Report No. 1 6333-GA Republic of Gabon Poverty in a Rent-Based Economy I (IH Tl\% V )I LJ sI ' lf I: M,win kR )rt June 27, 1997 i IDociu I )e e World Bank Document of the World Bank Currency Equivalents Currency Unit = CFA Franc (CFAF) US$1 = 264.7 CFAF in 1992 US$1 = 283.2 CFAF in 1993 US$1 = 555.2 CFAF in 1994 US$1 = 499.1 CFAF in 1995 US$1 = 514.0 CFAF in 1996 US$1 = 585.9 CFAF in 1997 List of Acronyms AfDB African Development Bank AGETIP Agence d'execution des travaux d'interet public [Public Works Executing Agency] ANFPP Agence nationale deformation et de perfectionnementprofessionnels BNCR Banque nationale de credit rural CFAF CFA franc CHL Centre hospitalier de Libreville CNGS Caisse nationale de garantie sociale CNSS Caisse nationale de se'curitd sociale DAS Direction de l'assistance sociale DGSEE Direction gdneral de la statistique DHI Human Development Index DHS Demograhic and Health Survey FAC Fonds d'aide et de cooperation FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FIR Fonds d'aide ai 'insertion et la reinsertion FODEX Fonds d'expansion et de developpement GDP Gross Domestic Product GPC General Population Survey HES Household Expenditure Survey IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development ILO Intemational Labor Office ILO International Labor Organization IMF International Monetary Fund LSMS Living Standards Measurement Survey MEN Ministere de l'education nationale MSPP Ministere de la santr publique et de la population NGO Non-Governmental Organization OCSG Observatoire du changement social au Gabon ONE Office national de l'emploi OZI Operations Zonales integrees PDG Parti democratique gabonais PPA Participatory Poverty Assessment PPP Purchasing Power Parity SMI Sante maternelle et infantile UDEAC Central Africa Customs and Economic Union UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Program UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Fund for Population Activities UNICEF United Nations Children's Emergency Fund US United States WHO World Health Organization Vice President: iMr. Jean-Louis Sarbib Acting Director: Mr. David Berk Technical Manager: Mr. Ok Pannenborg. Task Team Leader: Ms. Nadine Poupart SOCIAL INDICATORS 1980 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 (1993)1/ Macroeconomic indicators GNP per capita ($US) 1/ 4,070 4,520 5,070 5,040 4,960 3,550 4,150 -- Population (in millions) 1/ 0.81 0.96 0.97 0.99 1.01 1.04 -- -- Urban population (%) 3/ -- -- -- -- 73 -- 30.9 Education Illiteracy rate (> 15 years) Women (%) 3/ -- -- -- -- 34 -- -- 68 Men (%)3/ -- -- -- -- 21 -- -- 45 Primary school 1/ -- -- -- -- -- -- 87 -- Secondary school 1/ -- -- -- -- -- -- 17.6 -- Pupil/teacher ratio (primary) 5/ -- -- -- -- 48 -- 40 Repeater rate (primary) (%) 5/ -- -- -- -- -- -- 33 -- Repeater rate (secondary) (%) 5/ -- -- -- -- -- -- 32 24 a/ Preventive health Access to potable water (% of population) 3/ -- -- -- -- 66 -- -- Urban (%) 4/ -- -- 78 -- -- -- -- Rural (%) 4/ 40 HIV prevalence in Libreville (0/00)2/ -- -- 2.8 -- -- -- -- Vaccination coverage (%) 2/ -- -- -- -- 51.5 -- -- Life expectancy Mortality rate, children <5 years (0/00) 2/ 172.4 -- -- -- 155 -- -- 172 Infant mortality rate (0/o0) 2/ 109.4 -- -- -- 99 -- 93 Gross mortality rate (0/00)2/ 18.7 -- -- -- 15.6 -- 14.8 Maternal mortality rate (per 100.000) 2/ 500 -- -- 190- 573 600 Life expectancy at birth 3/ 48.7 -- -- 54 53 -- -- 52 Nutrition Underweight at birth(%) 2/ 1/ -- -- 11.3 -- 14.5 -- -- 14 Sources: 1/ World Bank; 2/ UNICEF; 3/ General Population Census 1993; 4/ UNDP; 5/ Ministry of National Education a/ 1980 Foreword The Gabon Poverty Assessment was prepared in close collaboration with the Government of Gabon and the donors active in Gabon. The Government established an Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee to monitor the work. The committee reported to the Ministry of Planning, and included representatives of the principal ministries and donors, and the civil society. The Committee first met in December, 1994, to discuss the broad directions of the study, and again in December 1995 and in November 1996 to comment on the draft versions (white and green covers). The present version takes account of views expressed at the technical meetings as well as written comments received from the Ministries of Planning, Health, Education, Labor, Social Affairs and National Solidarity, the Economics Department, the Economic and Social Council, the UNDP and the French Cooperation office. It also reflects the general lines of a draft poverty reduction strategy drawn up by the General Planning Commission in March 1996. The study has benefited from discussions with many people encountered during the World Bank's preparatory missions. The Statistics Department, with the French Government's support, assisted in preparing the poverty profile. To learn more about how poor people themselves view their situation, a Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) was