Flag of Gabon
République gabonaise
- Gabonese Republic (English)
- Capital » Libreville
- Also the largest city in Gabon.
- A port city of some 700,000 people, home to one third of the country’s population.
- Date and Time
- Weather
Facts
- Population » 2.2 million
- Languages » French (official), Bantu-group languages
- Religion » Christianity
- Life expectancy » 62 years (men), 64 years (women)
- Currency » Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) franc (xe)
- Country Calling Code » +241
- Internet TLD » .ga
Location of Gambia in Africa (Source » Wikimedia)
Geography
- Area » 267,667 sq km (103,347 sq miles)
- Located on the west coast of Central Africa.
- 3 distinct regions « Narrow coastal plain. Hilly and heavily forested interior. Savanna in the east.
- Located on the equator.
- Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the Gulf of Guinea to the west.
Map of Gabon (Source » Wikimedia)
Maps
Regions
- Coastal Plain » (Libreville, Port-Gentil, Gamba, Loango National Park, Mayumba, Tchibanga)
flat riverplains and lagoons with dense rainforest on the Atlantic coast as well the capital city and majority of the population - Central Highlands » (Alembe, the Cristal Mountains and Chaillou Massif with huge tracts of highland rainforest
- Jungle Interior » (Franceville, Makokou, Oyem) the eastern region mostly bordering Republic of the Congo; rainforest.
Tourism
- Léon-Mba International Airport
- Libreville, Gabon
- It is the main international airport in the country
Visas
- Canadians require a tourist visa
- British passport holders visiting Gabon for less than 30 days do not require a visa to enter the country. Those staying for longer than 30 days must apply for a visa before travelling (2023)
Notes
- A small population, rich in natural reserves, have helped Gabon become one of Africa’s wealthier countries.
- The country has been able to maintain and conserve its pristine rainforest and rich biodiversity.
- More than 10% of Gabon is protected parkland.
- There are 13 National Parks
- Rich in natural resources » Petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, uranium, gold, hydropower.
Overland
- Drive » Right side
- Road conditions and road safety can vary greatly throughout the country.
- Outside urban areas, road conditions are poor and there are very few road signs. Insufficient lighting and overloaded vehicles also pose hazards
- Reference » Wikipedia
Adventures
- Gabon has 13 National Parks
- Lopé National Park (Wikipedia / Google Maps)
- Bordered by the Ogooué River to the north and the Chaillu Massif to the south, the park takes up roughly 4912 square kilometers.
- Consists of mostly rainforest
- Dan Grec was quoted US$500/day entrance fee (Aug 2017)
- Lopé National Park and surrounding Lopé-Okanda region were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List due to its biodiversity, unique savanna-forest transitional zone, and the spectacular petroglyphs.
- Loango National Park ( Wikipedia / Wikivoyage / Google Maps)
- After South Africa, the world’s largest concentration and variety of whales and dolphins can be found right off the Loango coast.
- Akanda National Park » known for its mangroves and tidal beaches
Climate
- Gabon is hot and humid year round
- Gabon can be best visited from June through September when it’s the dry(er) season
- The second best time to visit is from late-January through December
- June to August is generally slightly cooler, while March and April are the hottest.
- The rainy seasons is from October through December and late February through May.
- More details » Weather and Climate
Safety and Security
- August 30, 2023 » Following elections on Saturday 26 August 2023, there have been reports of a military takeover in Gabon. (YMMV)
- “The coup is the eighth in West and Central Africa in the past three years. The region is already grappling with recent coups in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali, where military leaders have exploited the growing discontent of people in impoverished countries with a rising death toll from Islamist insurgencies,” reports the Globe and Mail.
- There is a deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in » Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, and now Gabon.
- Prior to the coup d’état, Gabon was ranked 93rd out of 163 countries on the Global Peace Index (GPI).
- Ranked 18th out of 44 African countries.
- (Global Peace Index (GPI) downloadable .pdf report, 2023)
Health
- Yellow Fever vaccine required (CDC Yellow Book)
- CDC » Traveller’s health
Security Map of Gabon (Source » France)
Government Travel Advice
Posts
- Your Mileage May Vary
- Dan Grec in Gabon (July, Aug 2017) » Into Gabon, The Equator, Gabon, To Lopé National Park, Lopé National Park Gorillas, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, To Loango National Park, Loango Lodge and National Park, Out of Loango, Glorious Gabon, Gabon Highlands, Central Gabon
Media
Resources
This page was updated August 30, 2023