Gabon

Introduction

Ogouee River at Lope

© svjorber

Gabon's rare and somewhat perplexing wealth, earned through the country's oil trade, has a dramatic effect on the West African country's modern day life. Though issues of poor health care and public education plague Gabon's reputation, the nation has invested heavily in propelling a rich image to the world, with the big city vibe of its capital, Libreville, as well as the fashionable restaurants, bars and cafés of towns like Port-Gentil. Heart-wrenchingly high everyday expenses are a further result of Gabon's pursuit of modernity.

Due to this first-world mindset, traditional Gabonese culture has pretty much been tossed out the window. Instead, travellers look to the country's ideal rain forests, where the abundance of wildlife is enough to match the abundance of wealth in the national purse.

Brief History

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy peoples. They were largely replaced and absorbed by Bantu tribes as they migrated.
In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived. The nation's present name originates from "Gabão", Portuguese for "cloak", which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River by Libreville. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza led his first mission to the Gabon-Congo area in 1875. He founded the town of Franceville, and was later colonial governor. Several Bantu groups lived in the area that is now Gabon when France officially occupied it in 1885.
In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1959. These territories became independent on August 17, 1960. The first president of Gabon, elected in 1961, was Léon M’ba, with Omar Bongo Ondimba as his vice president. French interests were decisive in selecting the future leadership in Gabon after Independence; French logging interests poured funds into the successful election campaign of M'ba, an 'evolué' from the coastal region.
After M'ba's accession to power, the press was suppressed, political demonstrations banned, freedom of expression curtailed, other political parties gradually excluded from power and the Constitution changed along French lines to vest power in the Presidency, a post that M'ba assumed himself. However, when M'ba dissolved the National Assembly in January 1964 to institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him from power and restore parliamentary democracy. The extent to which M'ba's dictatorial regime was synonymous with "French Interests" then became blatantly apparent when French paratroopers flew in within 24 hours to restore M'ba to power.
After a few days of fighting, the coup was over and the opposition imprisoned, despite widespread protests and riots. The French government was unperturbed by international condemnation of the intervention; and paratroops still remain in the Camp de Gaulle on the outskirts of Gabon's capital. When M'Ba died in 1967, Bongo replaced him as president, and continued to be the head of state until his death in 2009, winning each contested election with a substantial majority.

Geography

Gabon is located in the southern part of West Africa, along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered by the Republic of Congo to the east, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest and Cameroon to the central north. Much of the land in Gabon is tropical rainforest, totalling almost 85% of the country. There are 3 distinct areas: the coastal planes, the mountains and the savanna, from west to east. The Ogouué River is the most important and longest river system in the country, over 1200 kilometers. Much of the land, 11%, has been designated national park since 2002 and there are 13 magnificent national parks to visit.

Regions

• Coastal Plain (Libreville, Gamba, Loango National Park, Kango, 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 - the Cristal Mountains and Chaillou Massif with huge tracts of highland rainforest
• Jungle Interior (Franceville) - the eastern region mostly bordering Republic of the Congo; more rainforest.

Cities

• Libreville - The capital
• Port Gentil - on the coast of the South Atlantic Ocean
• Moanda
• Gamba
• Mayumba
• Oyem
• Bitam
• Lastoursville
• Franceville

Sights and Activities

Gabon is opening up to travellers wanting to experience one of the last frontiers of Africa. It still comes at a price though, as flying to Gabon, hotels in the capital Libreville and lodges in some of the national parks are just expensive and budget options are very limited, if not absent. Add to that expensive domestic flights you sometimes have to take, and you will see while there still not many visitors in Gabon. In the 21st century, many national parks have been formed to protect the large quantities of virgin rainforest and animals. There are now 13 national parks, totalling 11% of the landmass in Gabon, one of the highest in the world. One of the most famous and best is Loango National Park.

Loango National Park

One of the last tropical wilderness areas in the world, the Loango National Park deserves a place in Africa's top 10 regarding safari opportunities. Where else in the world can you see chimpanzees, elephants and hippos living so close together in one habitat. The elephants and hippos, among other people can even be seen on the Atlantic beaches, which form the western border of this magnificent park. The Land of the surfing hippos it is called sometimes and the park is also famous because this is where Dr. Michael Fay ended his MegaTransect across Congo to Gabon, right there on the beach. In the waters just offshore there are good opportunities to see dolphins and whales as well, making the combination of animals you can see even weirder.

Lopé National Park

The Lopé-Okanda National Park was the first protected area in the country and contains mainly rain forests and some grass savanna areas. It was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site and the area is one of the best places in Central Africa to experience the African rainforest, teeming with mostly smaller animals. There are many bird, monkey and butterfly species. The Zoological Society of London is involved with the Lopé National Park and has some further information on their website.

Akanda National Park

Akanda National Park is located in the northwest of the country, along the coastline containing the Mondah and Corisco bays. Mangrove and tidal beach habitats are the main ecosystems here and the area protects especially birds and migratory birds.

Other Sights and Activities

• Banteke Plateau National Park - savanna crossed by rivers with rope bridges for the locals; home to forest elephants, buffalo, & antelope.
• Crystal Mountains National Park - misty forests rich in orchids, begonias, & other flora.
• Ivindo National Park - two of Central Africa's most magnificent waterfalls; gorillas, chimpanzees, & forest elephants gather around its rivers and waterholes
• Mayumba National Park - sandy peninsula home to the world's largest population of nesting leatherback turtles.
• Minkebe National Park - highland forest with large sandstone domes, home to elephants and forest-dwelling antelope and giant hogs.

Events and Festivals

Gabao Hip Hop Festival

Celebrated in the Gabon-Estuaire region and the capital of Libreville on February 25, this music festival is organized by the cultural group Afrik’Aktion, which also has a presence in neighboring countries like Cameroon, Congo, DRC, Chad, the Central African Republic, and The Republic of Guinea. The event attracts an impressive roster of international hip hop artists to perform.

Festival Akini-a-loubou

Also celebrated in Libreville from May 9 to 14, Festival Akini-a-loubou is two weeks of contemporary dance. It attracts performers from all over Africa including Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, France, and Gabon. Participants conduct various creative workshops at the French Arts Center.

Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG)

This national holiday on March 12 is held in honor of the founding of the PDG in 1968. Today, Gabon has a multiparty political system, but up until 1990, the PDG was the sole legal entity.

Independence Day

Celebrations on this day mark Gabon’s independence from France on August 17, 1960. While main parades and events are held the day-of, the days before and after also typically see parties marking an end to the country’s century of domination.

Les Nuits Atypiques

This music festival is held in Mighoma, usually on the last week of August. It celebrates traditional music from the Nyanga region showcasing vocal performances, classic and modern instruments, rituals, and many other presentations of sound.

Weather

Located on the equator in Africa, Gabon experiences a typical tropical climate with hot and humid weather year round. Temperatures average around 30 °C during the day and 22 °C at night, the coastal areas being a bit cooler during the day and a bit warmer at night (Libreville for example is just a few degrees cooler at night than during the day). Also, the difference between the slightly cooler June to September months and the hotter months of December to May is just a few degrees. The country has one of the wettest climates in the world and from October to May there is long and rainy season. October and November generally are the wettest months, followed by March and April. Still, June to September is fairly dry and combined with somewhat lower temperatures makes it a better time to visit.

Getting There

By Plane

Libreville Leon M'ba International Airport (LBV) near the capital Libreville is where all international flights depart and arrive. Gabon Airlines flies to Paris and Pointe-Noire. Avirex Gabon flies to and from Bamako, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Douala, Lomé, Malabo, Ouagadougou and Pointe-Noire. Air Service Gabon flies to Brazzaville, Sao Tomé, Douala and N'Djamena. Other destinations include Johannesburg among a few other regional cities.
Royal Air Maroc flies to Paris via Casablanca, Air France flies directly to Paris from Libreville.

By Car

Not all of the crossings mentioned below are doable by car, but you can cross into most countries at one border post at least. The crossing with Cameroon is easiest, the one to Congo is located in a little bit of no-man's-land but doable, the ones to Equatorial Guinea are possible but include a lot of hassle, suspicious official and you will need your visa arranged before arrival!
Also, have everything regarding car and insurance in order. Even the, the customary bribes are unavoidable.

By Bus

To Cameroon you can cross at the Ntem River between Bitam (Gabon) and Ambam (Cameroon). From Ebolowa in Cameroon there is a regular bus service to Yaoundé and Douala and visas are available at the border.

To the Republic of Congo, the main crossing is between N’Dendé (Gabon) and Doussala (Congo). From here go to Loubomo to connect with the Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville railway.
Crossings in the east include Léconi (near Franceville) and Mékambo (the only crossing where visas might just be available).

To Equatorial Guinea, crossings are at Cocobeach (Gabon) by pirogue to Cogo and Acalyong (Equatorial Guinea), or otherwise via via Oyem and Bitam (Gabon) to either Mongomo or Ebebiyin (Equatorial Guinea) overland. It's about 4 hours from here to Bata by taxi along good paved roads.

By Boat

There are boats between Libreville and Cotonou (Benin), Sao Tome & Principe and Cameroon sometimes, but ask at the port authorities in Libreville first to check if and when they are running. It's long and uncomfortable.