conducted in June 1995. The team of Gabonese researchers was composed of Fidele Nze-Nguema (coordinator, preliminary analysis), Adrien Paul Ivanga (field operations), Armand-Colyn Abessolo, Odette Mbui- Allogo, Daniel Mve Engonga and Marie-Pauline Ada Mezui (interviewers). Franklin Lartey Mbiboy (information processing) prepared the results in tabular form. The study received financial support from the French government (FAC - safety nets; compilation and analysis of the participatory survey results), from UNDP (labor market analysis), the Belgian government (urban environment) and the Swedish government (institutional aspects). This report was prepared by a team led by Nadine Poupart (Task Team Leader), and composed of Ghislaine Delaine and Gilles Greneche (Poverty profile); Boniface Essama-Nssah (Poverty trends and determinants), Herbert Bergmann (Education), Malonga Miatudila (Health), and Jocelyne Durany-Jakob (Survival mechanisms, safety nets and participatory survey). Contributions were made by Jean Negrel (Labor market, employment and regulatory framework), Serge Bouniatian (Urban environment), Peter Gisle (Institutional aspects) and Aime Mianzenza (Rural poverty). Marlynne Hopper, Elsa Pilichowski and Sahondra Rabenarivo (Research Assistants) worked on the drafting. The report was edited by Vincent Fruchart and was formated by Anne Anglio. Comments were received from Emmanuel Akpa, Menahem Prywes; from members of the country team (Nichola Dyer Cisse, Patrick Canel, Philippe de Naurois, Alassane Sow, Demba Ba, Lionel Laurant and Connie Luff) and from Michael T. Hadjimichael (International Monetary Fund). Serge Michailof was the Lead Advisor. Jack van Holst Pellekaan, Maurizia Tovo were the Peer Reviewers. Andrew Rogerson and David Berk are the former and Acting Country Directors for the Republic of Gabon and the Technical Manager is Ok Pannenborg. TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME 2: MAIN REPORT 1. GABON .........................................................................1 A. MAIN FEATURES .........................................................................1I B. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS ..........................................................................1 A Young and Growing Population .........................................................................lI Source: "Main Results" of the General Population and Housing Census, Statistics and Economic Studies Department, July 1993 .........................................................................3 Rapid Urbanization ..........................................................................3 Secondary Urban Centers Retain a Rural Lifestyle .........................................................................4 Geographic Distribution ..........................................................................4 Rural Decline ..........................................................................5 C. RECENT ECONOMIC HISTORY ..........................................................................7 An Oil-based Economy .........................................................................7 The Expansionist Period .........................................................................7 The Economic Crisis of 1986 ..........................................................................8 Recent Economic Developments .........................................................................8 Medium-term Outlook ............................ .9 D. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS .......................... 10 2. GENERAL POVERTY PROFILE .......................... 12 A. INCOMPLETE STATISTICAL DATA .......................... 12 B. DEVELOPMENTS SINCE 1960 .......................... 13 Poverty LJines ............. 13 Observed Trends .1.............l5 Changing Poverty Patterns ..............16 Changing Patterns oflInequality ..............19 C-. SOCIAL INDICATORS AND LIVING CONDITIONS ......................... 20 D. HOW THE POOR ASSESS THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS ......................... 22 Rural Areas ......................... 22 Seondary Urbane s .................................................. 23 Un d er-serviced Neighborhoods in Librevillen4 .................................................. E.DETERMNANTS OF POVERTY ..................................................25 Economic Structure.5 .................................................. Economic Policy. .................................................. 2 The Causes of Poverty as Seen by the Poor.0 .................................................. F. SURVIVALAes .................................................. 2230 Individual Strategies .................................................. 30 Family Assistance .................................................. 31 Mutual Support.2 .................................................. 