Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 17 August (1960) (Gabon granted full independence from France)
Constitution: adopted 14 March 1991
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; compulsory ICJ jurisdiction not accepted
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
(since 23 January 1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO reelected; percent of
vote—El Hadj Omar BONGO 66%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU 17%, Fr. Paul
M'BA-ABESSOLE 13%
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate
(91 seats) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats); members are elected by direct popular vote to serve
five-year terms
elections: National Assembly—last held in December 1996 (next to be
held NA December 2001); Senate—last held 12 January 1997 (next to be
held in January 2002)
election results: National Assembly—percent of vote by party—NA;
seats by party—PDG 100, Morena-Bucherons/RNB 8, PUP 3, CLR 3, FAR 1,
UPG 1, USG 2, PGP 2; Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—PDG 51, RNB 17, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1, others 15
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of
three chambers—Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts;
Constitutional Court; Courts of Appeal; Court of State Security;
County Courts
Political parties and leaders: African Forum for Reconstruction
NA]
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MINURCA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UDEAC,
UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO