Gabon country profile - BBC News During a routine measurement of uranium ore from a mine in Oklo, in southeastern Gabon, the French noticed that the uranium-235 content in the ore was not 0.72 percent, but less. [citation needed], The Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa. )-1.84% (2020 est. Quite aside from the adrenaline-inducing battles for survival, Ngorongoro is a paradise for keen birders. The extent to which the heavy immigration of foreign workers and refugees has contributed to this growth is unclear. HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC: We're the Africa Geographic editorial team a diverse set of writers, editors, designers and social media natives, all united by our passion for this addictive continent. )21.97% (2020 est. Both groups were driven from the area by the Maasai in the 1800s. This movement changes seasonally with the rains, but the migration traverses almost the entire plains in search of food. Gabons oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. )$5.321 billion (31 December 2016 est. ), France 22%, China 17%, Belgium 6%, United States 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019), poultry meats, excavation machinery, packaged medicines, cars, rice (2019), $1.372 billion (31 December 2019 est. The 2009 Ngorongoro Wildlife Conservation Act placed new restrictions on human settlement and subsistence farming in the Crater, displacing Maasai pastoralists, most of whom had been relocated to Ngorongoro from their ancestral lands[disputed discuss] to the north when the British colonial government established Serengeti National Park in 1959.[6][7]. )subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134 (2021 est. Fortunately, with over 8,000 calves born every day, it is not all death for the calves, and visitors can also soak up the joy of watching the wobbly, fawn-coloured calves find their feet and learn to run. Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater the scenic location of NATURE's Jackals of the African Crater is one of the world's most famous wildlife preserves. [26], The other major water source in the crater is the Ngoitokitok Spring, near the eastern crater wall. [42], Historically, traditional Maasai culture has been a barrier to individuals developing the capacity to fulfill sophisticated managerial positions on behalf of their communities. More than four-fifths of Gabons population is urban, with about half the people living in its largest city, Libreville. This allowed uranium to be converted from its insoluble form to its soluble oxide. A typical nuclear reactor requires between 3 to 5 percent uranium-235, and a nuclear bomb requires a whopping 90 percent. ), $13,800 (2021 est. Gabon Maps & Facts - World Atlas Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea, total: 267,667 sq kmland: 257,667 sq kmwater: 10,000 sq km, total: 3,261 kmborder countries (3): Cameroon 349 km; Republic of the Congo 2,567 km; Equatorial Guinea 345 km, territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm, narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south, highest point: Mont Bengoue 1,050 mlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mmean elevation: 377 m, petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower, agricultural land: 19% (2018 est. The National Park Ordinance of 1948 (implemented in 1951) created the Serengeti National Park (SNP). )crude oil estimated reserves: 2 billion barrels (2021 est. Other volcanoes within the complex include Olmoti (2.011.79 Ma), Empakaai, Loolmalasin, Sadiman (3.7 Ma), Lemagrut, and Oldeani. Keep an eye out for these misrepresented predators lurking along the banks of Lake Magadi, waiting for the opportunity to charge through the shallow waters and snatch up an unsuspecting flamingo. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, it borders Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE (after Welcomme, 1979) Gabon (with a surface area of 257 670 km 2) is divided into two main zones: a low-lying coastal region; and. The narrow coastal plainoften no more than 20 miles (32 km) wide in the southis formed of sandstone and alluvium; northward it broadens to a width of 100 miles (160 km), with outcrops of chalk, limestone, and Cretaceous sandstone. Because most early Bantu languages spoken in these kingdoms did not have a written form, historical traditions were passed on orally, resulting in much of Gabon's early history being lost over time. This, however, caused problems with the Maasai and other tribes, resulting in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Ordinance (1959) that separated the conservation area from the national park. Gabon - The World Factbook Gabon Bordering Countries: )tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est. These findings suggested only one thingthe mine in Oklo from where uranium was obtained had underwent spontaneous nuclear fission at some point in the distant past. The highest point of the country is Mont Iboundji at 2,534 ft. (1,575 m), and the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean (0 m). Bone fragments of Homo habilis (approximately 1.9 million years old), Paranthropus boisei (about 1.8 million years old), Homo erectus (1.2 million years old) and, eventually, Homo sapiens (17,000 years ago) have all been found around the gorge. The country also has hundreds of caves located in the dolomite and limestone rocks formations in the east central areas. )arable land: 1.2% (2018 est. Except for a few thousand Pygmies, Gabons 40 or so peoples speak Bantu languages that are classified into 10 linguistic groups. Wildlife aside, the secrets of humanitys ancient histories are enfolded within Ngorongoros unique landscapes, and to many, this is the cradle of humankind. [29], The annual ungulate migration passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra, and 470,000 gazelles moving into the area in December and moving out in June. Photo credit: United States Department of Energy. