Industry: petroleum extraction and refining, manganese and gold mining, chemicals.

Agriculture: cacao, coffee, sugar, palm oil; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish.

Exports: crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium.

Capital: Libreville

Population: 1,327,000

Per capita Income: One of the highest in Africa

Life Expectancy: 59

• More than three quarters of the country is forested.
• The timber industry is one of the reasons the country has one of Africa's highest per capita income.
• The World Wildlife Fund assists in managing two tropical reserves and are earmarking other areas for protection.
• Exports of oil and magnesium are another reason for the countries higher per capita income.