2 3.URBAN POVERTY ...................................................34 A. PROFILE OF URBANY ...................................................34 Calculating the Absolute Poverty Line ................................................... 34 Estimating the Number of Poor ..................................................Peopl. 34 Solidarity andStrty .................................................. 35 Who Ar e the Poor?................................................... 36 Transfers Are an Indispensable Supplement to the Poorest Incomes .................................................. 36 Consumption Patterns of the Poor .................................................. 39 B. LIFE IN THE SHANTYTOWNS OF LIBREVILLE .......................................... 43 The Socioeconomic Context ......................................... 44 Housing .......................................... 44 Roads and Transportation ......................................... 46 Water and Sewage .......................................... 46 Electricity .......................................... 47 4. THE LABOR MARKET ......................................... 49 A. THE LABOR MARKET ......................................... 49 Employment ......................................... 49 Active Population ......................................... 50 B. THE CAUSES OF RISING UNEMPLOYMENT SINCE 1986 ......................................... 51 Labor Demand ......................................... 51 Labor Supply .......................................... 52 C. WHO ARE THE UNEMPLOYED? ......................................... 52 D. RIGIDITIES IN THE LABOR MARKET ......................................... 54 Inadequate Labor Supply ......................................... 54 The Labor Code ......................................... 55 Obstacles to Enterprise Creation ......................................... 55 E. THE OUTLOOK FOR THE LABOR MARKET ......................................... 56 Private Sector .......................................... 56 Informal Sector ......................................... 58 F. POLICIES AND PROGRAMS .......................................... 59 5. RURAL POVERTY ......................................... 60 A. AN IMPOVERISHED FARMING ECONOMY ......................................... 60 Environment .......................................... 60 Agricultural Production .......................................... 60 Agricultural Productivity ......................................... 62 B. RURAL SOURCES OF INCOME ......................................... 63 Land Tenure .......................................... 63 Subsistence Farming ......................................... 63 Other Sources .......................................... 63 C. LIVING CONDITIONS ......................................... 65 Social Services and Infrastructure .......................................... 65 Working Women ......................................... 65 Food Consumption ......................................... 66 D. FACTORS CONSTRAINING AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT ......................................... 67 Production Factors ......................................... 67 Access to Credit ......................................... 68 Isolation of Farming Areas ......................................... 68 6. EDUCATION ......................................... 70 A. EDUCATION AND POVERTY ..................... 70 B. THE EDUCATION SYSTEM ................... 71 Enrollment Levels ................................................................................................................................ .... 71 The Shortcomings of General Education .................................... 73 Outmoded Vocational and Technical Education .................................... 75 C. POVERTY AND SCHOOLING ................................... 76 D. EDUCATION IN PooR AREAS ................................... 77 The Geography of Illiteracy ................................... 77 Under-equipment and Lack of Teachers .................................... 78 E. THE FINANCING OF EDUCATION ......................................... 80 Budget Trends .................................... 80 Intra-sectoral Allocation ................................................... 82 Allocation of Public Funds .................................................... 82 7. THE HEALTH SYSTEM .................................................... 84 A. GENERAL CONDITION OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM ................................................... 84 Impact of the Economic Crisis ................................................... 85 International Comparisons ................................................... 86 B. THE PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION ................................................... 87 Epidemiological Profile ................................................... 87 Nutrition ................................................... 