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera on Earththe center of a massive ancient volcano that scientists believe may have been larger than Mount Kilimanjaro. Amusing Planet, 2023. The concentration of uranium-235 was nearly 4 percent two billion years ago, and 17 percent at the time of formation of the solar system. For example, the Ngoitokitok spring is a popular picnic spot with visitors. At that time the French had been mining uranium in Gabona former French colonyfor use in nuclear power plants. Scientists discover a 5-mile wide undersea crater created as the - CNN Although the NCAA has devised a set of "building codes" to guide such developments, the outcomes of code implementation are unknown. From December to February, over a million wildebeest halt their almost ceaseless migration on the short grass plains of Serengeti and the Ndutu region of Ngorongoro to calve over a two week period. )carbon dioxide emissions: 5.32 megatons (2016 est. The archaeological research in Olduvai Gorge, nearby Lake Ndutu and surrounding sites, has yielded a timeline of our evolution as a species. Of note, rainforests cover nearly 85% of the country. [29] )transmission/distribution losses: 389 million kWh (2019 est. )proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est. Gabon is one of the richest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a per capita income four times that of its neighbors. The crater, which has since been eroded away, was around 180-300 km (100-200 mi) across when it was formed. )580.657 (2017 est. Corrections? Two German brothers (Adolph and Friedrich Siedentopf) farmed in the crater until the outbreak of World War I, after leasing the land from the administration of German East Africa. [39], The area's resident pastoralist community has gradually increased from approximately 8,700 in 1966 to 20,000 at the date of World Heritage status (1979) to 93,136 in 2017. They drained blood and caused painful skin sores that became infected, causing lion numbers to crash from 75-100 to 12. However, it is clear that houses and other infrastructure associated with the growing pastoralist population may have a negative impact on the values. The uranium needs to be enriched first through a complicated process involving centrifuges and gaseous diffusion so that its concentration becomes at least 3 percent. Over the next several years, researchers were able to work out the details of how these prehistoric reactors might have operated. The capital is Libreville. [31], The crater has one endemic species of mammal: Mduma's shrew (Crocidura mdumai), which is restricted to montane forests on the edge of the crater. Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the islands of Sao Tome and Principe are situated off the coast. ), fossil fuels: 40.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est. Neighboring Countries - Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome Principe, Democratic Republic of the Congo. app@africageographic.com )investment in inventories: -0.6% (2016 est. ), urban population: 91% of total population (2023)rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est. 1. [21], The Munge Stream drains Olmoti Crater to the north and is the main water source draining into the seasonal salt lake in the center of the crater. A former French colony, Gabon retains strong ties to France and to the French language and culture. agriculture: 5% (2017 est. )$13,900 (2020 est. Anti-colonial rhetoric by Gabons educated elites increased significantly in the early 1900s, but no widespread rebellion materialized. Gabon Is Central Africa's Most Travel Friendly Destination (But It's After this astonishing discovery, physicists began probing the uranium mines in Oklo for more evidences and eventually discovered at least sixteen sites within this region where spontaneous nuclear fission had taken place. ), definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 85.5%male: 86.2%female: 84.7% (2021), total: 38.4%male: 33.7%female: 44.4% (2021 est. Gabon is easily divided into three distinct regions: a narrow coastal plain, a hilly mountainous interior, and a savanna in the far-east and south. )$31.874 billion (2020 est. )industry: 44.7% (2017 est. The southern and eastern boundaries are approximately defined by the rim of the East African Rift wall, which also prevents animal migration in these directions. )note: data are in 2017 dollars, 1.18% (2020 est. Around 500,000 years ago seismic activity diverted a nearby stream which began to cut down into the sediments, revealing seven main layers in the walls of the gorge. Where is Gabon? | Where is Gabon Located in the World Map Fitch rating: CCC (2020)Moody's rating: Caa1 (2018)Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2016)note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained. They also attempted to drive the wildebeest herds out of the crater. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UK: /()rro/,[3] US: /roro, ororo/[4][5]) is a protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Ngorongoro District, 180km (110mi) west of Arusha City in Arusha Region, within the Crater Highlands geological area of northern Tanzania. Such a natural reactor was discovered sixteen years later, in 1972, in Gabon. ), 3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est. Gabon country profile - BBC News Temperature shows little seasonal variation, the daily average being in the low 80s F (upper 20s C). Perhaps natural nuclear reactors operated in several other places on Earth billions of years ago, but has since been eroded away or swallowed by the earths crust. )crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est. In 1956, Japanese-American physicist Paul Kuroda compounded on the idea and theorized the conditions under which nuclear fission could spontaneously develop and be sustained. )1.6% of GDP (2018 est. )other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est. Because of the extensive