Gabon, officially
the Gabonese Republic, is a country in west central Africa. It borders
on Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo and the Gulf of Guinea.
Since its independence from France on August 17, 1960, the Republic has
been ruled by only two autocratic Presidents; the incumbent El Hadj Omar
Bongo Ondimba has been in power since 1967 and is currently (2007) Africa's
longest-serving Head of State. Gabon introduced a multiparty system and
a new democratic constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more
transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions.
A small population, abundant natural resources, and foreign private investment
have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in the region.
Its coat of arms shows two jungle cats representing their prided animals.