87 Hygiene ................................................... 88 C. SHORTCOMINGS OF THE HEALTH SYSTEM ................................................... 88 Lack ofAccess to Health Care ................................................... 88 Drug Shortages ................................................... 90 D. HEALTH POLICY ................................................... 92 Political and Strategic Choices .................................................... 92 Managing the Health Sector ................................................... 93 8. SOCIAL SECURITY ................................................... 94 A. THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS ................................................... 94 The Relief and Assistance Office (BAS) .................................................... 94 The Social Service Centers ................................................... 95 B. OTHER PRIORITY PROGRAMS ................................................... 96 Women's Projects ................................................... 96 Helpfor Orphans and "Street Children" .................................................... 96 C. SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMS ................................................... 97 The Caisse Nationale de Garantie Sociale (CNGS) ................................................... 97 The Caisse Nationale de Securite Sociale (CNSS) .................................................... 98 D. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS .................................................... 99 9. A POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY ................................................... 101 A. PEEQUisiTEs ........................................................... 102 Adopting a Growth Model that benefits the Poor ................................................... 102 Laying the Groundwork for Better Governance ................................................... 105 B. SIX PRIORITY OBJECTIVES ................................................... 106 Objective 1: Reducing Unemployment ................................................... 106 Objective 2: Enhancing the Incomes of Small Rural Producers .................................................... 111 Objective 3 . Improving Basic Health ................................................... 113 Objective 4: Rehabilitating the Urban Environment ................................................... 116 Objective 5: Redirecting Safety Nets and Social Integration Policies ................................................... 117 Objective 6: Establishing a Reliable Statistical System ................................................... 120 ANNEXES: ANNEX A: DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL DATA ANNEX B: METHODOLOGY AND TABULATION OF RESULTS OF THE PARTICIPATORY POVERTY ASSESSMENT ANNEX C: ABSOLUTE POVERTY LINE CALCULATION AND RESULTS OF HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE SURVEY (HES) ANNEX D: EDUCATION SECTOR STATISTICS INDEX OF TABLES TABLE 1. 1: DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS BY PROVINCE ........................................................................5 TABLE 2. 1: INEQUALITY, POVERTY AND WELL-BEING IN GABON: 1960 - 1994 ........................................... 16 TABLE 2. 2: POVERTY TRENDS IN GABON: 1960-1985 ........................................................................ 17 TABLE 2. 3: POVERTY TRENDS IN GABON: 1990-1994 ........................................................................ 17 TABLE 2. 4: POVERTY ELASTICITY IN GABON: 1960-1994 ......................................................................... 18 TABLE 2. 5: THE FIVE MOST-CITED PROBLEMS BY TYPE OF SETTLEMENT .................................................... 22 TABLE 2. 6: FACTOR INCOME SHARES IN GABON'S GDP (1981-1994) (%) ................................................... 26 TABLE 2. 7: DISTRIBUTION OF FACTOR INCOME - GABON, 1994 (%/6) ............................................................ 27 TABLE 2. 8: INTER-SECTORAL LINKAGES IN GABON (1981-1989) ................................................................ 28 TABLE 2. 9: SURVIVAL STRATEGIES (% OF RESPONDENTS) ......................................................................... 32 TABLE 3. 1: POVERTY INDICATORS IN LIBREVILLE AND PORT GENTIL .......................................................... 35 TABLE 3. 2: EFFECTS OF TRANSFERS IN INCOMES AND INEQUALITY .............................................................. 39 TABLE 3. 3: HOUSEHOLD SCHOOL EXPENSES BY MONTHLY INCOME QUARTILE ........................................... 42 TABLE 3. 4: EDUCATION RATES IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS ......................................................................... 44 TABLE 3. 5: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AMONG HOUSEHOLD HEADS (%/6) .......................................................... 