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$Unique_ID{COW01389}
$Pretitle{418}
$Title{Gabon
Introduction}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Ministry of Tourism}
$Affiliation{Republic of Gabon}
$Subject{gabon
republic
tourism
bongo
economic
president
}
$Date{1990}
$Log{El Hadj Omar Bongo*0138901.scf
Map of Gabon*0138902.scf
Table 1.*0138901.tab
}
Country: Gabon
Book: Gabon Magazine
Author: Ministry of Tourism
Affiliation: Republic of Gabon
Date: 1990
Introduction
[See El Hadj Omar Bongo: President of the Republic of GABON]
Welcome
On behalf of the President of the Republic of Gabon, His Excellency El
Hadj Omar Bongo and myself, it gives me great pleasure to write these few
words of welcome.
Recognizing our possibilities and goals with regard to tourism, we invite
you, through these few pages, to discover Gabon and see for yourself the steps
taken by our government to develop and facilitate not only business tourism
but also tourism of leisure and adventure.
We are indeed proud to share with you Gabon's blessed natural beauty,
the ancient customs of our people and the traditional hospitality that has
always characterized our lives here. Gabon is a land of contented people
living and working in harmony amidst a great Godgiven abundance.
We have long sandy beaches where glass-clear waves break in endless
foam-crested rollers. We have majestic forests where trees grow to an enormity
unknown elsewhere on Earth.
Off our shores, Nature has secreted great rich pools of oil beneath the
seas and priceless minerals lie in untapped veins below our fertile soils.
Our Presidents, His Excellency El Hadj Omar BONGO, is dedicated to the
creation of a peaceful and stable country making steady economic and social
progress.
In our quest for economic independence, we welcome friends from varied
backgrounds who may have helpful suggestions. Our investment code is
favourable and our economic policy is based on the contribution of each
individual citizen who is free to engage in any lawful activity he or she
chooses.
You are welcome to explore these and more.
Albert YANGARI
Secretary of State for Tourism,
Leisure and National Parks.
GABON Introduction
[See Map of Gabon: Courtesy Embassy of Gabon, Washington DC.]
Located directly astride the equator on the west coast of Africa, Gabon
is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north and the Republic of
the Congo to the south and east. The country is 103,347 square miles in area,
and the 400-mile Atlantic Ocean coast is dotted with sandy beaches and palm
fringed bays, lagoons and estuaries.
History
Although archaeologists working in Gabon have recovered stone spearheads
which date back to 7000 B.C., it is customary to begin Gabon's history in the
15th century. A generation before Columbus began his westward voyages, sailing
expeditions from Portugal, the Netherlands, France and Belgium were exploring
the densely forested coastline. Not until 1839 however, were concerted efforts
made to map either the coastline or the interior. At that time, the French
sought and obtained formal permission from the local Mpongwe kings to send
exploratory expeditions along the coast and into the interior.
Fifty years later when European expansion throughout Africa was at its
height, France claimed Gabon as its colony. Shortly thereafter educational,
religious, and medical missions began to appear throughout the country of
which, of course, the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambarene is the best
known example.
When French Equatorial Africa (AEF) was formed in 1910, Gabon, although
isolated from its neighbors by its dense forests, nonetheless joined in.
Together with what today are known as Congo/Brazzaville, the Central African
Republic and Chad, Gabon maintained cooperative efforts in its struggle
towards modernization and industrial development.
[See Table 1.: Some Basic Facts]
Gabon's emergence into independence was not without upheaval and
bloodshed. Its status as a republic was achieved through a referendum in
September, 1958 with formal independence being declared on August 17, 1960.
Within a few weeks thereafter Gabon was admitted as a member nation to the
United Nations. The country's first President, Leon M'Ba remained in office
until his death in 1967 when the present president, El Hadj Omar Bongo, took
the oath of office. Progress under President Bongo has been considerably
smooth. The search for foreign capital with which to augment modernization
programs has been stepped up with gratifying results. Although the ties
between Gabon and France remain strong, there is nonetheless a steadily
increasing commerce with other countries in Asia, Africa, and in the Western
hemisphere.
Gabon has had trade relations with Europe since the Portuguese began
barter trade along the coast in 1472. They were soon followed by Spanish,
Dutch, English and French traders, and in 1842 the French established a
trading post on the site of present-day Libreville. Since then, trade with the
West has grown steadily, and today Gabon is an important partner in the world
economy.
The recent past has been one of dynamic expansion, fueled by the
discovery and production of petroleum.
Profits from oil have been consistently plowed back into the economy to
fund rapid development in all sectors. Now, as Gabon enters the 1980s, the
"economic miracle" of the 1970s has given way to a well planned strategy for
growth. The country is preparing, in a systematic way, for the time when oil
will cease to be at the center of the economic stage. By developing its
industrial infrastructure, transportation and ports, as well as agriculture,
mining and manufacturing, Gabon is insuring that the future will hold long
term prosperity.
Prominent in this national program of diversification is the sector of
tourism. This brochure attempts to provide a sampling of the touristic
products and services available for the traveller.