Getting Around

Note that Port Gentil is not reachable by bus, car or train, only by plane or boat from Libreville or inland towns along the Ogoué River.

By Plane

Avirex Gabon flies between Libreville and Port Gentil. Air Service Gabon flies between Franceville, Port-Gentil, Libreville Koulamoutou, Makokou, Mouila, Oyem and Tchibanga.

By Train

There is the so called Trans-Gabon railway travelling between Libreville/Owendo and Franceville, stopping along the way in Ndjole Booué, Lastoursville and Moanda. Although services are limited (3 times a week) and slow, it makes for a comfortable journey and train enthusiasts will love it.

By Car

Less than 10% of the roads in Gabon are tarred and even the tarred roads can be impassable after heavy rains from October to December and February to May. If you do decide to rent a car, make sure it is a high clearance 4wd one and if you don't have any experience driving in these circumstance, rent one with a driver. It's very expensive. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit and international insurance.

By Bus

Most public transport takes place in shared bushtaxis or minibuses. Fares are expensive for African standards and connections are slow and uncomfortable sometimes. Daily minibus services run from Libreville to Lambaréné, Mouila, Oyem and Bitam, some of them involving an overnight stay.

By Boat

There are ferries between Libreville and Port Gentil, taking about 4 hours each way on the fastest boats and almost 8 hours on the slower ones.
There are also riverboats along the Ogoué River between Port Gentil and Lambaréné, taking anywhere between 10 and 24 hours, depending on weather and going upstream or downstream. Some boats continue on to Ndjolé.

Red Tape

Citizens of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia can enter without a visa. Citizens of European Union, Australia, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China(including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, United States and United Arabic Emirates can obtain visa on arrival for 90 days. All holders of an entry authorisation issued by Immigration prior to arrival can also obtain visa on arrival. The e-visa system is usable by citizens of any country which requires a visa to visit Gabon. The visa is issued 72 hours after the application and is valid only for those arriving via Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville. The fee for a visa to enter the country is typically €70.

Money

See also Money matters

Gabon uses the CFA Franc as a currency. The CFA Franc is divided into 100 centimes. Coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500 francs while banknotes come in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 francs
The exchange range is fixed at approximately 656 CFA Francs for one Euro.

In Gabon the Central African CFA Franc (XAF) is used which has the same value as the West African CFA Franc (XOF), but it's not possible to use both currencies in the same country.

Fourteen countries in Africa use this currency, eight in West Africa and six in Central Africa. The West African CFA Franc can only be used in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, while the Central African CFA Franc can only be used in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Work

A visa and letter of invitation are required for foreigners working in Gabon.

Language

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi. Very few people speak English in Gabon, so some knowledge of French is an asset.

Eat

Outside of the capital there aren't that many international restaurants. Local food is quite filling and cheap. In the parks, you generally will be catered for.

Sleep

There are three international name hotels in the capital: Le Meridien, Intercontinental and the Novotel. Apart from these, there are several other budget and economy hotels.

Long term lease on apartments is also an option.

Drink

The cheapest local beer is Regab, it costs XAF500-2000 and comes in a 650 mL bottle. There are fantastic fruit juices available: "D'jino" Pampelmousse (grapefruit), Ananas (pineapple), Citron (Lemon) in 300 mL bottles at XAF400 and in a 1.5 L bottle at XAF900 if bought in a shop.

Health

See also Travel Health

Proof that you had a yellow fever vaccination is required upon entering Gabon. You have to have a cholera stamp (prove of the fact that you don't have that disease) when entering overland.

It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to Gabon. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also both hepatitis A as well as typhoid would be recommended.

If you are staying longer than 3 months or have a particular risk (travelling by bike, handling of animals, visits to caves) you might consider a rabies vaccination. Vaccination against Tuberculosis as well as hepatitis B are also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months. When staying longer than 6 months, vaccination against meningitis might be recommended, depending on your contact with other people.

Like most African countries south of the Sahara, Malaria is prevalent in the country. Don't underestimate this tropical disease and take precautions. Buy repellent (preferably with 50% DEET), and sleep under a net.

Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

A military coup d'état occurred on 30 August 2023 after a disputed election, which deposed president Ali Bongo. A curfew is imposed from 7PM to 6AM. The Internet, which was shut down during the election, has been restored. It appears that many locals are satisfied with the coup, and there are celebrations supporting the coup in parts of Libreville. The situation is unstable just like other coup-rocked countries: stay tuned with the latest information.

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Gabon is 241.
To make an international call from Gabon, the code is 00.

External Links

• Official Website