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Gabon
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
85.4% or about 22,000,000 ha of Gabon is forested, according to FAO. Of this 65.2% ( 14,334,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Gabon had 30,000 ha of planted forest. Gabon's forests contain 2,710 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Gabon has some 969 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.0% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.0% are threatened. Gabon is home to at least 6651 species of vascular plants. 0.3% of Gabon is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
2011 Update
In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.
| Forest definition (canopy cover %) | 10% tree cover | 25% tree cover | 30% tree cover | | Forest Area (M ha) | 24 | 22 | 21 | | Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C) | 3,054 | 2,820 | 2,768 | | Belowground forest carbon (Mt C) | 813 | 748 | 734 | | Total forest carbon (Mt C) | 3,867 | 3,568 | 3,502 | | Average Carbon Density (t C/ha) | 160 | 164 | 165 |
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values
Gabon Environmental profile
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Gabon
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Gabon: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 25767 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 22000 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 85 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 14334 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 65 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 0 |
| Percent other wooded land | 0 |
Gabon: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 14334 | 65 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 7636 | 35 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 30 | n.s. |
Gabon: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 22000 | 22000 | 22000 | 22000 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Gabon: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 21970 | 21970 | 21970 | 21970 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0.0 | 0 | 0
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Gabon: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 20934 | 17634 | 15984 | 14334 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -330 | -330 | -330 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -1.70 | -1.95 | -2.16 | |
Gabon: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Gabon: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 45 | 0 | 18 | n.s. | 36 | 0 | 0 |
Gabon: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gabon: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 4895 | 223 | 0 | 4895 | 8 |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| - | - | | | |
Gabon: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2710 | 2710 | 2710 | 2710 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 123 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
Gabon: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| - | - |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Gabon: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 75 | 606 | 1098 | 100 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 521 | 591 | 858 | 100 |
Gabon: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| 194 | - | - | - | - |
Gabon: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | 10 |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | 7 | 10 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | n.s. |
Gabon: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (2004)
Sub-national forest policy: -
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (1993) Temporarily suspended
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (2001)
Sub-national forest law: -
Gabon: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 324 | 29 | 364 | 20 | 484 | 21 |
Gabon: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| 16478 | 1412 | 2250 | n.s. | 4171 | 516 | 178
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Gabon: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Gabon: Environment
| 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 | | Natural hazards | NA |
Gabon: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 1.26%
permanent crops: 0.66%
other: 98.08% (2001) | | Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
Gabon: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January 1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in 1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119 million in October 2000. Those agreements mandated progress in privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December 2001. Gabon signed a 14 month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year. Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal and other adjustments in line with IMF policies. | | GDP - per capita | $5,800 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 2.1% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 6%, industry: 58.8%, services: 35.1% (2005 est.) | | Industries | petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and plywood; cement | | Economic aid - recipient | $331 million (1995) | | Debt - external | $3.857 billion (2005 est.) | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% |
Gabon: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 1,389,201 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 2.45% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 5.4 | | Percent rural (2003) | 16.2% | | Median age (years) | total: 18.57 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 4.77 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality |
Largest Cities in Gabon
Cities and urban areas in Gabon with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Libreville | Gabon | 541000 | 541000 |
| Port-Gentil | Gabon | 102100 | 102100 |
Gabon: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 38,400 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 300,000 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 32,333 km
paved: 6,247 km
unpaved: 26,086 km (2003) |
Gabon: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 55.02 years
male: 53.63 years
female: 56.45 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 8.1% (2003 est.) | | Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2004) |
Gabon
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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