44 TABLE 3. 6: QUALITY OF DWELLINGS BY DISTRICT (%) ........................................................................ 45 TABLE 3. 7: OCCUPANCY STATUS OF DWELLINGS (%) ........................................................................ 45 TABLE 3. 8: PHYSICAL ACCESS TO HOUSING (%) ......................................................................... 46 TABLE 3. 9: RATE OF HOUSEHOLD WATER HOOK-UPS BY DISTRICT ............................................................. 47 TABLE 3. 10: ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY ........................................................................ 48 TABLE 4. 1: EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR IN DECEMBER 1993 ......................................................................... 50 TABLE 4. 2: DISTRIBUTION OF THE ACTIVE POPULATION BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION ..................................... 53 TABLE 4. 3: UNEMPLOYMENT BY SEX AND AGE ........................................................................ 54 TABLE 5. 1: LAND USE IN GABON (THOUSANDS OF HECTARES), 1976-1991 .................................................. 60 TABLE 5. 2: TRENDS IN FOOD PRODUCTION (IN TONS) ........................................................................ 61 TABLE 5. 3: COMPARATIVE PRODUCTIVITY OF FOOD CROPS (KG/HA) IN 1993 .............................................. 62 TABLE 6. 1: HOUSEHOLD HEAD DIPLOMA AND MONTHLY URBAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME ............................. 71 TABLE 6. 2: EDUCATION SYSTEM: MAIN INDICATORS (1995/96 OR LATEST AVAILABLE) ............................. 72 TABLE 6. 3: REPEATER AND DROP-OUT RATES AT THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS ......................... 74 TABLE 6. 4: TECHNICAL SECONDARY ENROLLMENT BY TYPE OF INSTRUCTION AND SECTOR, 1990/91 ....... 76 TABLE 6. 5: EDUCATION BUDGET TRENDS ........................................................................ 81 TABLE 6. 6: TRENDS IN SPENDING PER PUPIL ......................................................................... 81 TABLE 6. 7: OPERATING BUDGETS (LESS SALARIES): DISTRIBUTION BY LEVEL OF SCHOOLING .................... 82 TABLE 7. 1: DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS FOR GABON ........................................................................ 85 TABLE 7. 2: DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS OF SELECTED COUNTRIES IN 1992 .................................................. 86 TABLE 7. 3: HEALTH SPENDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE BY PROVINCE (1993) .............................................. 89 TABLE 7. 4: UNIT PRICE COMPARISONS FOR DRuGS (IN US$ EQUIVALENT) .................................................. 91 TABLE 7. 5: ALLOCATION OF THE MSPP BUDGET (CFA BILLIONS) .............................................................. 93 TABLE 8. 1: BUDGET ALLOCATIONS FOR CNGS (CFAF BILLIONS) ............................................................... 98 INDEX OF GRAPHS GRAPH 1. 1: POPULATION STRUCTURE BY AGE AND SEX FROM VARIOUS CENSUSES ..............................3.......3 GRAPH 1.2: RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION STRUCTURE IN 1993 ...............................................................6 GRAPH 2. 1: PROBLEMS IN THE VILLAGES .......................................................................... 23 GRAPH 2.2: PROBLEMS IN SECONDARY URBAN CENTERS ........................................................................... 24 GRAPH 2.3: PROBLEMS IN UNDER-SERVICED NEIGHBORHOODS ................................................................... 25 GRAPH 3. 1: COMPONENTS OF AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY QUARTILE (LIBREVILLE, PORT GENTIL)37 GRAPH 3.2: PERCENTAGE OF FEMALE HOUSEHOLD HEADS BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME .................................. 38 GRAPH 3.3: CONSUMPTION PATTERNS BY HOUSEHOLD INCOME QUARTILE (LIBREVILLE, PORT-GENTIL) ... 40 GRAPH 4. 1: EMPLOYMENT TRENDS BY SECTOR ........................................................................... 50 GRAPH 4. 2: ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AMONG THE ADULT POPULATION (PERCENTAGES BY CATEGORY) .......... 51 GRAPH 4.3: EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR ........................................................................... 52 GRAPH 4. 4: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY AGE GROUP ........................................................................... 53 GRAPH 4. 5: CONTRIBUTION OF THE OIL AND TERTIARY SECTORS TO GDP AND EMPLOYMENT ................... 57 GRAPH 4.6: CONTRIBUTION OF THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SECTORS TO GDP AND EMPLOYMENT ...... 57 GRAPH 4.7: JOB CREATION PER CFAF 1 BILLION TURNOVER ....................................................................... 58 GRAPH 5. 