Gabon Map

Gabon is located on the west coast of Africa, facing the Atlantic Ocean. The earliest inhabitants of what is now Gabon were the Pygmies, soon followed by the Bantu people. Although the name is of Portuguese origin, France held rule over the country from 1885 until independence in 1960. The country's first president, while still under French rule, was Leon M'ba, known for dissolving rights to express differing opinions than that of the government. Loved and aided by the French, M'ba disbanded the national assembly in 1946, making the country a one-party state. M'ba made sure his ally Bongo succeeded him, however Bongo had far more democratic plans for the country, reversing M'ba's efforts in 1990. Later, Bongo resigned and instituted a multi-party government so he could run for president legitimately. Improvements remain to this day, as 90% of the population has access to health care services, 70% of the population has access to safe drinking water (2000 consensus), 21% of the population has access to proper sanitation (2000 consensus), and HIV prevalence is as low as 5.2%. Gabon is currently home to one of the largest national park reserves in the world.