Black panther; national colors: green, yellow, blue.
Title | "La Concorde" (The Concorde) |
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Lyric/music | Georges Aleka DAMAS |
Date of Independence | 17 August 1960 (from France) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 17 August (1960) |
Legal system | mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law |
International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Constitution | |
History | Previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991 |
Amendments | 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; amended several times, last in 2023 (presidential term reduced to 5 years and election reduced to a single vote) |
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 |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | Transitional President Gen. Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 4 September 2023) |
Head of government | Prime Minister Raymond NDONG SIMA (since 7 September 2023) |
Cabinet | formerly the Council of Ministers, appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president |
Elections/appointments | formerly, the president directly elected by plurality vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 26 August 2023; prime minister appointed by the president; note - in August 2023, Gen. Brice OLIGUI Nguema led a military group called Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions in a coup in which President Ali BONGO Ondimba was arrested and detained, election results were canceled, and state institutions were dissolved; in September 2023, OLIGUI was sworn in as transitional president; a general election is planned for August 2025 |
Election results | 2016: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0% 2009: Ali BONGO Ondimba elected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME (independent) 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU (UPG) 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO (UGDD) 3.9%, other 3.3% |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Transitional Parliament (formerly the bicameral Parliament) consists of: Senate (70 seats; members appointed by Transitional president; member term NA) National Assembly (98 seats; members appointed by the Transitional president; member term NA) note - all members represent legally recognized political parties or leading political figures, civil society, and defense and security forces |
Elections | On 11 September 2023, Transitional President Gen. Brice OLIGUI Nguema appointed 168 members to the Transitional Parliament; elections for a permanent legislature reportedly to follow 2-year transition; note - the military government announced on 13 November 2023 that presidential and legislative elections will be held in August 2025 |
Election results | All members of the Transitional Parliament appointed by the Transitional president |
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) |
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 |
Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal; county courts; military courts |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Noël Nelson MESSONE (12 December 2022) |
Chancery | 2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 797-1000 |
FAX | [1] (301) 332-0668 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://gabonembassyusa.org/en/ |
Consulate(s) general | New York |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador Vernelle Trim FITZPATRICK (since 26 January 2024); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe |
Embassy | Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville |
Mailing address | 2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 |
Telephone | [241] 011-45-71-00 |
FAX | [241] 011-45-71-05 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://ga.usembassy.gov/ |
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) |
Want to know more about Gabon? Check all different factbooks for Gabon below.