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Introduction
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic (in French, Gabon, République gabonaise) is a country on the west coast of the Africa central, just below the equator. Borders with Equatorial Guinea Y Cameroon to the north and with the Republic of Congo to the south and west. Little inhabited, it is one of the most developed countries on the continent. Much of its vegetation remains unspoiled and contains several unique ecosystems that have been declared a World Heritage Site.
Understand
History
What is now Gabon has been inhabited for thousands of years, first by Pygmy hunter-gatherers and then beginning perhaps as early as 1500 BC, various Bantu tribes arrived in various waves. Portuguese explorers and traders were the first Europeans to arrive, in 1472. The current name of the nation comes from "Gabão", which in Portuguese means "mantle", which is roughly the shape of the Komo river estuary near the capital of Libreville. Soon, Europeans traded for natural resources and slaves. In the 19th century, the French became dominant in the area. The coast was colonized by the French in 1839 and the rest of Gabon in 1885. Gabon gained independence on August 17, 1960.
Since independence, Gabon has been one of the most stable African countries. Autocratic President Omar Bongo was in power from 1967 until his death in 2009. Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reforms of government institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have made Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite being made up of more than 40 ethnic groups, Gabon has escaped the struggle that afflicts other West African states.
Weather
Tropical; always hot, humid. During the months of June to September, the weather is a bit cooler (20-25 ° C).
Ground
Narrow coastal plain; mountainous interior; savanna in the east and south. The highest point is the mount Iboundji at 1,575 meters. Gabon is crossed by the Ogooué, the longest river in the country with 1,200 kilometers in length.
Major holidays
- Independence Day: August 17, 1960 (from France)
- National holiday: Foundation of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), March 12 (1968)
Regions
Coastal plain (Libreville, Gamba, Loango National Park, Mayumba, Tchibanga)
| flat river plains and lagoons with dense rainforest on the Atlantic coast, as well as the capital city and most of the population |
Central highlands
| the Crystal Mountains and the Chaillou massif with large tracts of highland rainforest |
Jungle Interior (Franceville)
| the eastern region that mainly borders the Republic of the Congo; more rainforest. |
To get
Visa
Citizens of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia can enter without a visa. Citizens of the European Union, Australia, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong and Macao), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, The United States and the United Arab Emirates can obtain a visa on arrival for 90 days. All holders of an entry authorization issued by Immigration prior to arrival can also obtain a visa on arrival. The electronic visa system can be used by citizens of any country that requires a visa to visit Gabon. The visa is issued 72 hours after application and is valid only for those arriving through the Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville. The fee for a visa to enter the country is usually € 70.
By plane
Air France flies to the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, other airlines fly mainly to destinations in the interior of Africa.
Air France flies from Paris to Libreville, Royal Air Maroc flies from Europe via Casablanca. Turkish Airlines flies from North America, Europe and Asia via Istanbul, RwandAir flies from Europe, West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa via Kigali, Ethiopian Airlines flies from North America, Europe, East Africa, Southern Africa to through Addis Ababa. There are also flights to Brazzaville, Congo with RwandAir.
- Libreville International Airport (LBVIATA).
By car
There are several border crossings, although the roads are not good and a 4x4 is recommended.
Travel
The easiest way to get around outside the cities is by bus (usually 6 or 9-seater cars, but sometimes minibuses). There are many and they are very cheap (eg FCFA 7000 to go from Libreville to Lamberene). Within cities, taxis are plentiful and very cheap. No fee must exceed FCFA 5000 for one person. Rates depend on distance (and whether the driver will be able to find more rates at their destination). A 2-3 minute ride will cost FCFA 100, and 2000 FCFA is enough to get from the Owendo train station to downtown Libreville. Taxi prices usually double after 21:00.
By plane
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 Tuesday and Thursday. Africa's Connection has daily scheduled flights between Libreville and Port Gentil, weekly flights from Port-Gentil / Libreville to São Tomé and Príncipe and Loango National Park.
By car
There are some paved roads in Gabon, if you are staying in one of the major cities a car should suffice. If you plan to venture onto some of the unpaved roads outside of the major cities, a 4x4 is required. There are less than 800 km of paved roads in Gabon, some of them in poor condition. During the rainy season it is difficult to travel outside the main areas of the city, even in a 4x4 vehicle.
By train
The Trans-Gabon railway runs from Owendo to Franceville. The journey takes between 12 and 18 hours and is often delayed. Train times change according to the season. The current schedule (Basse 2014 to March 2015) has trains going both ways on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. There are two trains in use: the Omnibus and the Express. Both take a similar time, but the Express stops at less small stations. The air conditioning is present in VIP, 1st and 2nd in the Express, and only VIP and 1st in the bus.
By bus
A few wealthy Gabonese entrepreneurs have invested in new buses for bus lines serving large inland cities. Most of these buses serve cities with paved roads leading to and from them. Since the closure of Air Gabon, these bus lines have significantly increased their routes.
Boat
Boat trip is available along the Gabon coast and tens of miles down the Ogooue River to Lambarene. Boats leave daily to / from Libreville and Port Gentil. River trips from the mouth of the great river at Port Gentil to Lambarene (Albert Schweitzer Hospital) are available every few days. Hotel Olako organizes weekly boat transfers between Port Gentil and Omboué (near Loango National Park), transfers take between 3 and 4 and a half hours (depending on the type of boat and motor).
To buy
| CFA Franc Exchange Rates As of January 2020:
Exchange rates fluctuate. Current rates for these and other currencies are available on XE.com |
Money
The country's currency is Frank CFA of Central Africa , called FCFA (ISO currency code: XAF). It is also used by five other Central African countries. It is interchangeable on a par with the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is used in six countries. Both currencies are fixed at an exchange rate of 1 euro = 655,957 CFA francs.
ATMs
All ATMs in Ecobank in Gabon they accept Mastercard and Visa to withdraw cash.
Eat and drink
To eat
The Balbool restaurant serves delicious western food at very affordable prices. Order the great Balbool soup.
To drink
The cheapest local beer is Regab, it costs FCFA 500-2000 and comes in a 650ml bottle.
There are fantastic fruit juices available: "D'jino" Pampelmousse (grapefruit), Ananas (pineapple), Citron (Lemon) in 300 ml bottles at 400 FCFA and in a 1.5 L bottle at 900 FCFA if purchased in a store.
external links
Wikipedia has an article on Gabon.w: Gabon
Wikimedia Commons houses multimedia content about Gabon. Commons
