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Capital Libreville
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF)
Population 1,711,294 (2014)
Electricity 220V/50Hz (European plug)
Country code +241
Time zone UTC+1
Emergencies +241-1300 (emergency medical services), +241-1722 (police), 18 (fire department)
Driving side right

Gabon is a country in Western Central Africa. It lies on the Equator, on the Atlantic Ocean coast, between the Republic of the Congo to the south and east, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest and Cameroon to the north.

A small population, as well as oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries. The country has generally been able to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity.

Regions

Map of Gabon with regions colour-coded
  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

Other destinations

  • Akanda National Park — mangroves & tidal flats are home to migratory birds and turtles.
  • 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.
  • Loango National Park — a 100-km stretch of virgin beaches and adjacent rainforest, both scenic and a place to view leopards, elephants, gorillas, & monkeys on the beach.
  • Lopé National Park — mix of savanna & dense forest along the Ogooue River; float along the river in pirogue, view ancient rock engravings, or track gorillas or mandrill monkeys with a pygmy guide.
  • 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.


Understand

History

What's now Gabon has been inhabited for thousands of years, first by Pygmy hunter-gatherers and then starting perhaps as early as 1500 BC, various different Bantu tribes arrived in several waves. Portuguese explorers and traders were the first Europeans to arrive, in 1472. Soon, Europeans were trading for natural resources and slaves. In the 19th century, the French became ascendant in the area. The coast was colonized by the French in 1839, and the remainder of Gabon in 1885. Gabon gained independence on 17 August 1960.

Since independence, Gabon has been one of the more stable African countries. Autocratic President Omar Bongo was in power from 1967 until his death in 2009. Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new constitution in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous sub-Saharan African countries. Despite being made up of more than 40 ethnic groups, Gabon has escaped the strife afflicting other West African states.

Climate

Tropical; always hot, humid. During the months of June to September, the climate is a little cooler (20-25°C).

Terrain

Narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south. Highest point is Mont Iboundji at 1,575 metres.

Important holidays

Independence Day: 17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Get in

The fee for a visa to enter the country is typically €70. The visa can be purchased on arrival in either euros or in the local francs in the right hand line upon exiting the plane. Reportedly, as of August 2010 this is no longer possible and personnel arriving to Gabon must have a valid visa upon arrival or they will be sent back. Recently, most international arrivals in Gabon claim that the visa fee has increased and they paid almost €122 for 3 month single entrance visa and more for multiple entrance.

By plane

Air Gabon has recently gone out of business. Air France and Gabon Airlines fly from Paris to Libreville, and Royal Air Maroc flies from Casablanca to Gabon. Air Service also flies to Douala (Cameroon), and Ethiopian Airlines flies from Addis Ababa. There are also on occasion flights to Brazzaville, Congo. It is reported on the Internet that the Air Service Dash 8 aircraft were returned to Canada in May 2006.

"Interair" flies from Johannesburg (South Africa) to Libreville on Monday with a stopover in Brazzaville/Congo - returning via the same route every Wednesday. "SAA" flies direct from Johannesburg (South Africa) to Libreville on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Lufthansa 5x weekly from Frankfurt.

By car

There are several border crossings, though the roads are not good and a 4x4 is recommended.

Get around

The easiest way to get around outside of cities is by bus (typically 6- or 9-seater cars, but sometimes minibuses). There are many and they are very cheap (e.g. 7000 XAF to go from Libreville to Lamberene). Within cities, taxis are plentiful and are very cheap. No fare should be more than 5000 for one person. Fares depend on distance (and whether the driver will be able to find more fares at your destination). A 2 or 3 minute drive will cost 100 XAF, and 2000 XAF is plenty to go from Owendo train station to the centre of Libreville. Taxi prices typically double after 21hr.

By plane

Air Service has scheduled flights to Oyem, Makouko and Franceville/Mvengue. Air Nationale flies to Franceville/Mvengue. There are flights to Franceville/Mvengue every day of the week except Tuesdays and Thursdays. Africa's Connection has daily scheduled flights between Libreville and Port Gentil, weekly flights from Port-Gentil / Libreville to São Tomé & Príncipe and to Loango National Park.

By car

There are some paved roads in Gabon, if you are staying in one of the major cities a car should suffice. If you plan on venturing onto some of the unpaved roads outside the major cities a 4x4 is required. There are less than 800km of tarred roads in Gabon - some of them in a bad condition. During the rainy season it is difficult to travel outside the major city areas even in a 4x4 vehicle.

By train

The Trans-Gabon railroad goes from Owendo to Franceville. The trip takes 12-18 hours, and is often delayed. Train times change according to the season. The current timetable (Basse 2014 as of March 2015) has trains both ways on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Two different trains are in use - the Omnibus and the Express. Both take a similar time, but the Express stops at less small stations. Air-conditioning is present in VIP, 1st and 2nd on the Express, and only VIP and 1st on the omnibus.

By bus

A few wealthy Gabonese entrepreneurs have invested in new buses for bus lines to service the larger interior cities. Mostly these buses serve the cities with paved roads leading to and from them. Since Air Gabon closed down, these bus lines have greatly increased their routes.

By boat

Boat travel is available all along the coast of Gabon and dozens of miles up the Ogooue river to Lambarene. Boats leave daily to/from Libreville and Port Gentil. River trips from the mouth of the big river at Port Gentil to Lambarene (Albert Schweitzer Hospital) are available every few days. Hotel Olako arranges weekly boat transfers between Port Gentil and Omboué (close to Loango National Park), transfers take between 3 and 4,5 hours (depending on the type of boat and engine).

Talk

Languages
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Very few people speak English in Gabon, so some knowledge of French is an asset.

See

Do

Chez Beti - a small seaside safari camp near the village of Nyonie owned and operated by a French ex-pat. Clean, air-conditioned cottages and all-inclusive family style meals accompany the evening Landcruiser and sunrise walking safaris. Wildlife sightings can include elephants, buffalo, monkeys, parrots, hornbills and other local fauna. The camp is located just a few km south of the equator, along a pristine stretch of beach. Prices are very reasonable and include roundtrip transportation from the marina in Libreville; consisting of an hour long boat transit to a small landing in the mangroves, followed by a 45 minute 4x4 trip along jungle roads to the camp. Contact information: tel. 07 57 14 23 or 06 03 36 36, e-mail: castorene7@live.fr

Buy

The Central African CFA franc (XAF) is used by Gabon. It is also used by Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea. While strictly a separate currency from the Western African CFA franc (XOF), the two currencies are used interchangeably at par throughout all CFA franc (XAF & XOF) using countries.

Both CFA francs are guaranteed by the French treasury and are pegged to the euro at €1 = XAF655.957. Banknotes circulate in denominations of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5000 and 10,000.

Eat

The Balbool restaurant serves delicious western food with very cheap prices. Ask for the big Balbool soup.

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.

Sleep

There are three international name hotels - 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.

Work

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

Stay safe

Malaria is common, so visitors should take malaria pills and a mosquito net when travelling in Gabon.

HIV/AIDS is, unfortunately, a common disease in Gabon with 8% (1 in 12) of adults infected.

Respect

The people are generally very friendly, respectful and helpful to visitors.

Connect

Go next

This country travel guide to Gabon is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!