Location:
Central 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
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 257,667 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 10,000 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 78

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
total: 3,261 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Cameroon 349 km, Republic of the Congo 2567 km, Equatorial Guinea 345 km

Coastline:
885 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation:
mean elevation: 377 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use:
agricultural land: 19% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 1.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 17.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 81% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
40 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest

Natural hazards:
none

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (the forests that cover three-quarters of the country are threatened by excessive logging); burgeoning population exacerbating disposal of solid waste; oil industry contributing to water pollution; wildlife poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
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