(Agence France-Presse Gabon Free City, 30th) The results of the presidential election in Gabon, a central African country on the 26th, showed that the current President Ali. Pengo won, but a group of senior military officials annulled the election results on state television, saying the military had taken power. Here are 5 facts about Gabon compiled by AFP:
● The Pengo family ruled for more than half a century
The small Central African country has been ruled by the same family for more than 55 of the 63 years since it gained independence from France in 1960.
Ali, 64 years old. Ali Bongo Ondimba is seeking a third term in elections on the 26th. His father Omar. He was succeeded by Pengo (Omar), who died in 2009 after nearly 42 years in power.
Pengo Sr., who came to power in 1967, is known as a “kleptocrat”. He is one of the richest men in the world, and his wealth comes from Gabon oil.
In October 2018, Ali. Peng Ge suffered a stroke, and then disappeared from the public for 10 months. The incident sparked talk that he was unfit to govern and sparked an attempted minor coup.
● rich in oil
Gabon is one of the richest countries in Africa in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, largely due to oil revenues and a population of just 2.3 million.
In the 1970s, Gabon discovered a large amount of oil reserves in the sea, so it established a strong middle class, known as the “small principality of Central Africa”. Oil accounts for 60% of Gabon’s fiscal revenue.
But according to the World Bank, one-third of the population still lives below the poverty line of US$5.50 (NT$175) a day.
● Africa’s “Garden of Eden”
About 88 percent of Gabon’s land area is covered with forests, which provide habitat for gorillas, buffalo, panthers, elephants, chimpanzees and other species.
Gabon, the self-proclaimed “Last Eden”, has become a leading advocate for wildlife conservation in Central Africa. Wildlife in this region is being hit by war, habitat destruction and the game trade.
In 2002, Pengo established 13 national parks, covering about 11% of the country’s land area.
● Possess good drug detoxification medicine
A powerful root plant has been found in Gabon forests and is being used to make a drug that it claims is a potential cure for heroin and cocaine addiction.
The root of the iboga tree is hallucinogenic, and high doses may produce effects similar to those of LSD, mescaline, or amphetamine, and cause anxiety, extreme worry, and hallucinations.
But the drug, ibogaine, in pill form, has also won rave reviews for helping some addicts kick their addictions.
● forward soccer star
Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang) used to play for the Premier League giants Chelsea Football Club (Chelsea Football Club). In his heyday, he was one of the best strikers in the world.
In 2018, he transferred from Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga to the Premier League Arsenal and became the joint top scorer in the Premier League a year later.
Due to disciplinary issues, Aubameyang was dismissed from the captaincy of the Arsenal and was also terminated from the Arsenal. After that, he moved to the Spanish Football League Barcelona (Barcelona), then Chelsea, and finally joined the French Football League powerhouse Marseille. (Olympique de Marseille).
After the presidential election, a coup broke out in Gabon, a central African country, with 5 key points to watch at once
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2023-08-30 13:35:02
