Gabon lies across the Equator on the west coast of Central Africa. In the west, a belt of hot, humid rainforest stretches all the way to the Atlantic coast. Lining the shore are mangrove forests, river estuaries and lagoons. Their warm waters are feeding grounds for hippopotamus, crocodiles and manatees. Inland, forested hills and mountains rise in the centre of the country, with savanna plains plains to the east. Gabon has a hot, tropical climate: although it is wet all year round, an especially rainy season falls between September and May.

People

Most Gabonese are Bantu, whose ancestors first arrived in the region 700 years ago. Today the largest groups are the Fang and the Nzebi. Gabon’s different peoples live side-by-side all over the country. Although they speak several different languages, including Fang and Nzebi, most people can also speak some French, the country’s official language. The Gabonese government has used the wealth from oil to build new schools, and Gabonese people have better access to healthcare and education than in neighbouring countries.

Oil and tourism

Oil is very important to Gabon’s economy. Substantial reserves were discovered offshore in the 1970s, making the country wealthier than many of its neighbours. Today, these oil reserves are decreasing, although oil still accounts for more than 80% of the country's export revenues. To try and reduce its dependency on oil, Gabon is developing other industries, such as eco-tourism (sustainable “green” tourism). The government created 13 new national parks in 2002, covering 10% of the country's total area, to protect its wildlife and attract visitors.

Farming

Most Gabonese, especially those in the countryside, are still quite poor. Many work as farmers, growing cassava and corn for their families or cocoa and sugar cane for export. Some of Gabon's rainforest is now being cleared to make way for palm oil plantations. Along the coast, fishermen catch tuna and sardines; some of the catch is taken to the cities to be sold or canned.

Facts about Gabon

Population 2,437,000 (2023 estimate)

Area 257,667 sq km

Highest point Mont Bengoué 1070 m (3510 ft)

Capital Libreville, metro area pop. 857,000

Other major cities Port-Gentil (Mandji) pop. 109,000

Languages French, Fang, other Bantu languages inc. Myene and Nzebi

Religions Christian 75%, animist and others 25%

Ethnicity Bantu African (inc. Fang, Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), small numbers of French

Currency Central African CFA franc

Chief exports crude oil, timber, manganese (a metal used in the production of steel, magnets and glass), uranium