Množina: Gabons

Country in central Africa, bounded N by Cameroon, E and S by the Congo, W by the Atlantic Ocean, and NW by Equatorial Guinea.
government
The 1991 constitution provides for a multiparty system with a president elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term. The president appoints a prime minister, who presides over a council of ministers. There is a single-chamber, 120-member legislature, the national assembly, elected for a five-year term.
history
Gabon was colonized by some of its present inhabitants (the Fang and the Omiéné) between the 16th and 18th centuries. Its first European visitors were the Portuguese in the late 15th century. They began a slave trade that lasted almost 400 years. In 1889 Gabon became part of the French Congo and was a province of French Equatorial Africa from 1908.
Gabon achieved full independence 1960. There were then two main political parties, the Gabonese Democratic Bloc (BDG), led by Léon M'ba, and the Gabonese Democratic and Social Union (UDSG), led by Jean-Hilaire Aubame. Although the two parties were evenly matched in popular support, on independence M'ba became president, and Aubame foreign minister.
In 1964 the BDG wanted the two parties to merge, but the UDSG resisted, and M'ba called a general election. Before the elections M'ba was deposed in a military coup by supporters of Aubame but was restored to office with French help. Aubame was tried and imprisoned for treason. The UDSG was outlawed, and most of its members joined the BDG.
Bongo’s presidency
In 1964 M'ba, although in failing health, was reelected. He died later that year and was succeeded by Albert-Bernard Bongo who, the following year, established the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) as the only legal party. Bongo was reelected 1973 and was converted to Islam, changing his first name to Omar. In 1979 Bongo, as the sole presidential candidate, was reelected for a further seven years.
Gabon's reserves of uranium, manganese, and iron make it the richest country per head in Black Africa, and both M'ba and Bongo successfully exploited these resources, gaining control of the iron-ore ventures once half-owned by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation of the US, and concluding economic and technical agreements with China as well as maintaining ties with France.
Although President Bongo operated an authoritarian regime, Gabon's prosperity diluted any serious opposition to him. He was reelected Nov 1986, and a coup attempt against him 1989 was defeated by loyal troops. In Sept 1990 the first multiparty elections since 1964 were won by PDG despite claims of widespread fraud. In Dec 1993 Bongo was reelected for a further term.A republic in west central Africa; Also called: Gabun.