World Factbook
Gabon
République Gabonaise
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue meaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, gold for the equator and the sun, and blue for the sea
Capital
name
Libreville
etymology
the city was founded in 1849 by freed slaves, and the name means "free town" in French
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
0 23 N, 9 27 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Gabon
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Constitution
history
previous 1961, 1991; latest approved in November 2024 referendum
amendment process
proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament; passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on Gabon’s democratic form of government cannot be amended
Country name
etymology
name originates from the Portuguese word gabão, meaning "cloak," possibly used by early explorers to describe the shape of the Komo River estuary
local long form
République Gabonaise
local short form
Gabon
conventional long form
Gabonese Republic
conventional short form
Gabon
Independence
17 August 1960 (from France)
Legal system
mixed system of French civil law and customary law
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of 4 permanent specialized supreme courts - Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation, Administrative Supreme Court or Conseil d'Etat, Accounting Supreme Court or Cour des Comptes, Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, and the non-permanent Court of State Security, initiated only for cases of high treason by the president and criminal activity by executive branch officials)
subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal; county courts; military courts
judge selection and term of office
appointment and tenure of Supreme, Administrative, Accounting, and State Security courts NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed - 3 by the national president, 3 by the president of the Senate, and 3 by the president of the National Assembly; judges serve single renewable 7-year terms
Executive branch
cabinet
cabinet appointed by president
chief of state
President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025)
election results
2025: Brice OLIGUI Nguema elected president; percent of vote - Brice OLIGUI Nguema (Ind.) 90.35%, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze (EPG) 3.02%, other 6.63% 2016: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0%
head of government
President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025)
most recent election date
12 April 2025
election/appointment process
the president directly elected by plurality vote to a 7-year term (no term limits)
National holiday
Independence Day, 17 August (1960)
National color(s)
green, yellow, blue
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
2 (1 natural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (m); Ivindo National Park (n)
Political parties
Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG Restoration of Republican Values or RV The Democrats or LD
Paul Mba Abessole
Legislative branch
legislature name
Parliament
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"La Concorde" (The Concorde)
history
adopted 1960
lyrics/music
Georges Aleka DAMAS
National symbol(s)
black panther
National coat of arms
the panthers represent vigilance and courage, and they support a shield with a ship and an okoume tree, which is a symbol of the timber trade; the ribbon below the shield has the national motto in French, Union, Travail, Justice ("Union, Work, Justice"), and the ribbon above the shield has the Latin phrase Uniti Progrediemur ("We shall go forward united")
Administrative divisions
9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
145 (all directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
10/6/2023
expected date of next election
November 2030
percentage of women in chamber
21.6%
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Senate)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
70 (all indirectly elected)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
9/27/2025 to 10/11/2025
expected date of next election
November 2025
percentage of women in chamber
20.3%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (301) 332-0668
chancery
2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009
telephone
[1] (202) 797-1000
chief of mission
Ambassador Noël Nelson MESSONE (12 December 2022)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
info@gaboneembassyusa.org https://gabonembassyusa.org/en/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[241] 011-45-71-05
embassy
Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville
telephone
[241] 011-45-71-00
mailing address
2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270
chief of mission
Ambassador Vernelle Trim FITZPATRICK (since 26 January 2024); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe
email address and website
ACSLibreville@state.gov https://ga.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction