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
water: 10,000 sq km
land: 257,667 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, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001) |
| 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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