m3/d) (2007 est.)

Oil - exports255,000 bbl/d (40,500 m3/d) (2005 est.)

Oil - imports2,485 bbl/d (395.1 m3/d) (2005 est.)

Oil - proven reserves2 billion barrels (320×10^6 m3) (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production 100 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - consumption 100 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports 0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports 0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proven reserves 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Electricity - production: 1.671 TWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 27.8%
hydro: 72.2%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 1.365 GWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical hardwood); fish

Current account - balance $591 million (2010 est.)

Currency: 1 Communauté financière africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communauté financière africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 – 507.71 (2010), 472.19 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)
note: since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

Statistics table

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2017. [17]

YearGDP

(in bil. US$ PPP)

GDP per capita

(in US$ PPP)

GDP

(in bil. US$ nominal)

GDP growth
(real)
Inflation
(in Percent)
Government debt
(Percentage of GDP)
19806.789,0564.56...12.3%...
19859.8911,8533.745.8%7.3%...
199012.0012,9036.345.1%15.4%90%
199515.7614,7885.285.0%9.6%73%
200017.3514,3955.40−1.9%0.5%72%
200520.3514,9239.47−0.8%1.2%49%
200620.5814,72010.16−1.9%−1.4%40%
200722.4615,60112.466.3%−1.0%39%
200823.3015,59015.571.7%−5.3%20%
200922.9414,78912.19−2.3%1.9%26%
201024.6815,32614.386.3%1.4%21%
201126.9716,13818.217.1%1.3%21%
201228.9116,66517.185.3%2.7%21%
201331.0017,19617.605.5%0.5%31%
201432.9618,02018.214.4%4.5%34%
201534.6118,65514.393.9%−0.1%45%
201635.7819,01714.022.1%2.1%64%
201736.7319,25414.920.8%3.0%61%
201840.7820,12316.830.4%2.0%62%

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Angola</span>

The economy of Angola remains heavily influenced by the effects of four decades of conflict in the last part of the 20th century, the war for independence from Portugal (1961–75) and the subsequent civil war (1975–2002). Poverty since 2002 is reduced over 50% and a third of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Since 2002, when the 27-year civil war ended, government policy prioritized the repair and improvement of infrastructure and strengthening of political and social institutions. During the first decade of the 21st century, Angola's economy was one of the fastest-growing in the world, with reported annual average GDP growth of 11.1 percent from 2001 to 2010. High international oil prices and rising oil production contributed to strong economic growth, although with high inequality, at that time. 2022 Trade surplus was &30B/2012 $48B

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of American Samoa</span>

The economy of American Samoa is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the United States, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna being the primary export. Transfers from the U.S. federal government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of the Dominican Republic</span>

The economy of the Dominican Republic is the seventh largest in Latin America, and is the largest in the Caribbean and Central American region. The Dominican Republic is an upper-middle income developing country with important sectors including mining, tourism, manufacturing, energy, real estate, infrastructure, telecommunications and agriculture. The Dominican Republic is on track to achieve its goal of becoming a high-income country by 2030, and is expected to grow 79% in this decade. The country is the site of the single largest gold mine in Latin America, the Pueblo Viejo mine.Although the service sector is currently the leading employer of Dominicans, agriculture remains an important sector in terms of the domestic market and is in second place in terms of export earnings. Tourism accounts for more than $7.4 billion in annual earnings in 2019. Free-trade zone earnings and tourism are the fastest-growing export sectors. A leading growth engine in the Free-trade zone sector is the production of medical equipment for export having a value-added per employee of $20,000 USD, total revenue of $1.5 billion USD, and a growth rate of 7.7% in 2019. The medical instrument export sector represents one of the highest-value added sectors of the country's economy, a true growth engine for the country's emerging market. Remittances are an important sector of the economy, contributing $8.2 billion in 2020. Most of these funds are used to cover household expenses, such as housing, food, clothing, health care and education. Secondarily, remittances have financed businesses and productive activities. Thirdly, this combined effect has induced investment by the private sector and helps fund the public sector through its value-added tax. The combined import market including the free-trade-zones amounts to a market of $20 billion a year in 2019. The combined export sector had revenues totaling $11 billion in 2019. The consumer market is equivalent to $61 billion in 2019. An important indicator is the average commercial loan interest rate, which directs short-term investment and stimulates long-term investment in the economy. It is currently 8.30%, as of June 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Equatorial Guinea</span>

The economy of Equatorial Guinea has traditionally been dependent on commodities such as cocoa and coffee, but is now heavily dependent on petroleum due to the discovery and exploitation of significant oil reserves in the 1980s. In 2017, it graduated from "Least Developed Country" status, one of six Sub-Saharan African nations that managed to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Kyrgyzstan</span>

The economy of Kyrgyzstan is heavily dependent on the agricultural sector. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported in any quantity. According to Healy Consultants, Kyrgyzstan's economy relies heavily on the strength of industrial exports, with plentiful reserves of gold, mercury and uranium. The economy also relies heavily on remittances from foreign workers. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan was progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved regulatory system and land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. Much of the government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Kyrgyzstan's economic performance has been hindered by widespread corruption, low foreign investment and general regional instability. Despite those issues, Kyrgyzstan is ranked 70th on the ease of doing business index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Laos</span>

The economy of Laos is a lower-middle income developing economy. Being one of the socialist states, the Lao economic model resembles the Chinese socialist market and/or Vietnamese socialist-oriented market economies by combining high degrees of state ownership with openness to foreign direct investment and private ownership in a predominantly market-based framework.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Libya</span>

The economy of Libya depends primarily on revenues from the petroleum sector, which represents over 95% of export earnings and 60% of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population have given Libya one of the highest nominal per capita GDP in Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Mali</span>

The economy of Mali is based to a large extent upon agriculture, with a mostly rural population engaged in subsistence agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Mongolia</span>

The economy of Mongolia has traditionally been based on agriculture and livestock. Mongolia also has extensive mineral deposits: copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, and gold account for a large part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of Gross domestic product (GDP), disappeared almost overnight in 1990–91, in the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Mongolia was driven into deep recession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Nepal</span>

The economy of Nepal is developing category and largely dependent on agriculture and remittances. Until the mid-20th century Nepal was an isolated pre-industrial society, which entered the modern era in 1951 without schools, hospitals, roads, telecommunications, electric power, industry, or civil service. The country has, however, made progress toward sustainable economic growth since the 1950s. The country was opened to economic liberalization, leading to economic growth and improvement in living standards when compared to the past. The biggest challenges faced by the country in achieving higher economic development are the frequent changes in political leadership, as well as corruption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Niger</span>

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Niger was $16.617 billion US dollars in 2023, according to official data from the World Bank. This data is based largely on internal markets, subsistence agriculture, and the export of raw commodities: foodstuffs to neighbors and raw minerals to world markets. Niger, a landlocked West African nation that straddles the Sahel, has consistently been ranked on the bottom of the Human Development Index, at 0.394 as of 2019. It has a very low per capita income, and ranks among the least developed and most heavily indebted countries in the world, despite having large raw commodities and a relatively stable government and society not currently affected by civil war or terrorism. Economic activity centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, re-export trade, and export of uranium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of the Republic of the Congo</span>

The economy of the Republic of the Congo is a mixture of subsistence hunting and agriculture, an industrial sector based largely on petroleum extraction and support services. Government spending is characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Petroleum has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Nowadays the Republic of the Congo is increasingly converting natural gas to electricity rather than burning it, greatly improving energy prospects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</span>

The economy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is heavily dependent on agriculture, being the world's leading producer of arrowroot and grows other exotic fruit, vegetables and root crops. Bananas alone account for upwards of 60% of the work force and 50% of merchandise exports in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Such reliance on a single crop makes the economy vulnerable to external factors. St. Vincent's banana growers benefited from preferential access to the European market. In view of the European Union's announced phase-out of this preferred access, economic diversification is a priority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Senegal</span>

The economy of Senegal is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fishing and agriculture, which are the main sources of employment in rural areas, despite abundant natural resources in iron, zircon, gas, gold, phosphates, and numerous oil discoveries recently. Senegal's economy gains most of its foreign exchange from fish, phosphates, groundnuts, tourism, and services. As one of the dominant parts of the economy, the agricultural sector of Senegal is highly vulnerable to environmental conditions, such as variations in rainfall and climate change, and changes in world commodity prices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Mozambique</span>

