Gabon is located on the west coast of Central Africa, straddling the equatorial line, it is connected with Congo in the East and south, Cameroon in the north, Equatorial Guinea in the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean in the West. The coastline is 800 km long. Since independence from France on August 17, 1960, Gabon has been ruled by three presidents.
Gabon's multi-party system and a new democratic constitution aim to promote greater transparency in the electoral process and reform many government institutions. Low population density, rich natural resources and foreign personal investment have helped Gabon become the most prosperous country in the region, with the highest human development index among sub Saharan African countries.
Gabon's main export trade partners are the United States, China and Russia, while the main source of imports is France.
