Government (Gabon)
==================


     Long-form name:
         Gabonese Republic
     Type:
         republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized 1990)
     Capital:
         Libreville
     Administrative divisions:
         9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
         Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem
     Independence:
         17 August 1960 (from France)
     Constitution:
         21 February 1961, revised 15 April 1975
     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
     National holiday:
         Renovation Day (Gabonese Democratic Party established), 12 March (1968)
     Executive branch:
         president, prime minister, Cabinet
     Legislative branch:
         unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
     Judicial branch:
         Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         President El Hadj Omar BONGO (since 2 December 1967)
       Head of Government:
         Prime Minister Casimir OYE-MBA (since 3 May 1990)
     Political parties and leaders:
         Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG, former sole party), El Hadj Omar BONGO,
         president; National Recovery Movement - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons);
         Gabonese Party for Progress (PGP); National Recovery Movement
         (Morena-Original); Association for Socialism in Gabon (APSG); Gabonese
         Socialist Union (USG); Circle for Renewal and Progress (CRP); Union for
         Democracy and Development (UDD)
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 21
     Elections:
       National Assembly:
         last held on 28 October 1990 (next to be held by NA); results - percent of
         vote NA; seats - (120 total, 111 elected) PDG 62, National Recovery Movement
         - Lumberjacks (Morena-Bucherons) 19, PGP 18, National Recovery Movement
         (Morena-Original) 7, APSG 6, USG 4, CRP 1, independents 3
       President:
         last held on 9 November 1986 (next to be held December 1993); results -
         President Omar BONGO was reelected without opposition
     Member of:
         ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
         IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
         INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UDEAC, UN,
         UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
     Diplomatic representation:
         Ambassador-designate Alexandre SAMBAT; Chancery at 2034 20th Street NW,
         Washington, DC 20009; telephone (202) 797-1000