Not all African countries are poor. There are also those who have a more or less established economy and social sphere. An example of such a prosperous (in comparison with others) state is Gabon. Information about the country (geography, weather, history, tourist sites) will help you make up your mind about it, and possibly plans for your next vacation.
History
Unfortunately, there are no reliable written sources telling about what happened on the territory of this state before the 15th century. Thanks to rock paintings, it is only known that the country was inhabited mainly by pygmy tribes long before our era. But at the end of the 15th century, Gabon became one of the colonies of Portugal. For the next four hundred years, the slave trade flourished there, and the population was used as a living commodity. After the abolition of slavery, the country came under the patronage of France, first as part of the French Congo, and then French Equatorial Africa. And Gabon received full independence in1960, after which the country began to develop independently, and quite successfully. The form of government is a presidential republic. Interestingly, in 2011-2012, Gabon was even a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Back in the middle of the 18th century, Libreville was founded, which means "City of Freedom". It is still the capital of the state and one of the largest settlements in Gabon. An international airport and seaport have been built there.
Where is Gabon?
As for the geographical location, it provides all the makings for the development of the tourism industry: the equator crossing the country, the coastline with a length of almost 900 km, the presence of large rivers in the continental part.
Gabon is a country that is hidden in a secluded corner of Central Africa. It is adjacent to three states: in the north - with Cameroon, in the northwest - with Equatorial Guinea, and in the east and southeast - with the Congo. The western border is the Atlantic Ocean.
Climate and natural conditions
Although the country's territory is relatively small, two climatic zones border there - equatorial and subequatorial. The proximity of the ocean coast affects the high humidity in low-lying areas and promotes the flourishing of mangrove vegetation and tropical forests. The average temperature in the year is 27°C, but in general it ranges from 22°C to 32°C, that is, there is no autumn or winter in our understanding. But the year can be conditionally divided into fourseasons: two dry and two rainy, which alternate with each other. There is a lot of precipitation there: from 1800 mm to 4000 mm, depending on the part of the country. The most comfortable time for tourist trips to Gabon is from May to September. This is a dry period when there is almost no rainfall.
Gabon is a country of rivers and bays. Therefore, there is an abundance of animals and plants that love to live near water bodies. For example, there are many monkeys, leopards, elephants, hyenas, buffaloes.
Mangroves flourish in coastal areas. In general, about 85% of the country's territory is occupied by tropical rainforests. There are even savannas in the mainland of the country, and mountains in the north and south. In a word, Gabon is a country rich in various landscapes, as well as unique flora and fauna.
Population
The country has over 1.6 million inhabitants. They prefer to settle closer to the coast, for example, in the capital Libreville and other large cities (Port-Gentil, Franceville). Pygmies live in the continental part of the country. These are tubal tribes, distinguished by the fact that all adults reach an average height of only 130 cm. They live a simple life, like their ancestors thousands of years ago: they hunt, gather berries and herbs, communicate with wildlife and prefer to wear only loincloths..
As for religion, the majority of Gabonese are Catholics (the centuries-old colonization by European countries affected). There are Protestants and Muslims, but they are few. Butalong with official religions, the cult of ancestors is extremely widespread here.
The state language of Gabon is French, but people communicate in local dialects, since 98% of Gabonese belong to the ethnic group Niger-Congo.
Economy
The country is rich in minerals such as iron ore, manganese, uranium, gold, oil. Gabon maintains trade relations with France, the USA and China. The production of food products (coffee, sugar, cocoa) is also developed. Most of the government's income came from the export of timber and manganese. But in the 70s of the last century, oil deposits were found, which provoked a slight economic recovery in the Republic of Gabon.
Information about the country, in particular about the well-being of its inhabitants, is such that now the average per capita income in Gabon is 4 times higher than the same indicators of most other African countries. But due to the uneven distribution of funds, 30% of the inhabitants are still quite poor, and the main capital is concentrated in the hands of influential people. Although due to the fact that a third of the population lives in large developed cities, and not in the outback, the Gabonese have access to the basic benefits of modern civilization.
Tourism
This industry also brings considerable income to the treasury. Although the country has not yet developed infrastructure, for example, there are no five-star hotels yet, the service is not at the highest level, and there are no special historical monuments or sights, but tourists do not go there for this. Here you can perfectly combine travel and relaxation. They strive to hot Gabon to look at the wildnature, which has not suffered from human intervention, impressive landscapes, as well as to see with your own eyes the representatives of the Pygmy tribe.
In 2002, more than 10% of the country's territory was declared a protected area, and this is a lot. Gabon has everything: the ocean, the equator, mountains and plains. And if we add to this the important fact that visas to this country are not very expensive, then there is every chance to replace the next vacation in Turkey with a trip to Gabon. The only thing that should be done before departure is the necessary vaccinations.
Who knows, perhaps Gabon is a country that will soon become a mecca for tourists?
