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___ Gabon

Lope National Park, one of Gabon's 13 game reserves and national parks.
Image: Minilza73

Flag of Gabon

Location map of Gabon

Gabon, a country at the Equator in West-Central Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean in west is bordered by Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo.

With an area of 267,668 km², the country is somewhat larger than the United Kingdom, or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Colorado.

Gabon has a population of estimated 1.5 million people. Capital and largest city is Libreville. Spoken languages are French (official) and a variety of Bantu languages.

Because of its oil and mineral reserves and a relatively small population, Gabon is one of Africa's wealthier nations, which is able to protect and preserve its pristine rain forests with a rich biodiversity.

More than 10% of Gabon's area is protected parkland, there are 13 National Parks in the country, among them the forested coastal terrain of the Loango National Park, 'Africa's Last Eden' shelters a diversity of wildlife from gorillas and hippos to whales. Lopé National Park consists of mostly rainforest, but in in the north the park contains the last remnants of grass savannas. Akanda Park is known for its mangroves and tidal beaches. Highest mountain in Gabon is Mont Iboundji with 1,575 m.

Gabonese Republic | République Gabonaise

Country Profile

Background:
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence from France in 1960. Gabon's former President, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world - had dominated Gabon's political scene for four decades (1967-2009).

Following President BONGO's death in 2009, new elections brought Ali BONGO Ondimba, son of the former president, to power.

related countries: France

Official Name:
République Gabonaise
short form: Gabon
int'l long form: Gabonese Republic

ISO Country Code: ga

Time:
Local Time = UTC +1h
Actual Time: Thu-Oct-3 06:34

Country Calling Code: +241

Capital City: Libreville (pop. 700,000)

Other Cities: Port-Gentil (136,000), Masuku-Franceville (110,000), Lambaréné (25,000), Mouila, Tchibanga, Makokou, Koulamoutou, Port-Gentil, Oyem.

Government:
Type: Republic; multiparty presidential regime.
Independence: 17 August 1960 (from France).

Geography:
Location: Western central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea
Area: 267,667 km² (103,347 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Narrow coastal plain; hilly and heavily forested interior (about 80% forested); some savanna regions in east and south.

Climate: Hot and humid with two rainy (February - May main rainy season)
and two dry seasons (May - September main dry season).

People:
Nationality: Gabonese
Population: 1.5 million (2010 UN estimate)
Ethnic groups: Over 40 ethnic groups: Fang (34%), Bapounou (22%), M'Bete (14%), Bandjabi (11%), Bakota (6%), and Myene (5%).
Religions: Christianity, Muslim, animist.
Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi.

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower.

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

Industries: Petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining; chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile.

Exports - commodities: crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium

Exports partners: China 15.5%, Italy 7.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 7.2%, Australia 7%, Spain 6.3%, South Korea 5.4%, Netherlands 5%, US 4.7% (2015)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports partners: China 21.4%, France 19.6%, US 6.6%, Benin 4.7%, Netherlands 4% (2015)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine Francs CFA (XAF)

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Gabon

Gabon
The official site of the Republic of Gabon.

Sénat de la République Gabonaise
Official website of the senate.

Assemblée Nationale du Gabon
Official website of the National Assembly (in French).

Diplomatic Missions
Ambassade de France au Gabon
The French Embassy at Gabon.

Weather
Météo Gabon - Direction de la Météorologie Nationale
Weather in Gabon (in French)

Maps

Map of Gabon
Political map of Gabon.

Administrative Map of Gabon
Map of Gabon showing the country's administrative regions.

Google Earth Gabon
Searchable map and satellite view of Gabon.

Google Earth Libreville
Searchable map and satellite view of Gabon's capital city.

Political Map of Africa
The 54 countries of Africa.

Map of Africa
A Relief Map of Africa.


News Africa No1 Radio Africaine, a pan-African broadcaster based in Gabon (in French). XXGabon Flash Gabon related website with news from the country (in French) International Press IRIN News Gabon related news by the UN news agency.	Bookmark/share this page


Arts & Culture Native Baka Pygmies A people of hunters and gatherers, Baka Pygmies live in the rain forest of Cameroon, Gabon and Congo.

Business & Economy

Gabon is ranked as an upper-middle-income country. As the fifth largest oil producer in Africa, Gabon has experienced strong economic growth over the past decade, driven in particular by its oil and manganese production.

XXBanque Centrale des Etats d'Afrique Centrale - BEAC
Central Bank of Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Banque Gabonaise de Développement
Gabonese Bank of Development at Libreville.

IZF.net, le portail de la Zone Franc CFA
Information about business and investment in the Western African countries within the monetary system of the Franc Zone - CFA. (in French)

Travel and Tour Consumer Information

Destination Gabon - Travel and Tour Guides

Discover Gabon: Estuaire, Haut-Ogooué, Moyen-Ogooué, Ngounié, Nyanga, Ogooué-Ivindo, Ogooué-Lolo, Ogooué-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem.

Le Gabon.org
Gabon information and promotion site.
XXGabontour (Flash version)
Official website of Gabon Tourism with all the travel and tourism information (in French and English)

XXGabon National Parks
About the National Parks of Akanda, Monts Birougou, Ivindo, Loango, Mayumba, Monts de Cristal and more.

XXSociété d'Exploitation du Parc de la Lékédi
Information on the Park of Lékédi near Bakoumba, a small provincial town of Haut-Ogooué province in the south-east of Gabon.

XXCoopGabon.net
Gabonese community website for the exchange of ideas for citizens, friends and travellers of Gabon.

Tour Operator
Operation Loango
Located in the Petit Loango National Park in Gabon.


Education Omar Bongo University An autonomous state institution and the national university, Libreville (no website). XXINHEA: Gabon Higher Education Profile Profile of higher education practice in Gabon by International Network for Higher Education in Africa.

Environment & Nature

XXECOFAC, Conservation et utilisation rationnelle des Ecosystèmes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale
Conservation and development of the Forest Ecosystems of Central Africa, the European Union's commitment to a sustainable exploitation of natural resources.

XXGabon National Parks
Gabon National Parks - 10% of the Gabon's area is set aside for gorillas, elephants and chimps.
XXHelp Protect Gabon's Langoué Bai
Page with information about Langoué Bai, one of the five most important forest clearings in Africa.
Wildlife Conservation Society
Information about field work of the society in Gabon.


History Histoire du Gabon Time line of Gabonese history (in French) History of Gabon Gabon's history; Wikipedia encyclopedia entry.


Additional Information on Gabon afrika.no - the Index on Africa - Gabon Africa South of the Sahara: Gabon Stanford University. BBC News Country Profile: Gabon Mbendi Profile: Gabon Including economic overviews and directories of companies. Open Directory Project: Gabon Wikipedia: Gabon The World Factbook -- Gabon

Other Countries of Central Africa
Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Dem. Rep. (Kinshasa)
Congo, Rep. (Brazzaville), Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe

Other Countries of Eastern Africa
Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique
Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

___ Gabon

Gabonese Republic | République Gabonaise

Country Profile

Official Sites of Gabon

Maps

News

Arts & Culture

Business & Economy

Destination Gabon - Travel and Tour Guides

Education

Environment & Nature

History

Additional Information on Gabon