The small nation of Gabon in western Africa is one of the richest countries on the continent. Income from the country's large oil deposits allows most of its people to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. For many decades Gabon was a colony of France, and it remains strongly attached to France and its culture. The capital of Gabon is Libreville. GeographyGabon lies across the equator on Africa's west coast. It is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the south and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It covers an area of 103,347 square miles (267,668 square kilometers). The coastal area of Gabon is a low-lying plain. Away from the coast the land rises to a series of plateaus and mountains. In south-central Gabon stands the Chaillu Massif, an extensive mountain chain that features Mounts Iboundji and Milondo. The largest river, the Ogooué, flows through the center of the country. The weather in Gabon is hot and humid year-round. Much of Gabon is covered by dense rain forests inhabited by antelope, monkeys, gorillas, tropical birds, and elephants. People and culture - Lambaréné on the Ogooué River, Gabon.
The population of Gabon includes more than 40 different ethnic groups. The largest of these groups is the Fang. These people are known for the beautiful wooden masks they carve. Gabon's rain forests are home to small groups of Pygmies, who are the country's original inhabitants. The people of Gabon speak many different Bantu languages, but French is the official language. The majority of the population is Christian, though many people follow traditional African religions. About half of the population lives in cities. The largest city is Libreville, the capital. Like most of tropical Africa, Gabon is plagued by poor health conditions. The disease AIDS became a serious problem for the country in the 1990s. The city of Lambaréné in western Gabon is famous for a hospital established there by Albert Schweitzer, a famous medical missionary of the 20th century. EconomyGabon is rich in natural resources. The country's largest source of income is oil, which accounted for about three fourths of its exports in the late 1990s. Gabon also produces large amounts of manganese and uranium. Until the mining industry developed in the early 1970s, wood products from the rain forests were the country's main product. Forestry remains an important industry. Agriculture employs about 40 percent of Gabon's labor force. Most of the farmers grow enough only to feed themselves and their families. The main food crop is cassava. Gabon has to import much food. HistoryA small population of Bantu-speaking peoples lived in Gabon when Portuguese explorers arrived in 1472. The Portuguese and other Europeans used the coast for the slave trade. France ended the slave trade there and established Libreville (meaning “free town”) in 1849 as a settlement for freed slaves. In 1886 Gabon became a French colony. It achieved independence in 1960 but kept close ties with France. Gabon's leading political figure in the decades following independence was President Omar Bongo. After taking power in 1967, Bongo established a single-party political system. The economy grew steadily under his leadership. By 1990, however, the people wanted a change in government. Protests that year forced Bongo to lift the ban on other political parties. Bongo was reelected in Gabon's first multiparty presidential election in 1993. He was reelected again in 1998. Population (2001 estimate), 1,221,000. |