1: SHARE OF DOMESTIC OUTPUT IN FOOD CONSUMPTION ............................................................. 61 GRAPH 6. 1: SCHOOL CONDITIONS AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL .......................................................................... 80 INDEX OF BOXES Box 1.1: A MAGNET FOR IMMIGRATION ...........................................................................2 Box 1.2: THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE RURAL AREAS ..............................................6 BOX 2.1: POVERTY INDICATORS ........................................................................... 15 Box 2.2: URBAN HOUSING CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 21 BOX 2.3: AN EX-VILLAGERS' ASSOCIATION .......................................................................... 33 Box 3.1: LIFE FOR A YOUNG JOBLESS FAMILY IN LIBREVILLE (PETIT PARIS) .............................................. 37 BOX 3.2: PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG, UNEMPLOYED SINGLE MOTHER IN LIBREVILLE ..................................... 39 Box 3.3: How DO THE POOR FEED THEMSELVES ? .......................................................................... 41 Box 3.4: BACK-TO-SCHOOL COSTS ........................................................................... 43 Box 3.5: POOR-FAMILY ACCESS TO POTABLE WATER .......................................................................... 47 Box 4.1: PORTRAIT OF A JOB-SEEKER ........................................................................... 54 Box 5.1: CLASSES OF SMALL FARMERS ........................................................................... 64 BOX 5.2: THE LIFE OF FEMALE HEAD HOUSEHOLD IN OGOOUE-IVINDO ...................................................... 65 Box 5.3: A TYPICAL WOMAN'S DAY .............................................................. 66 Box 5.4: PORTRAIT OF A TYPICAL COCOA GROWER - MINVOUL ............................................................... 67 Box 6.1: EDUCATION TRENDS SINCE INDEPENDENCE .............................................................. 71 Box 6.2: WHAT PARENTS THINK ABOUT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION ....................................................... 74 Box 6.3: HOW A POOR SCHOOLBOY FARES IN A RURAL TowN .............................................................. 77 BOX 6.4: TEACHING CONDITIONS IN A SHANTYTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL ..................................................... 79 Box 7.1: HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOR .0...................................................................... g Box 7.2: HEALTH CARE OPTIONS FOR THE POOR ...................................................................... 92 Box 8.1: FRUSTRATION AMONG SOCIAL WORKERS ...................................................................... 96 Box 8.2: GABON MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ...................................................................... 00 Box 9.1 WHAT THE POOR HOPE FOR ...................................................................... 102 Box 9.2: TEN PRINCIPLES FOR CREATING A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM FOR MICRO-BUSINESS LOANS ............ 108 Box 9.3: SOCIAL STATISTICS AND ECONOMIC POLICY CHOICES: THE EXAMPLE OF COTE D'IVOIRE ......... 120 MAP IBRD No. 28094 Ch. I - Le Gabon 1. GABON A. MAIN FEATURES 1.1 Gabon is a small country, with a surface area of 268,000 km2 and a population of just over one million that is growing at a rate of 2.5% per year. Three-quarters of its territory is covered by dense tropical forests that are largely uninhabited. The forested zone, of which two- thirds is either virgin growth or relatively intact, harbors more than 8,000 species of plants and 600 species of bird life, as well as one of Africa's largest populations of elephants. Gabon has abundant natural resources, including petroleum, manganese and uranium. 1.2 GDP per capita is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (in 1996, it was estimated at US$ 4,975 dollars). Yet its social indicators are on a par with, or lower than, those found in some of Africa's poorest countries. The UNDP's 1996 World Human Development Report places Gabon 46 positions lower in its ranking under the Human Development Index (120 out of 174 countries) than under the GDP-per-capita index (74 out of 174)'. 1.3 Gabon is one of the most urbanized countries of Africa (73% of its population lives in cities or towns). One direct consequence of rapid urbanization has been degradation of the enviromnent, accompanied by deteriorating hygiene and public health. Apart from the three major economic centers (Libreville, Port-Gentil, Franceville-Moanda), the other urban centers tend to resemble large villages, and are typified by lack of infrastructure (water, electricity, access roads), ineffective social services, and a way of life based on agriculture. 