efforts to teach French, nearly all adult Gabonese can speak the language, and almost three-fourths can read it. Within a year of independence, the government changed from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and Leon MBA won the first presidential election in 1961. Lunch can be enjoyed to the serenading of grunting hippopotamus bobbing about in the pool below the spring. And while the craters are often bursting with eager tourists, the geologically fascinating Gol Mountains are more remote and less crowded for the adventurous traveller. Based on fossil evidence found at the Olduvai Gorge, various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is seeking solutions to ease conflict and improve collaborative efforts toward conservation with the locals. The math suggest the reactors switched on for 30 minutes and off for about 3 hours. (male 50,920/female 49,705), total dependency ratio: 67.6youth dependency ratio: 61elderly dependency ratio: 6.5potential support ratio: 15.3 (2021 est. The Maasai have a long tradition of coexisting with wildlife and have developed a high tolerance for it. Their fiercest competition, spotted hyenas, are also present in large numbers and are the subjects of a decades-long research project. [1][30] Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) have been the subject of a long-term research study in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area since 1996. The latter hosts the national capital of Libreville. A syncretic religion called Bwiti (based on an earlier secret society of the same name) came into existence in the early 20th century and later played a role in promoting solidarity among the Fang. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands, including the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser-known Empakaai Crater. The conservation area also contains Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. ), production: 319.102 million cubic meters (2019 est. (UK) +44 (23) 9387-7464 Past vegetation and climate changes reconstructed using two pollen records from Lakes Maridor and Ngune, Gabon, provide new insights into the environmental history of western equatorial African. Though Gabonese serve as Catholic bishops, they rely heavily on foreign clergy, particularly the French Holy Ghost Fathers. By 2027, the population is predicted to reach 161,000 people. ), 19.6 years (2012 est. Ngorongoro Volcano (2.51.9 Ma) is primarily basaltic trachyandesite. Gabon, country lying on the west coast of Africa, astride the Equator. [25] The Lerai Stream drains the humid forests to the south of the Crater and feeds the Lerai Forest on the crater floor when there is enough rain, the Lerai drains into Lake Magadi as well. Gabon is bordered by three countries. )1.7% of GDP (2021 est. Ngorongoro was born of a compromise between conserving history and biodiversity while recognising the value of the land to the Maasai people and neighbouring tribes. Large mammals in the crater include the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli), the local population of which declined from about 108 in 1964-66 to between 1114 in 1995, the African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). )4.75% (2018 est.). In many ways, this legacy has continued in the NCA. Uranium occurs in nature in the form of three isotopes, or variants that differ from each other by the number of neutrons in its nucleus. The water in the mine itself played a critical role in sustaining the reaction. {{posts[0].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[1].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[2].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[3].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, Sao Paulo: The City With No Outdoor Advertisements, The Island in a Lake on an Island in a Lake on an Island, 3 Most Impressive Water Bridges Around the World, Fishers Ghost: How a Ghost Helped Solve His Own Murder, Penelope, The Platypus Who Faked a Pregnancy And Fooled The Zoo. A pair of side-stripes are luckier . The most common form is uranium-238, which accounts for 99 percent of all uranium on earth. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given the exceptional biodiversity and historical value, the NCA is a designated World Heritage Site. Farther to the west and north the Cristal Mountains have been dissected by the river system from the western plateau escarpment into a distinct upland area, and to the south the Ogoou River drains through a sandstone saddleback before descending to the lowlands through the granite formations of the Lambarn region. For a century beginning in the 1760s, trade came to focus mostly on enslaved people. Author of. Learn about our flexible booking policies and our on-trip health and safety protocols. The country has three distinct eco-regions. Land use is controlled to prevent negative effects on the wildlife population. Getty Images Africa Gabon With an impressive 11.25% of the country proclaimed as national parkland, Gabon offers a spectacular array of wildlife in its dense rainforests and open savannah to enthrall nature enthusiasts. )1.8% of GDP (2020 est. )biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est. Lodge and tented camp developments are frequently well-located, disguised, and appropriately constructed, whereas pastoralist habitation is uncontrolled. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa. )consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est. [29], A side effect of the crater being a natural enclosure is that the lion population is significantly inbred. The estimated 93,000 pastoralists who live within NCA today are nearly five times the number that were there when the property was listed (1979). