Gabon is considered «the last Eden of Africa»? This is due to the large variety of rare animal species that can be found in the surrounding area; But this maybe you already know or maybe it doesn’t surprise you. So to get into Africa and get to know this country better, read this list of the most interesting curiosities about Gabon.
- More than 80% of the territory is covered by jungle.
- It is one of the most economically developed countries in Africa.
- It has the largest population of elephants in the world, and moreover, their hunting is completely prohibited.
- The jewel of its biodiversity is the Loango National Park.
- It is the scene of the discovery of the oldest biodiversity remains on the planet.
- Orange crocodiles live in Gabon, they can only be seen in the caves of the country so it is a unique species.
- In 2010 Gabon banned the export of wood, this was a way to preserve its biodiversity.
- The official language of Gabon is French, although Bantu dialects such as Fang are also widespread.
- The capital of Gabon was founded by slaves, who were being transported in a Brazilian ship, these were freed by the French authorities, eventually they founded a settlement which they called Libreville, or translated from French, free city.
- Gabon comes from the Portuguese gabão, which can be translated as gabán, and this in turn is the shape of the estuary of the Komo river, located in Libreville.