1.4 By contrast, the rural landscape is remarkably empty, and there are great distances between settlements (over nearly half the country, population density is less than 1.4 per square kilometer). This rural population has been declining; those who remain are mostly in the older age groups. Women account for the majority (52%) of rural dwellers, particularly among the 20 to 25 age group (58%). B. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS A Young and Growing Population 1.5 The population of Gabon has more than doubled over the last thirty years. According to the General Population Census (GPC) taken in 1993, Gabon has 1,014,976 inhabitants. Between 1960 and 1993, when the population was growing at an average annual rate of 2.5%, the country experienced both a vast rural exodus and heavy immigration flows, essentially from bordering The factors included in the Human Development index are: life expectancy, adult literacy, years of schooling and income. 1 Gabon - Poverty in a Rent-Based Economy countries and from France (Box 1.1). Drawn by the favorable labor market outlook in Gabon and the country's economic prosperity, immigrants now account for 15% of the population. Demographic growth was relatively weak at the beginning of this period, but accelerated over the last 10 to 20 years, thanks in part to a significant reduction in sterility. The definitive sterility index for women aged 45-54 fell from 32% in 1960 to 17% in 1993. Box 1.1: A Magnet for Immigration During the 1 970s, the goveniment encouraged immigration as a way to deal with the scarcity of manpower in certain sectors, particularlyin public works, mining and forestry. Although the rate of immigrationhas slowed since 1980, non- Gabonese people, generally from neighboringcountries of Central and West Africa, account for 22% of the residents of Libreville, 17% of Port-Gentil and 14% of Moanda. Residents of non-African origin, of whom 80% are French, represent3% ofthe total populationofthese thriee cities. Africanimmigrantsnow living in these centerstend to work in the informal sector. Before February 1995 the Govermmenthad launched a campaign to regularizethe status of illegal immigrants, or repatriatethemr (incurringtransportationcosts of as much a US$ 1,200 for each West African expelled). Thiscampaignhas nowbeen abandoned. 1.6 A youthfulpopulation. The population of Gabon is young: 41% of its people are under 15 years of age. An analysis of age and sex distribution from the census records for 1960, 1970 and 1993 highlights two phenomena: the incidence of sterility and the impact of immigration (Graph 1.1). * The Incidence of Sterility. The narrowing of the age pyramid for 1960 and 1970 in the 15- 25 years range may reflect sterility problems that have been apparent in this region of Africa for more than 30 years. Probably as the result of improvements in health conditions, the age pyramid for Gabonese nationals showed some recovery in fertility in 1970, and this becarne more pronounced in the years leading up to the 1993 census. This phenomenon, together with a decline in immigration, helped to smooth out the age pyramid in 1993. * The Impact of Immigration. As a result of the migration of entire families, the foreign- population pyramid shows2 a high proportion of women and children. The stream of immigration during the 1960s and 70s appears to have swelled the over-30 to 35 ranks of the total population, and to have broadened the base of the age pyramid, increasing the size of the younger age groups although there was during these decades a high rate of sterility among the female population. 2 For these pyramids, see Annex A, graph A. 1 2 Ch. I - Gabon Graph 1. 1: Population Structure by Age and Sex from Various Censuses 1960 1970 70&+ ',''l;'70& ''', 15.10~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~S6 6-4 04 +' ' l , 2t4 , , | E g | S ' ' 502540, l 10-14 1 l i | l . , tO-1 40 20o24 sco2400500 200 102O 100800 6004 40S0 o 0 7200 40 600 3002 MEN WOMEN ~MEN WOMEN Department, July1993.9 75&+ 70-7 1 'l4, 4L-49 :35L39 25-29 20-24 ' ' 15-19 10 14 ' | eooeo 400 200 200 400 600eo MEN WOMEN Source: "Main Results" of the General Population and Housing Census, Statistics and Economic Studies Deparment, July 1993. Rapid Urbanization 1.7 Gabon is unusual arnong the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa in that 73% of its population lives in urban areas. The urban population is very unevenly distributed: the two major cities, Libreville, the administrative capital (419,596 inhabitants) and Port Gentil, the country's economic and business capital (79,225 inhabitants), account for 49% of the total. 1.8 In Libreville as in Port-Gentil, only one in five Gabonese household heads is a native of the city; most have moved from the interior. In the capital, nearly one in five Gabonese household heads arrived there between 6 and 15 years of age (to attend school). In Port Gentil, the ratio is one in seven. Migration of professional people is higher there than in Libreville, thanks to the presence of the oil industry. In both cities, internal immigration is twice as important as foreign immigration. 