Gabon
Gabon, 1960 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, lying on the equator. Léon M'ba was elected first president of Gabon in 1961, and when he died in 1967, Omar Bongo replaced him as president. In 1991 the Parliament of Gabon adopted a new constitution, and the country switched to multiparty elections. In August 2023, after the announcement that Ali Bongo had won a third term in the general election, military officers announced that they had taken power in a coup d'état and cancelled the election results.
Seat of power: Libreville
Rulers
Léon M'ba
President of Gabon, 1960–1967
He was the first president of Gabon, and before that the first prime minister. When M'ba dissolved the National Assembly in 1964 to institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him, and French paratroopers flew in within 24 hours to restore him to power.
Portrait of Léon M'ba: Unknown authorUnknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl, file
Jean-Hilaire Aubame
President of Gabon, 1964–1964
He was installed as President of Gabon during a 1964 coup d'état against M'ba, but the coup was toppled three days later. He was sentenced to 10 years of hard labor and 10 years of exile, and Omar Bongo allowed him to return to Gabon in 1972.
Portrait of Jean-Hilaire Aubame: Fumey, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, file
Omar Bongo
President of Gabon, 1967–2009
He was the second president of Gabon, serving from 1967 until his death in 2009. Bongo headed the single-party regime of the PDG until 1990, when, faced with public pressure, he was forced to introduce multi-party politics into Gabon. After Cuban leader Fidel Castro stepped down in February 2008, Bongo became the world's longest-ruling non-royal leader.
Portrait of Omar Bongo: © European Union 2015 - Source : EP, European Parliament, file
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Ali Bongo Ondimba
President of Gabon, 2009–2023
He is the son of Omar Bongo, and was elected president in the 2009 presidential election, marking the first political dynasty in the country. On 30 August 2023, after the results of the general election, the military led by his cousin Brice Oligui Nguema ousted him from the presidency in a coup d'état.
Portrait of Ali Bongo Ondimba: U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain, file
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Rose Francine Rogombe
President of Gabon, 2009–2009
She was acting president of Gabon from June to October 2009, following the death of Omar Bongo. She was the first female head of state of Gabon.
Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge
President of Gabon, 2009–2009
He was Vice-President of Gabon from 1997 to 2009, and exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from May 2009 to June 2009, while President Omar Bongo Ondimba was hospitalized.
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema
President of Gabon, 2023 to today
He is serving as the fourth president of Gabon since May 2025, having previously served in a transitional capacity from 2023. He ran for president in the first democratic election in five decades and was elected. In August 2023 army officers who seized power named General Brice Oligui Nguema as transitional leader.
Portrait of Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema: The White House, Public domain, file
Culture
- The official language is French, and Bantu ethnic groups constitute around 95% of the population.
- Christianity is the predominant religion, practised by about 80% of the population.
- In 2002 roughly 10% of the territory of the country was designated national park land, with 13 parks in total.
- Gabon is home to 604 species of birds, 98 species of amphibians, between 95 and 160 species of reptiles, and 198 different species of mammals.
Picture
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, located on the Gabon Estuary.
Image: Shirmy25, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.