t.)

Death rate: 13.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 90.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.59 years
male: 52.72 years
female: 58.56 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.89 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic divisions: Bantu tribes including four major tribal
groupings (Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), other Africans and
Europeans 100,000, including 27,000 French

Religions: Christian 55%-75%, Muslim less than 1%, animist

Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke,
Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 63.2%
male: 73.7%
female: 53.3%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: Republique Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon

Data code: GB

Type of government: republic; multiparty presidential regime
(opposition parties legalized 1990)

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: Renovation Day, 12 March (1968) (Gabonese
Democratic Party established)

Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of 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)
was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage on 5 December
1993 (next election to be held 1998); results - President Omar BONGO
received 51% of the vote
head of government: Prime Minister Paulin OBAME Nguema (since 9
December 1994) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the pre