Gabon

__NOTOC__
==History==
===Pre-war===
Modern Gabon was once the site of the Orungu Kingdom, which became a prominent center of slave trade with the Dutch, English and French. In 1853, the kingdom agreed to abandon the slave trade, only to attempt to continue in in secret further up along the coast. Official loss of the slave trade as a form of revenue caused the kingdom to decline. In 1873, a treaty was signed granting the French an outpost on Orungu territory. In 1883, this became a protectorate, and in 1910 Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, with the remnants of the Orungu Kingdom incorporated into the colony in 1927.
Following France's occupation by Germany during WWII, the French government-in-exile called upon France's foreign territories to rally against the Vichy France regime. Of the French Equatorial African colonies, only Gabon refused to join the cause due to substantial opposition from Libreville's French population and Catholic bishop.This resulted in an invasion of Gabon in 1940 by Free French forces with reluctant support from the British Royal Navy. After a brief battle between Free France and Vichy France forces, Gabon was taken by the Free French, granting them a sizable amount of territory in French Equatorial Africa to conduct the war from.
In 1960, Gabon became an independent country. Although initial democratic rule appeared cordial, problems began to arise when it was determined that Gabon lacked a large enough population to warrant a two-party system. Attempts to merge the two main political parties in the country resulted in a bloodless coup by the Gabonese military in 1964, ending a day later when French troops restored the previous government. In 1968, Gabon officially became a one-party state under the new Gabonese Democratic Party. Economic and political discontent in 1990 saw the reversion of the country to a multi-party democracy. Various elections over the years failed to see any major shifts in government control, with the same president leading the country since 1967. This president's son was elected to replace him after his death in 2009, and ran the country until the Vannai invasion in 2014. This election was received with violent reactions from opposition supporters.
===Human-Vannai War===
Although the Vannai Puppets exhibited little interest in Africa overall, significant reliance on oil exports and the subsequent collapse of global shipping also resulted in an economic crash in Gabon. Conspirators in the Gabonese military, after already being mobilized to keep order in the country, used this as the opportunity to depose the president. The coup was short lived due to the intervention of the local French army garrison, which pressured the Gabonese military to keep their government democratic despite the global circumstances. The military agreed on the terms that the previous president would not be allowed as a candidate, and that the French would oversee the election directly to ensure fairness. Elections were repeatedly delayed, however, until the 300-man unit from Chad arrived in 2016, and the elections were finally held under supervision of the French marine battalion.
===Post-war===
The end of the Intervention War in Europe and the formation of the European Federation began to generate discussions among the exiled Europeans on the future of their people. The approximately 10,000 native French living in Gabon at the time, although a tiny percentage of the total population of Gabon, now represented one of the largest French populations outside of the control of the European Federation. Some among the French military detachment advocated taking control of the Gabonese government directly. This suggestion was quickly dismissed by the marines’ commander, Colonel Clément Marchand, under the belief that the response to losing their home country was not to conquer another. Colonel Marchand was also reluctant to run the risk of making an enemy of the Gabonese. However, the sentiment remains that the French currently occupy a position within Gabon of a nation within a nation. Gabon has also come to host a number of HEC holdings, originally Kantoku Corporation. Kantoku Corp first infiltrated Gabon in 2017, but set down roots officially in 2018 with the creation of its subsidiary Kantoku Ironworks. The introduction of ore mining, extraction and refining provided much needed economic stability and industry. Modern Heisei Extraction Corp now holds considerable clout with the Gabonese government as a result. 
===Government===
Gabon has historically struggled with democracy, remaining largely stable throughout its history since its independence but being democratic in name only, with past presidents holding power for decades with almost complete authority. Despite the change in leadership during the Human-Vannai War, the government is still subject to the pressures of its French expat population and lobbying from Heisei Extraction Corp, leading some to question just how much sovereignty the Gabonian government actually has. 
==Policy==
===Economy===
Historically, Gabon's economy has relied heavily on oil and manganese ore exports. The country also possessed significant deposits of uranium. The 2014 invasion's interruption of global trade caused severe economic turbulence for Gabon, necessitating martial law be imposed. Gabon also relied on imports primarily from France and China in the form of poultry, medicine and automobiles. The country still has not recovered from the loss of oil trade and the standard of living remains very low. Heisei Extraction Company has become central to the survival of the Gabonese economy in the post-war world, with many Gabonese employed as menial laborers under the company.
===Military===
Gabon has a small professional military of about 5,000 personnel divided between an army, navy, air force, gendarmerie and police force. Of the Gendarmerie, the 2500-strong Republican Guard is the best-trained and best-equipped. The Guard was responsible for the coup in 2014 and maintaining order in Gabon throughout the war. Aside from this, Gabon also hosts the exiled French forces of Africa. After the failed coup in Chad, 300 French soldiers crossed through Puppet-held territory in central Africa to reconvene with 500 French marines from the 6e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine previously stationed at Camp de Gaulle in Libreville, as well as 50 soldiers from the Spanish Air Force’s MAMBA detachment there. These European soldiers, exiled from their homes, have been forced to take up residence among the Gabonese instead, and provide training, instruction and oversight to the local armed forces. A significant number of French soldiers also provide their services to Heisei Extraction Corp as armed security.
===Diplomacy===
Gabon is not aligned with any other African nation.
Category:PACYOA: TE
Category:TE Nations
Category:Gabon
Category:France
Category:Africa
Category:Heisei Extraction Corporation