Gabon Geography Profile 2009

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

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 98.15% (2005)

Irrigated land

70 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

164 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.12 cu km/yr (50%/8%/42%)
per capita: 87 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

NA

Environment - current issues

deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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