The economy of Mozambique is $14.396 billion by gross domestic product as of 2018, and has developed since the end of the Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992). In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms, which were designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation was brought to single digits during the late 1990s, although it returned to double digits in 2000–02. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of the Gambia</span>

The economy of the Gambia is heavily reliant on agriculture. The Gambia has no significant mineral or other natural resources, and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and animal hides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Iran</span> Overview of the production, consumption, import and export of energy and electricity in Iran

Iran has the Third largest oil reserves and the 2nd largest natural gas reserves in the world. The nation is a member of OPEC, and generates approximately 50% of state revenue through oil exports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Ivory Coast</span>

The economy of Ivory Coast is stable and currently growing, in the aftermath of political instability in recent decades. The Ivory Coast's economy is largely market-based and depends heavily on the agricultural sector. Almost 70% of the Ivorian people are engaged in some form of agricultural activity. GDP per capitaArchived 4 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine grew 82% in the 1960s, reaching a peak growth of 360% in the 1970s, but this proved unsustainable and it shrank by 28% in the 1980s and a further 22% in the 1990s. This decline, coupled with high population growth, resulted in a steady fall in living standards. The Gross national product per capita, now rising again, was about US$727 in 1996. It was substantially higher two decades before.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Antigua and Barbuda</span>

The economy of Antigua and Barbuda is service-based, with tourism and government services representing the key sources of employment and income. Tourism accounts directly or indirectly for more than half of GDP and is also the principal earner of foreign exchange in Antigua and Barbuda. However, a series of violent hurricanes since 1995 resulted in serious damage to tourist infrastructure and periods of sharp reductions in visitor numbers. In 1999 the budding offshore financial sector was seriously hurt by financial sanctions imposed by the United States and United Kingdom as a result of the loosening of its money-laundering controls. The government has made efforts to comply with international demands in order to get the sanctions lifted. The dual island nation's agricultural production is mainly directed to the domestic market; the sector is constrained by the limited water supply and labor shortages that reflect the pull of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in the US, which accounts for about one-third of all tourist arrivals. Estimated overall economic growth for 2000 was 2.5%. Inflation has trended down going from above 2 percent in the 1995-99 period and estimated at 0 percent in 2000.

Electricity in Paraguay comes almost entirely from hydropower. As Paraguay is landlocked and has no significant natural gas reserves, its citizens often burn firewood which contributes to deforestation. The government imports fuel to use, and state-owned Petróleos Paraguayos (Petropar) has a monopoly on all crude oil and petroleum product sales and imports in Paraguay. It operates Paraguay's sole refinery, the 7,500 bbl/d (1,190 m3/d) Villa Elisa facility.

References

  1. "World Economic Outlook Database, April 2019". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund . Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  2. "World Bank Country and Lending Groups". datahelpdesk.worldbank.org. World Bank . Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2019". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund . Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  4. "Global Economic Prospects, June 2019: Heightened Tensions, Subdued Investment. p. 127" (PDF). openknowledge.worldbank.org. World Bank. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 June 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  5. "Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty lines (% of population) - Gabon | Data". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  6. "Poverty headcount ratio at $5.50 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) - Gabon | Data". data.worldbank.org. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  7. "Export Partners of Gabon". CIA World Factbook. 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  8. "Import Partners of Gabon". CIA World Factbook. 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
  9. "Sovereigns rating list". Standard & Poor's. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  10. "Gabon". Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 "Overview". World Bank. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  12. Pura Vida Energy (6 March 2013). "20.0 MM[million]BO CONTINGENT RESOURCE AT LOBA M 1 DISCOVERY OFFSHORE GABON, WEST AFRICA". AAPG Bulletin. 71 (10): 190–225. doi:10.1306/703C817D-1707-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
  13. "Gabon: FirstAfrica completes offshore EOV development drilling program". 9 September 2006.
  14. Geological Survey (2015). Minerals Yearbook - Area Reports; International Review: 2012 Africa and the Middle East. Government Printing Office. ISBN   978-1411336773 via Google Books.
  15. Bousso, Ron (30 August 2023). "Gabon's Assala Energy says oil production unaffected by coup". Reuters. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  16. Reuters, "Gabon's Belinga iron-ore deal to be awarded as late as 2014", Mining Weekly (30 August 2012)
  17. "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects" . Retrieved 5 September 2018.