Gabon Cities

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Gabon Cities by Population

27 cities shown of 27 total Gabon cities that are over 1,000 in population...

1. Libreville 578,156
2. Port-Gentil 109,163
3. Franceville 42,967
4. Oyem 30,870
5. Moanda 30,151
6. Mouila 22,469
7. Lambarene 20,714
8. Tchibanga 19,365
9. Koulamoutou 16,222

10. Makokou 13,571
11. Bitam 10,297
12. Gamba 9,928
13. Mounana 8,780
14. Ntoum 8,569
15. Lastoursville 8,340
16. Okondja 7,155
17. Ndende 6,200
18. Booue 5,787

19. Fougamou 5,649
20. Ndjole 5,098
21. Mbigou 4,134
22. Mayumba 3,996
23. Mitzic 3,886
24. Lekoni 3,583
25. Mimongo 3,307
26. Omboue 1,667
27. Cocobeach 1,653

Gabon History

In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived. The nation's present name originates from Gabo"

Portuguese for ""cabin""

which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo River by Libreville. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza led his first mission to the Gabon-Congo area in 1875. He founded the town of Franceville

and was later colonial governor. Several Bantu groups lived in the area that is now Gabon when France officially occupied it in 1885."""

In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1959. These territories became independent on August 17, 1960. The first president of Gabon, elected in 1961, was Lon Mba, with Omar Bongo Ondimba as his vice president. French interests were decisive in selecting the future leadership in Gabon after Independence; French logging interests poured funds into the successful election campaign of Mba, an 'evolue' from the coastal region. After Mba's accession to power, the press was suppressed, political demonstrations banned, freedom of expression curtailed, other political parties gradually excluded from power and the Constitution changed along French lines to vest power in the Presidency, a post that Mba assumed himself. However, when Mba dissolved the National Assembly in January 1964 to institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him from power and restore parliamentary democracy. The extent to which Mba's dictatorial regime was synonymous with French Interests"" then became blatantly apparent when French paratroopers flew in within 24 hours to restore Mba to power. After a few days of fighting, the coup was over and the opposition imprisoned, despite widespread protests and riots. The French government was unperturbed by international condemnation of the intervention; and paratroops still remain in the Camp de Gaulle on the outskirt's of Gabon's capital. When M'Ba died in 1967, Bongo replaced him as president, and has been the head of state ever since, winning each contested election with a substantial majority."