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Gabon
is not high on the list of most travellers itinerary because
visas come tied in a mile of red tape and day-to-day expenses,
especially in Libreville, are prohibitive. But if you can
overcome these drawbacks Gabon is worth a visit for its spectral
contrasts. Its vast sprawl of virgin rainforests and teeming
wildlife is The Ghost Who Walks territory, while its major
cities are a sophisticated bustle of glitz, lights and casinos.
Gabon offers a little of everything to just about everyone.
The
combination of Texan-tea money and French influence has unfortunately
all but destroyed traditional Gabonese culture, but it's still
worth passing through if you're taking the western coastal
route north or south. Despite its wealth, Gabon's roads are
not in the best of conditions and once you get off the main
roads and railways, getting around is a hard slog.
Full
country name: Gabonese Republic
Area: 267,670 sq km (103,350 sq mi)
Population: 1,208,436
Capital city: Libreville (pop 450,000)
People: About 40 Bantu groups, including four major tribes
(Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke), plus about 100,000 expatriate
Africans and Europeans (27,000 French)
Language: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira,
Bandjabi
Religion: Roman Catholic (75%), Protestant (20%), indigenous
beliefs (4%), Muslim (1%)
Government: Republic
President: El Hadj Omar Bongo
Premier: Jean Francois Ntoutoume-Emane
GDP:
US$7.7 billion
GDP per head: US$6400
Annual growth: 1.7%
Inflation: 1%
Major industries: Food and beverages, textiles, lumber, petroleum,
mining, ship repair
Major trading partners: US, China, France, Japan, Cameroon,
the Netherlands, Côte d'Ivoire
Gabon
Flight from UK
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