Gabon is a country in Central Africa: a description. Natural conditions

Not all African countries are poor. There are also those who have a more or less adjusted 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 to form an opinion about it, and possibly, plans for the next vacation.

History

Unfortunately, there are no reliable written sources that tell what happened on the territory of this state until the 15th century. Thanks to the rock paintings, only the fact that the country was inhabited mainly by the Pygmy tribes long before our era is known. But at the end of the 15th century Gabon became one of the colonies of Portugal. The next four hundred years, the slave trade flourished there, and the population used it as a living commodity. After the abolition of slavery, the country was under the patronage of France, first in the French Congo, and then in France's Equatorial Africa. And Gabon obtained full independence in 1960, after which the country began to develop independently, and quite successfully. The form of government is the presidential republic. Interestingly, in 2011-2012, Gabon was even a member of the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member.

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 of Gabon. They built an international airport and a seaport.

Where is Gabon?

As for the geographical situation, it provides all the makings for the development of the tourist 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 - a country that is hidden in a secluded corner of Central Africa. It adjoins three countries: 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, but there are two climatic zones - equatorial and subequatorial. The proximity of the ocean coast affects the increased humidity in low-lying areas and promotes the prosperity 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 four seasons: two dry and two rainy, which alternate with each other. Precipitation there falls a lot: 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 precipitation.

Gabon is a country of rivers and bays. Therefore there is an abundance of animals and plants that like to dwell near water bodies. For example, there are many monkeys, leopards, elephants, hyenas, buffalos. In coastal areas, mangrove vegetation is flourishing. In general, about 85% of the country's territory is occupied by moist tropical forests. In the mainland there are even savannahs, and in the north and south there are mountains. In short, Gabon is a country rich in various landscapes, as well as unique flora and fauna.

Population

The country has more than 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 tubel tribes, characterized by the fact that all adults on average reach only 130 cm in height. 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 loincloth dressings .

As for religion, the majority of Gabonese are Catholics (the centuries-old colonization of European countries affected). There are Protestants and Muslims, but there are not many of them. But along with official religions, the cult of ancestors is extremely widespread here.

The official language of Gabon is French, but people communicate in local dialects, as 98% of Gabonese belong to the ethnic group of the Niger-Congo.

Economy

The country is rich in minerals such as iron ore, manganese, uranium, gold, oil. Gabon maintains trade relations with France, the United States and China. Also the production of food products (coffee, sugar, cocoa) is developed. Basically, the state's revenue came from exports of timber and manganese. But in the 70s of the last century oil deposits were found, which provoked a small economic recovery in the Republic of Gabon.

Information about the country, in particular the welfare of its inhabitants, is such that now the average per capita income in Gabon is four times that of most other African countries. But due to the uneven distribution of funds, 30% of the inhabitants are still rather poor, and the main capital is concentrated in the hands of influential people. Although due to the fact that one third of the population lives in large developed cities, and not in the outback, the Gaboneses have access to the basic benefits of modern civilization.

Tourism

This industry also brings considerable revenues to the treasury. Although the infrastructure is not yet developed in the country, for example, while there are no five-star hotels, the service is not at the highest level, and there are no special monuments of history or attractions, but tourists do not go there for that. It is wonderful to combine traveling and rest. In hot Gabon seek to look at wildlife that has not suffered from human interference, spectacular landscapes, and also see the representatives of the pygmy tribe personally.

In 2002, more than 10% of the country's territory was declared a protected area, and this is quite a lot. Gabon has everything: the ocean, the equator, the mountains, and the plains. And if we add to this the important fact that visas to this country are not very expensive, then there are all chances to replace the next vacation in Turkey for a trip to Gabon. The only thing that must be done before departure is the necessary vaccinations.

Who knows, maybe Gabon is a country that will soon become a mecca for tourists?