Gabon

Overview

A small population, and oil and mineral reserves, have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries. The country has generally been able to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity. Gabon has a reputation as a hidden gem among travelers who enjoy getting well and truly off the beaten path. Everything that Africa has to offer can be found right here, and without other tourists!

What is now Gabon has been inhabited for thousands of years, first by Pygmy hunter-gatherers and then starting perhaps as early as 1500 BC, various different Bantu tribes arrived in several waves. Portuguese explorers and traders were the first Europeans to arrive, in 1472. The nation's present name originates from "Gabão", Portuguese for "cloak", which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River close to the capital of Libreville. Soon, Europeans were trading for natural resources and slaves. In the 19th century, the French became ascendant in the area. The coast was colonized by the French in 1839, and the remainder of Gabon in 1885. Gabon gained independence on 17 August 1960.

Narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south. Highest point is Mont Iboundji at 1,575 metres. Gabon is crossed by the Ogooué , the country's longest river which is 1,200 kilometres long.

Sights and landscapes

Gabon's capital and main city, Libreville , has several interesting churches, including Cathédrale Sainte Marie, Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, and Church of St. Michael Nkembo. The National Museum of Gabon and National Museum of Arts and Traditions have intriguing collections of sculptures and other art.

Gabon is located on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa on the equator , between latitudes 3°N and 4°S , and longitudes 8° and 15°E . Gabon has an equatorial climate with a system of rainforests , with 89.3% of its land area forested.

There are coastal plains (ranging between 20 and 300 km [10 and 190 mi] from the ocean's shore), the mountains (the Crystal Mountains to the northeast of Libreville, the Chaillu Massif in the centre), and the savanna in the east. The coastal plains form a section of the World Wildlife Fund 's Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion and contain patches of Central African mangroves including on the Muni River estuary on the border with Equatorial Guinea .

Geologically, Gabon is primarily Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic basement rock , belonging to the stable continental crust of the Congo Craton . Some formations are more than 2 billion years old. Some rock units are overlain by marine carbonate, lacustrine and continental sedimentary rocks, and unconsolidated sediments and soils that formed in the last 2.5 million years of the Quaternary . The rifting apart of Pangaea created rift basins that filled with sediments and formed the hydrocarbons. There are Oklo reactor zones, a natural nuclear fission reactor which was active 2 billion years ago. The site was discovered during uranium mining in the 1970s to supply the French nuclear power industry.

More than 6,000 species of plants and 400 species of trees form the flora of Gabon. Gabon is densely forested, with more than 85% of the country covered by forest, much of it largely undisturbed. The deforestation rate in Gabon is low, although some forests face localized pressures due to urbanization.

Experiences

Chez Beti – a small seaside safari camp near the village of Nyonie owned and operated by a French ex-pat. Clean, air-conditioned cottages and all-inclusive family style meals accompany the evening Landcruiser and sunrise walking safaris. Wildlife sightings can include elephants, buffalo, monkeys, parrots, hornbills and other local fauna. The camp is located just a few km south of the equator, along a pristine stretch of beach. Prices are very reasonable and include roundtrip transportation from the marina in Libreville; consisting of an hour long boat transit to a small landing in the mangroves, followed by a 45 minute 4×4 trip along jungle roads to the camp. Contact information: tel. 07 57 14 23 or 06 03 36 36, e-mail: castorene7@live.fr

Culture and food

There are fantastic fruit juices available: "D'jino" Pampelmousse (grapefruit), Ananas (pineapple), Citron (Lemon) in 300 mL bottles at FCFA 400 and in a 1.5 L bottle at FCFA 900 if bought in a shop.

Some traditionalists in Gabon, known as "raconteurs", work to continue practices like the mvett among the Fangs and the Ingwala among the Nzebis. Masks, like the n'goltang masks of the Fang people and the reliquary figures of the Kota, are a central part of Gabonese culture . These masks are used in ceremonies marking significant life events such as marriage, birth, and funerals. They are crafted using local, often rare materials including wood.

Music in Gabon reflects the ethnolinguistic diversity and combines traditional, ritual, popular and urban forms. Musical life has historically been closely linked to storytelling, dance, healing, initiation societies and oral literature. Among the best-known traditional forms is the Fang mvet , which refers both to a stringed harp-zither and to an epic genre of sung and spoken narration performed with the instrument. Ritual music associated with bwiti and bwete religious traditions has also played a major cultural role, especially through chant, responsorial singing and harp performance.

Planning your route

Air Service has scheduled flights to Oyem, Makouko and Franceville/Mvengue. Air Nationale flies to Franceville/Mvengue. There are flights to Franceville/Mvengue every day of the week except Tuesdays and Thursdays. Africa's Connection has daily scheduled flights between Libreville and Port Gentil, weekly flights from Port-Gentil/Libreville to São Tomé & Príncipe and to Loango National Park.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors) and Wikipedia article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.