Location: Gabon is a country in West Africa bordered by Republic of Congo to the east and south, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It lies astride the equator and has a tropical climate.
Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower. One of the Africa’s wealthier countries because of its small population and oil and mineral deposits.
Agricultural products include sugar, rubber, coffee, cocoa
Population: One of the least populated countries in Africa.
Gabon has mainly Bantu tribes. The main tribal groups include the Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bakota, Bapounou, Nzebi, and Obamba.
Languages: French is the official language and Fang is the main local language, other local languages include Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi.
History: Gabon gained its independence from France on the 17th of August, 1970. Since its independence it has only had two presidents. The current president, President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba, is one of the world’s longest serving presidents.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Gabon.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL of this page.
Sources:
Encyclopedia of Nations
2009 Gabon-Location, Size, and Extent. Electronic document, http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Gabon-LOCATION-SIZE-AND-EXTENT.html, accessed April, 2009.
TravelBlog
2009 Gabon. Electronic document, http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Gabon/, accessed April, 2009.
U.S. Deparmtent of State
2009 Background Nota: Gabon. Electronic document, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2826.htm, accessed April, 2009.
Written by: Esther Nalubwama, 2009