Geography of Gabon – The Ultimate Free Guide 2021
Learn facts and Geography of Gabon including Major Geographical Features, Natural resources, Region, area, Capital, Border countries, rivers in Republic of the Gabon.
- Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. 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.
- Gabon’s capital and largest city is Libreville.
- The official language is French.
- Gabon is rich in folklore and mythology. “Raconteurs” keep traditions alive such as the mvett among the Fangs and the ingwala among the Nzebis.
- Gabon is also known for its masks, such as the n’goltang (Fang) and the reliquary figures of the Kota.
- Gabonese folk instruments include the obala, the ngombi, the balafon and traditional drums.
- Gabon’s name originates from gabão, Portuguese for “cloak”, which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River by Libreville.
- In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1958. In World War II, the Allies invaded Gabon in order to overthrow the pro-Vichy France colonial administration.
Geography of Gabon
- Gabon is located on the Atlantic coast of central Africa on the equator, between latitudes 3°N and 4°S, and longitudes 8° and 15°E. Gabon generally has an equatorial climate with an extensive system of rainforests, with 89.3% of its land area forested.
- Gabon is primarily ancient Archean and Paleoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic basement rock, belonging to the stable continental crust of the Congo Craton, a remnant section of extremely old continental crust.
Area:
Ranked 77th
Capital:
Libreville
Population:
2,119,275
Bordering Countries:
Gabon’s borders are Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north and the Republic of the Congo to the east and south
Total Size:
267,667 km2
Geographical Coordinates:
1°00′N 11°45′E
World Region or Continent:
Africa
General Terrain:
- Narrow coastal plain with patches of Central African mangroves; hilly interior; savanna in east and south. A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 420km² of tidal flats in Gabon, making it the 50th ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.
Geographical Low Point:
Atlantic Ocean.
Geographical High Point:
Mont Bengoué
Climate:
- High temperatures range from 75°F to 82°F in the dry seasons and from 86°F to 93°F in the rainy seasons.
- Four distinguishable seasons are evident, although they vary somewhat each year:
- The long dry season from late May until mid-September;
- The short rainy season from mid-September until mid-December;
- The short dry season from mid-December through January; and
- The long rainy season from February until late May.
Major cities:
- Libreville
- Mandji
- Masuku
- Oyem
- Moanda
- Mouila
- Lambaréné
- Tchibanga
- Koulamoutou
- Makokou
Major Rivers and Lakes:
Major rivers:
- Ogooué River
Major Lakes:
- Lake Onangue
Natural Resources:
- Petroleum,
- Natural gas,
- Diamond,
- Niobium,
- Manganese,
- Uranium,
- Gold,
- Timber,
- Iron ore,
- Hydropower
Major Geographical Features:
Biomes & Ecosystems:
Tropical and Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands
Oceans:
Atlantic Ocean
Mountain Ranges:
- Massif du Koumouna Bouali
- Mont Iboundji
- Mont Bengoué
- Mont Igoumbi
- Mont Pangou
- Mont Iboundji
- Mont Mabenda
- Mont Balaguiri
- Mont Mimongo
- Mont Gouadi
- Mont Milondo
- Mont Benvoufang
- Mont Meningué
- Mont Bigou
- Mont Serre
- Mont Kinguié
- Mont Mbilan
- Mont Saki
- Mont Koul-Séni
- Mont Koul-Makok
- Mont Olong
- Mont Koul An Doum
- Grand Bambam
- Mont Yana
- Mont Nguengue
- Mont Awou
- Mont Bengongo
- Mont Akom
Provinces of Gabon:
- Estuaire Province
- Haut-Ogooué Province
- Moyen-Ogooué Province
- Ngounié Province
- Nyanga Province
- Ogooué-Ivindo Province
- Ogooué-Lolo Province
- Ogooué-Maritime Province
See Also:
World Map – The Ultimate Guide
References:
- Wikipedia.org – Geography of Gabon
- britannica.com – Geography of Gabon
- Countryreports.org – Geography of Gabon
- worldatlas.com Geography of Gabon
- ducksters.com – Geography of Gabon
- gisgeography.com – Geography of Gabon
