Gabon Geography Profile 2002

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries

total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline

885 km

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources

petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land

150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Group

All, APLAA, Sub-Saharan Africa

Geography - note

a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity