Gabon,officially the Gabonese Republic,is a country on the Atlantic coast of West Central Africa. Located on the equator,it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest,Cameroon to the north,the Republic of the Congo on the east and south,and the Gulf of Guinea to the west. It has an area of nearly 270,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) and its population is estimated at 2.3 million people. There are coastal plains,mountains,and a savanna in the east. Libreville is the country's capital and the largest city.
Little is known of the history of Gabon prior to European contact. Bantu migrants settled the area beginning in the 14th century. Portuguese explorers and traders arrived in the area in the late 15th century. The coast subsequently became a center of the transatlantic slave trade with European slave traders arriving to the region in the 16th century. In 1839 and 1841,France established a protectorate over the coast. In 1849,captives released from a captured slave ship founded Libreville. In 1862–1887,France expanded its control including the interior of the state,and took full sovereignty. In 1910 Gabon became part of French Equatorial Africa and in 1960,Gabon became independent.
The politics of Gabon takes place in a framework of a republic whereby the president of Gabon is head of state and in effect,also the head of government,since he appoints the prime minister and his cabinet. The government is divided into three branches:the executive headed by the prime minister,the legislative that is formed by the two chambers of parliament,and the judicial branch. The judicial branch is technically independent and equal to the two other branches,although in practice,since its judges are appointed by the president,it is beholden to the same president. Since independence the party system is dominated by the conservative Gabonese Democratic Party.
Jean-François Ntoutoume Emane is a Gabonese politician who was Prime Minister of Gabon from 23 January 1999 to 20 January 2006. He was Mayor of Libreville,the capital,from 2008 to 2014.
Jean Ping is a Gabonese diplomat and politician who served as Chair of the African Union Commission from 2008 to 2012. Born to a Chinese father and Gabonese mother,he is the first individual of Chinese descent to lead the executive branch of the African Union.
Paul Mba Abessole is a Gabonese politician who heads the National Woodcutters' Rally –Rally for Gabon and was a leading opponent of President Omar Bongo during the 1990s. He stood as a presidential candidate twice during the 1990s and also served as Mayor of Libreville,the capital. From 2002 to 2009 he served in the government of Gabon,holding the rank of Deputy Prime Minister for most of that period.
Ali Bongo Ondimba,also known as Ali Bongo and Ali Ben Bongo,is a Gabonese former politician who was the third president of Gabon from 2009 to 2023. He is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party. He is the son of Omar Bongo,who was president of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. During his father's presidency,he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991,represented Bongoville as a deputy in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999,and was the Minister of Defense from 1999 to 2009. After his father's death,he won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election. He was reelected in 2016,in elections marred by numerous irregularities,arrests,human rights violations,and post-election protests and violence.
Zacharie Myboto is a Gabonese politician and President of the National Union (UN),an opposition party. He was the Administrative Secretary of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) from 1972 to 1990 and served in the government from 1978 to 2001. After resigning from the government,he became an opposition leader,founding the Gabonese Union for Democracy and Development (UGDD) in 2005 and placing third in the 2005 presidential election. He became President of the Group of the Forces of Change in the National Assembly in 2007.
Jean EyeghéNdong is a Gabonese politician. He was the Prime Minister of Gabon from January 20,2006 to July 17,2009. He was also the First Vice-president of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) until 2009.
Laure Olga Gondjout is a Gabonese politician. She served in the government of Gabon as Minister of Communication and Telecommunications from 2007 to 2008,as Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2008,and again as Minister of Communication and Digital Economy from 2008 to 2011. Subsequently she was Secretary-General of the Presidency from 2011 to 2014. She has served as Ombudsman from February 2014 to January 2019
Jean-Boniface Assélé is a Gabonese politician and the President of the Circle of Liberal Reformers (CLR). He served in the government of Gabon from 1975 to 1990 and again from 2004 to 2009. He was also Commander-in-Chief of the National Police Forces from 1970 to 1989 and held the rank of General. Since September 2009,Asséléhas been the Fourth Vice-President of the Senate of Gabon.
Séraphin Moundounga is a Gabonese politician who served in the government of Gabon as Minister of Justice from 2014 to 2016.
Jules-Aristide Bourdes-Ogouliguende was a Gabonese politician who was the President of the Congress for Democracy and Justice (CDJ),an opposition party. He served as a minister in the government of Gabon from 1976 to 1990 and was President of the National Assembly from 1990 to 1993;from 1993 until his death in 2018.
AndréDieudonnéBerre is a Gabonese politician. He served in the government of Gabon from 1990 to 2003 and was the Mayor of Libreville,the capital and largest city,from 2003 to 2007. He is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party and is currently a Deputy in the National Assembly of Gabon.
Sylvia Valentin Bongo Ondimba has been the wife of Ali Bongo Ondimba since 1989. She became the First Lady of Gabon following the inauguration of her husband as President of Gabon on 16 October 2009. She created the Sylvia Bongo Ondimba Foundation,"For the family",in January 2011 "to improve the plight of vulnerable and disadvantaged people around the world". On August 30,2023,her husband,Ali Bongo,was deposed after 14 years of rule,ending her term as First Lady.
The National Union is a political party in Gabon.
Angélique Ngoma is a Gabonese politician who served as Minister of Defence from October 2009 to January 2011.
Julien Nkoghe Bekale is a Gabonese politician who served as the prime minister of Gabon from 2019 to 2020. In the aftermath of the 2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt,he was appointed prime minister by president Ali Bongo Ondimba on 12 January 2019.
Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda is a Gabonese politician who served as the vice president of Gabon from January to August 2023,making her the country's first female vice president. She previously served as Prime Minister of Gabon from July 2020 to January 2023,she was also the country's first female prime minister. She also served as the mayor of Libreville and later as the country's defense minister from February 2019 to July 2020.
General elections were held in Gabon on 26 August 2023. Incumbent president Ali Bongo ran for re-election,representing the Gabonese Democratic Party,which had ruled the country continuously since its independence from France in 1960,including 41 years under Bongo's father,Omar.
