Gabon

Gabon - the state in the Central Africa, at southern coast of gulf of Guinea, occupies the space 267,6  thousand sq. km. Almost in the middle of its terrain recuts equator. Europeans have appeared on this land in the end of XV century, and with 1903 before declaration of independence in 1960 Gabon was colony of France. The French tongue remained a country state language.

In the western part of Gabon the neritic lowland in width from 30 to 300  km is had. The basic terrain is occupied by the extensive South Guinean elevation lifted to 300-800  m above sea level. The elevation is unbound from coastal areas low mountain ridges: these are Crystal mounts with the maximum altitude 1000  m (a mount of Dan), mounts SHajju (main apex Ibundzhi attains altitude 1580  and Majumba. A river network branched out and abounding in water: the main river - Ogooue, in the north - Ntem, and in the south - Njanga.

On a precipitation year is divided into four seasons: two rainy (from the middle of January till May and since October to the middle of December) and two concerning dry - big winter (from May till September) and small summer (December-January). In a year falls out 2500-3000  mm of deposits at coast (in the north to 4000  mm), in intrinsic regions - 1800-2300  mm. Appreciable oscillations of temperatures are not present, mid-annual temperature - nearby 26  °C.

Three quarters of the square of the country are occupied by evergreen rain equatorial woods, though radical high forests (with arbours in altitude from above 60  were saved only in remote mountain regions, on other part younger woods which have grown at-sight of old cuttings down grow. In the south and the east of Gabon there are stray patches of tall-grass savannahs (at-sight shown woods), coast-wise - mangrovaja vegetation. The fauna is diverse: elephants, water buffaloes, some aspects of antelopes, leopards, hyenas, a civet cat, various aspects of monkeys here live. Feature of fauna of Gabon - abundant of humanoid chimpanzees and gorillas. In the rivers, crocodiles and river horses dwell in long-shore lagoons and a river Ogooue mouth - rare lamantin. Reservations and national parks of Gabon - Lope, Wong-Wong, Mukalaba are well-known.

The Population (more 1,3  million persons) it is presented in the core by the people of language monogynopaedium to a bow - fang, bakele, mpongve, bakoto. The Southeast is occupied by the Congolese people bateke and bavili, in woods there live undersized pygmies. Half of believers shrives Christianity, but the majority thus saves aboriginal cultural traditions and handcrafts. Woodcarving and an ivory especially is famous: graceful wood figurines and flat figures mbulu-ngumu, upholstered with copper blades, ritual masks. Capital - the city of Libreville is based in 1849 by the Africans released from a slaveholding vessel. Now here there is a university and colleges, museums, assemblage of modern buildings. Other large city - Port-zhantil.