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the islands of Sao Tome and Principe are . Just 45km south of Olduvai, the discovery of several sets of footprints preserved for close to 4 million years settled the archaeological debate about whether bipedalism or large brain size evolved first. Please select which sections you would like to print: Also known as: Gabonese Republic, Rpublique Gabonaise, Professor of Political Science, Howard University, Washington, D.C. )-$1.389 billion (2016 est. ), total: 21 yearsmale: 21.4 yearsfemale: 20.6 years (2020 est. With an area of 46,075 sq. The multiple-land use policy recognises the intimate connection human residents have to land and its creatures. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest ruling heads of state in history - was MBAs vice president and assumed the presidency after MBAs death in 1967. ), deforestation (the forests that cover three-quarters of the country are threatened by excessive logging); burgeoning population exacerbating disposal of solid waste; oil industry contributing to water pollution; wildlife poaching, party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whalingsigned, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements, particulate matter emissions: 38.51 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est. The area became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, originally inscribed for its natural significance. Adherents of traditional religions also account for a small segment of the population, but that does not include Christians and Muslims who also follow some traditional beliefs and practices. [35] Drought in 1961 and rains throughout the 1962 dry season caused a massive build-up of blood-sucking stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) by May 1962. ), household consumption: 37.6% (2017 est. )government consumption: 14.1% (2017 est. This unique multiple-land use area was the first of its kind in Africa, and the experiment has proved largely successful. [1] The crater was voted by Seven Natural Wonders[23] as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in Arusha, Tanzania, in February 2013. Gabon Travel Guide: Essential Facts and Information - TripSavvy ), total: 44,607 (2020 est. [29] There also are many other ungulates: the blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) (7,000 estimated in 1994), Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmi) (4,000), the eland (Taurotragus oryx), and Grant's (Nanger granti) and Thomson's gazelles (Eudorcas thomsonii) (3,000). ), improved: urban: 97.2% of populationrural: 55.3% of populationtotal: 93.1% of populationunimproved: urban: 2.8% of populationrural: 44.7% of populationtotal: 6.9% of population (2020 est. Some believe that millions of years ago, the site was that of a large lake, the shores of which were covered with successive deposits of volcanic ash. A newly discovered crater off the coast of West Africa was likely caused by an asteroid more than 400 meters wide that hit the Earth around the same time as the space rock that doomed the . Gabon Overview: Development news, research, data | World Bank [citation needed], Approximately 25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, live in the crater. )note: data are in 2017 dollars, 1.46% (2021 est. The given Gabon location map shows that Gabon is located in the west central part of Africa continent. Visitors to the crater have the highest chances of seeing one of the regions fabled black rhinos, which are otherwise notoriously difficult to spot. [29] Waterbucks (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) occur mainly near Lerai Forest. )forest: 81% (2018 est. Some of the most famous paleoanthropological sites in the world are found in Olduvai Gorge, while Laetoli is home to literal footprints of hominid history. Some 3.5 million years ago, a trio of our hominin ancestors took a stroll through some soft volcanic ash towards the local waterhole. Regardless of this speculations veracity, it is highly unusual to visit the crater without encountering Africas largest cat. The proportion of uranium-235 relative to uranium-238 in an ore has been changing since the earth formed because uranium is radioactive and decays to other elements over time. [1][9][11], In 1921, the first game preservation ordinance was passed, which restricted hunting to permit holders throughout Tanzania. All Rights Reserved. / -35.93; -39.95. The name of the crater has an onomatopoeic origin; it was named by the Maasai pastoralists after the sound produced by the cowbell (ngoro ngoro). ), 22.26% (2021 est. The coastal plains form a large section of the World Wildlife Fund's Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion and contain patches of Central African mangroves. These provinces are further subdivided into 50 departments. In one case, plutonium, one of the byproducts of the reaction, was found less than 10 feet away from where it formed two billion years ago. Moanda (crater) / -35.93; -39.95. Thanks to the relative stability of the African craton, these ancient natural reactors have moved very little from their original positions. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 12 April. Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, has had just three presidents since its independence from France in 1960, with Omar Bongo ruling as president for more than . ), French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi, Roman Catholic 42.3%, Protestant 12.3%, other Christian 27.4%, Muslim 9.8%, animist 0.6%, other 0.5%, none/no answer 7.1% (2012 est.). For example, one senior traditional leader remarked that he sincerely regrets running away from school as a child, and he has probably certainly passed this attitude on to the younger members of his community. Olduvai (or Oldupai) Gorge is a steep-sided ravine, named for the Maasai word oldupai, which means the place of the wild sisal in reference to the plants which dominate. Gabon is in the spotlight again here at COP27. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020. Cameroon lies to the north and Equatorial Guinea to the northwest. They left behind a powerful reminder of our ancient, varied human roots.