The Republic of Gabon is located on the west coast of central Africa, streching across the equator. It is adjacent to Congo in the east and south, borders Cameroon in the north, adjacent to Equatorial Guinea in the northwest and neighbors the Atlantic Ocean in the west, and has a coastline of 800 kilometers long. Since its independence from France on August 17, 1960, the Republic of Gabon has undergone three presidential rulings.

The Gabonese multi-party system and a new democratic constitution aim to advocate a more transparent electoral process and to reform many government institutions. Low population density coupled with abundant natural resources and foreign personal investment helped Gabon become the region's most prosperous country, with its human development index being the highest in sub-Saharan African countries.

Gabon's main export trading partners are the United States, China and Russia, while the main source of imports comes from France.