The capital city of Gabon is Libreville. Located along the Komo River , on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea , with an important port and business center and almost half the population of Gabon. Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon began as a small trading post and administrative center but has quickly transformed into a rich capital with a sophisticated multicultural environment.
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History About Libreville
The area occupied by the city, on the northern bank of the estuary, was already fully inhabited since at least the seventeenth century . Throughout the 19th century , successive waves of Fang emigrants arrived in the area, which eventually became the largest ethnic group in the area. In 1843 the French established a trading nucleus at the point where Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon is situated today, and six years later the French navy officially founded the city, whose name means ‘Free City’, which was populated by the concession of 52 lots From land to freed slaves. In the following years, during the period known as the “deal of Africa “, The French undertook a series of campaigns to conquer territory from Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon inland. The town grew during the era of French colonialism ( 1887 – 1960 ) as capital and commercial and administrative center of the colony of Gabon , until it became 1960 capital of the independent state of the same name. Four years later the port of Owendo was inaugurated, very close to the old one, which nowadays receives most of the country’s imports. Until it became the capital of the independent State of the same name in 1960.
Capital City Of Gabon
Geography
The coast presents a sinuous and brittle profile from the border with Equatorial Guinea to Cabo López, from which follows a straight line that penetrates Congolese territory. The land near the coast is a great plain that goes inland, until it ends in a zone mesetaria that occupies the eastern and innermost part of the country. In the north are the Crystal Mountains , which together with the Chaillu Mountains in the south make up the Gabonese mountain system (in the Chaillu is the Iboundji , the highest mountain in the country, with 1,581 m).
Location
Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon is located on the north coast of Gabon , very close to the border with Equatorial Guinea . It is located on the north coast of a deep and wide estuary .
Weather
Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon is located on the coast, so its climate is not as warm as in other parts of Gabon . Anyway it has a warm and humid tropical climate and a main rainy season between October and April ; The summer months between June and September are usually cooler
Population
The largest ethnic group in Gabon is the Fang, of Bantu origin. Libreville which is the capital city of Gabon is populated by 684,800 inhabitants. Gabon is home to more than forty different ethnic groups with their own languages and cultures, but Libreville is mostly French speaking and there are a large number of foreigners working in the export business. With its urban wealth, Libreville seems to be leagues from the immaculate and underdeveloped rural area of Gabon .
Tourism
Gabon requires tourists to passport with a minimum validity of six months, although a visa is also required, which must be requested at the consulate and valid for three months. To travel to the country you will also need the return ticket. Public transport is scarce in Gabon. Visitors will enjoy the safaris and observe the wild animals in Okanda National Park . There are many high quality hotels in Libreville that tend to be quite expensive and international restaurants for tourists and wealthy locals.
Culture
In Libreville they emphasize the colonial buildings of the stage of French domination, the majority of them of Century XIX .
Interesting Facts About Libreville
Cathedral of St Marie in Libreville
The main points of interest in Libreville are the National Museum of Art and Traditions, the arboretum of the Sybang Park, with thousands of species of local flora, the French Cultural Center and the St Marie Cathedral. There are also two cultural villages that show the traditional Gabonese lifestyle, great markets and supermarkets that offer the opportunity to go shopping in Libreville. Pointe Denis is a popular beach on the peninsula near Libreville. There are also several deserted beaches near Libreville, in Cap Esterias and Cap Santa Clara, which can be reached by car .
Handicrafts
Gabonese handicrafts are highly prized, especially wooden carvings , masks, musical instruments and stone articles .
Transportation
You usually travel to Libreville by plane . The city’s international airport receives flights to Libreville from several African and Western European countries . The city links transport to the rest of Gabon , with many buses, trains and boat connections . The train station in Libreville is in Owendo , about 10 kilometers / 6 miles south of the city center. Local transport in Libreville is based on public buses and minibuses, but taxi is the fastest and safest way to get around the city. You can rent cars in Libreville and, although they are usually very expensive, driving is a good way to get around the city. Libreville is a clean city and paved streets. However, to drive outside the main cities of Gabon you need off-road vehicles.