3 Gabon - Poverty in a Rent-Based Economy Secondary Urban Centers Retain a Rural Lifestyle 1.9 The urban population as defined by the census is far from uniform. It embraces small towns, essentially provincial seats3, that function more like large rural villages than urban centers. These secondary cities serve as "stop-overs" en route to the major urban centers. Their population is drawn largely from the rural hinterland of their provinces. Most secondary towns have relatively few inhabitants (from 1,000 to 4,000) and support themselves for the most part in primary occupations4. As in the villages, the provincial seats often lack basic infrastructure and social services. 1.10 Secondary towns in Gabon include a high proportion of farming families who grow food for themselves: many inhabitants still depend for their nutritional needs on garden plots within the town limits. Apart from subsistence agriculture, the local economy has few industrial establishments and depends on the presence of government officials, small merchants and artisans (carpenters, masons, repairmen etc.), who earn the bulk of local purchasing power. Geographic Distribution 1.11 The country's population distribution is very uneven. The province of Estuaire in the northwest, which includes Libreville, holds 47% of the total. It is followed by the province of Haut Ogooue, which includes Franceville, and accounts for 10% of the total (104,301 inhabitants5). Gabon's population density is less than 5 p/Km2 for most provinces other than Estuaire (22.3 p/km2). Nyanga, Ogooue Ivindo, and Ogooue Lolo have fewer than 2 p/Km2 (Table 1.1). 3 Provincial seats are consideredto be cities, regardless of their population size or their infrastructureendowment. Seventy percent of the country's active population works in agriculture, while the rural population itself accounts for only 27% of the national total. Followed by Ogooue Maritime (Port Gentil) and Woleu N'tem with 97,913 and 97,271 respectively, and Ngounie with 77,781 inhabitants. The remaining provinces have fewer than 50,000 inhabitants each. The least populous province is Nyanga, with 39,430 inhabitants. 4 Ch. I - Gabon Table 1. 1: Demographic Characteristics by Province Province Population Density Overall Women/ Rural 1960 1993 1960 1993 Growth 60/93 100 men Pop. (%) Economic centers Estuaire 61,52 463,187 3.0 22.3 37 97 7.6 Haut-Ogooue 42,274 104,301 1.2 2.8 12.8 108 26.8 Ogooue Maritime 42,322 97,913 1.8 4.3 11.5 98 10.5 Others Moyen-Ogoour 34,193 42,316 1.8 2.3 6.3 105 54.5 Ngounie 79,01 77,781 2.1 2.1 5.2 114 51.8 Nyanga 37,503 39,43 1.8 1.9 5.6 116 44.7 Ogooue Ivindo 36,126 48,862 0.8 1.1 6.9 105 63.6 Ogooue Lolo 36,792 43,915 1.4 1.7 6.2 110 55.9 Woleu Ntem 78,124 97,271 2.0 2.5 6.5 108 63.9 TOTAL 448,564 1,014,976 1.7 3.8 11.4 102 26.9 Source: GPC 1993. Institutionalized population included. 1.12 The more rural provinces also have the fewest people. Five provinces may be classed as rural, since more than half their inhabitants live in rural areas. Vast areas are practically uninhabited, especially in the center of the country, and in the east and northeast. The rural population is only 27% of the country's total, but it is scattered among some 2,000 relatively small and widely spaced villages that have, on average, 135 inhabitants each, although nearly one-third of them have fewer than 50 people. Although they may be located along access roads or water courses, these villages in fact see few visitors and are for the most part cut off from the outside world. Due to the gradual shrinking of the rural population and the difficulties of clearing land in forested areas, the average size of farming plots fell from 1.5 hectares in 1960 to 1.1 ha per farmer in 1984. Rural Decline 1.13 A shrinking ruralpopulation. Over the past 30 years, the average rate of demographic growth in the provinces (0.5% in 1993) has been below the national average of 2.5%, except in the provinces with the strongest economies. The provinces of Estuaire (including Libreville), Haut-Ogooue (including Franceville-Moanda), and Ogooue Maritime (including Port Gentil) have seen higher growth, while the population of the remaining provinces has stagnated or even fallen (as in the case of Ngounie). Heavy migration to centers of economic activity is the chief cause for this drop in rural population. 5 Gabon - Poverty in a Rent-Based Economy Graph 1. 2: Rural and Urban Population Structure in 1993 Rural Population Urban population 70574 '<77@+4,4 SS9 , , | . , ' ' ', 5545 ''lS. 5.5 10-19 15-19~2~ * 10-54 50-54 4549 45-49 40 t4 '''''' , 40"t 1,;' 30-34 30A' l' 2 '34 25-29 ' ' m ' ' ' ' ' ' 25-29 ' ' 1 lE - 2iO24 ME WOE ME WOMENNm s4 , B 219 : T C Demographc1549 S o the R T aging ofI th l l a t 1isin p , a v 1014 14 _ l_'''5-5 '- S4 , = | i 0-4 ' ,-_ 80&70'i106Od40&