Gabon

I

Introduction

Gabon, officially Gabonese Republic (in French, République Gabonaise), independent nation in central Africa, located astride the Equator, and bounded on the north-west by Equatorial Guinea, on the north by Cameroon, on the east and south by the Republic of Congo, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. A former French colony, Gabon achieved independence on August 17, 1960. The area of Gabon is 267,667 sq km (103,347 sq mi). The capital of the country is Libreville.

II

Land and Resources

A belt of generally narrow coastal lowlands borders the Atlantic Ocean on the west. To the interior is the plateau zone, which extends over the entire northern and eastern sections of Gabon and part of the south. The Crystal Mountains in the north are about 914 m (3,000 ft) high. The central Chaillu Mountains contain Mount Iboundji (1,575 m/5,167 ft), the highest summit in the country. This escarpment is crossed by numerous rivers, notably the Ogooué, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Virtually the entire country is contained in the basin of the Ogooué, which is navigable to Ndjolé. More than 80 per cent of Gabon is covered by dense equatorial rainforest, areas of which are under threat by deforestation.

A

Climate

Gabon has a hot and humid climate. The temperature varies only slightly throughout the year. The average daily temperature is 26.7° C (80° F). There is a long dry season from May to September and a short dry season from December to January, while the rainy seasons are from February to April and from October to November. At Libreville the average annual rainfall is 2,515 mm (99 in).

B

Natural Resources

Gabon is rich in mineral resources. The country has deposits of uranium at Mounana in the south-east, manganese at nearby Moanda, and offshore oil and gas, all of which are being exploited. Large deposits of iron ore, considered among the richest in the world, have been found at Mékambo, near Bélinga in the north-east. Gold, lead, silver, zinc, and phosphates have also been discovered. Gabon also has valuable forest resources, mainly in its stands of okoumé, mahogany, kevazingo, walnut, and ebony.