GABON, HISTORY OF

history of the area from the explorations of Europeans, beginning in the 15th century, to the present. Additional reading Early history is presented in David E. Gardinier, The Beginnings of French Catholic Evangelization in Gabon and African Responses, 18441883, French Colonial Studies, no. 2 (1978), pp. 4974, on the planting of Catholicism in Gabon, and Les Frres de Saint-Gabriel au Gabon, 19001918, et la naissance d'une nouvelle lite africaine, Mondes et Cultures, 46(3):593606 (1986), on the education of the anticolonialist elite prominent in Gabon's political life since 1944. K. David Patterson, The Northern Gabon Coast to 1875 (1975), examines the economic and political evolution of northern Gabon. Brian Weinstein, Gabon: Nation-building on the Ogooue (1966), describes political development, especially from the 1940s to the early '60s. Charles F. Darlington and Alice B. Darlington, African Betrayal (1968), is an account by the American ambassador to Libreville who witnessed the coup of 1964 and the French intervention. Franois Gaulme, Le Gabon et son ombre (1988), traces the political, economic, and social evolution since 1960. Michael C. Reed, Gabon: A Neo-Colonial Enclave of Enduring French Interest, The Journal of Modern African Studies, 25(2):283320 (June 1987), focuses on the recent modern period. David E. Gardinier, Historical Dictionary of Gabon (1981), concentrates on the political evolution in the 20th century, with a large bibliography. David E. Gardinier The economy Gabon's economy has more links with European and American markets than with those in neighbouring states (with the exception of Cameroon) or elsewhere in Africa. The economy shares some of the characteristics of those of other tropical African states: strong links with the former colonial ruler, a large degree of foreign investment and control, dependence on foreign technicians, and the decline of agriculture. Gabon differs from these states in its reliance on thousands of wage earners from other African countries to supplement its own sparse supply of workers in retailing, artisanship, and domestic transport. Resources Gabon possesses important resources in woods and minerals and much hydroelectric potential. But its poor transportation infrastructure and lack of financing, as well as unfavourable world market conditions, hinder the development of some of these resources. The land Relief and drainage The narrow coastal plainoften no more than 20 miles (32 kilometres) wide in the southis formed of sandstone and alluvium; northward it broadens to a width of 100 miles, with outcrops of chalk, limestone, and Cretaceous sandstone. North of the most westerly point, Cape Lopez, the contour of the coast becomes more jagged. The Atlantic's northward-flowing Benguela Current, which softens the southern coastline by creating sandbars, is no longer effective here. Inland, the relief is characterized by a series of granite plateaus, extending generally northwest to southeast and rising to heights of from 1,000 to 2,000 feet (300 to 600 metres). 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. To the south, the Ogoou River drains through a sandstone saddleback before descending to the lowlands through the granite formations of the Lambarn region. Granite also forms the Chaillu Massif, Gabon's central watershed, south of the Ogoou, which rises to an elevation of approximately 3,000 feet, except where topped by the 3,215-foot (980-metre) elevation of Mount Iboundji. Climate Gabon has an equatorial climate, with year-round high temperatures and humidity. Rainfall varies from an annual average of 120 inches (3,050 millimetres) at Libreville to 150 inches on the northwest coast, with almost all of it falling between October and May. In the period from June to September there is little, if any, rainfall, but humidity remains high. Temperature shows little seasonal variation, the daily average being about 81 F (27 C). The people Ethnic and linguistic composition All of Gabon's 40 or so ethnic groups, except the few thousand Pygmies, speak Bantu languages and, on that basis, can be classified into 10 larger groups. The Myene group (including the Mpongwe and Orungu), though only a small part of the population today, has played an important role in the history of the country as a result of its location along the northern coasts. The Fang, who belong to the larger Ewondo or Pahouin group also found in southern Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, account for one-third of the population; they live north of the Ogoou River. The largest groups south of the Ogoou are the Sira (including the Eshira and Punu), the Nzebi (Njabi), and the Mbete; these groups together form close to half the population. Less numerous peoples include the Benga and Seke (Sheke) in the far northwest, the Kota and Teke in the east, and the Vili along the far southern coast. Many of the Bantu languages do not have written forms. During the 19th century Christian missionaries transliterated several of them in the Latin alphabet and prepared Bible translations and catechisms for their followers. But the French policy of limiting the use of indigenous languages solely to religious instruction inhibited the growth of other types of literature. Because of the extensive efforts to teach French, at least one-third of the Gabonese can speak the language, and more than one-quarter can read it. Religion A large majority of Gabon's population is Christian, with about three times as many Roman Catholics as Protestants. Though Gabonese serve as Roman Catholic bishops, they rely heavily upon foreign clergy, particularly the French Holy Ghost Fathers. The largest Protestant body, the Evangelical Church of Gabon, has Gabonese pastors in its parishes throughout the north. There also exist a small but growing Christian Alliance Church in the southwest and the tiny Evangelical Pentecostal Church (Assembly of God) in the estuary and far northern regions. 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 majority of the few thousand Muslims are immigrants from other African countries.