Libreville

Province

Libreville (French -level city ) is the capital of Gabon. With 578 156 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2005) Libreville is far ahead of Port-Gentil, Franceville Lambaréné and the largest city of the country. Libreville is the capital of the province Estuary. In addition, the city is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishopric.

Geography

Geographical Location

The city lies at the Corisco Bay, the mouth of the MBE in the Gulf of Guinea. East of Libreville are the Monts de Cristal ( Crystal Mountain ), in the south the estuary lowlands of Ogooué.

Boroughs

Libreville consists of the districts Battery IV, Quartier Louis, Mont- Bouët, Nombakélé, Glass (European area ), Oloumi ( industrial area ), Dakar, Damas Aleka, Akebe Kinguélé, Nouvelle Terre, Bellevue, Avea, Avea II, Sotega, derriere la Prison, Les Charbonnages and Lalala.

Climate

Libreville is located in the tropical climate zone. The annual average temperature is 26.0 degrees Celsius and the annual rainfall 2509.5 millimeters on average. The average maximum temperatures throughout the year 26 to 30 degrees, minimum temperatures 22 to 24 degrees on average.

The dry season begins in May and ends in September. Most precipitation falls in November with an average of 373.4 millimeters, the fewest in July with 2.5 millimeters on average.

Population

The population has since independence in 1960 of approximately 30,000 inhabitants today to approximately 570,000 (as of 2006) greatly increased population.

History

The estuary of the MBE was long before the French the area of King Antchouwé Kowe Rapontchombo 1839 acquired by the Mpongwe, a Bantu group inhabited. 1843 Fort Aumale was founded as a naval base, which grew together in the coming years with surrounding settlements to a city. The city was officially founded in 1849 as a settlement for freed slaves and was modeled after Freetown the name Libreville. 1886 Libreville became the administrative seat of the province of Gabon. As Gabon gained independence in 1960, it became the capital of the new state.

Economy and infrastructure

Near Libreville is the international airport ( LBV). In Owendo, south of the city center is both the harbor of the city, as well as the railway station Transgabonais that connects Libreville to Franceville in the southeast of the country. By Transgabonais train the manganese and iron ore can be transported to the port of Owendo.

Education

The city is home to many educational institutions. These include, among others, the University founded in 1970, Omar Bongo ( UOB ), the Université des Sciences de la Santé, the Omar Bongo Ondimba Technical School and other smaller institutions, as well as the National Library.

Culture and sights

In Libreville is the National Museum of Art and Cultural History, which is home to an extensive collection of relics and ritual masks. The wooden church of St. Michael is known for its carvings. It was built until 1961, the carvings - depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament - created a blinded woodcarvers in months of work. The church is especially on Sundays a magnet for visitors. Other attractions include the Cathedral of St. Mary, the Arboretum de Sibang and a French cultural center. Another notable wooden building on Boulevard Georges Pompidou, it houses the ground floor of the Art Gallery Louis, the owner also deals with African antiques. The presidential palace, which was built in the 1970s, is not open to visitors and should not be photographed. The mausoleum of former President Léon M'ba rises on the Esplanade. Inside is a simple memorial stone, the mausoleum itself is open on all sides, one such example of lack of personality cult is rare in Africa. Libreville 's largest market is the Marché du Mont- Bouët east of the city center.

Sons and daughters of the town

  • Léon Mébiame (* 1934), 1975-1990 Prime Minister of the Republic of Gabon
  • Daniel Cousin ( born 1977 ), Gabonese football player
  • Fabrice Do Marcolino (* 1983), Gabonese - French football player
  • Catilina Aubameyang (* 1983), Gabonese football player of French descent
  • Gilles Mbang Ondo (* 1985), Gabonese - French football player
Estuaire Province Libreville International Airport
511615
de