Gabon Geography
What is the terrain and geography like in Gabon?
Overview
Gabon straddles the Equator on the west coast of Central Africa, bordered by Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Cameroon on the north, and by the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) on the east and south. Gabon covers about 102,300 square miles, roughly the size of Colorado, or half the size of France.Heavy equatorial rain forests cover nearly 85% of Gabon, with savanna areas in the southeastern and southwestern sections of the country covering an additional 10%. The remaining area is composed of bodies of water and developed areas. The Ogooue River, the largest river in West Africa between the Niger and the Congo, drains most of Gabon. Winding in a broad arc from southeastern Gabon to the country’s Atlantic coast, the Ogooue cuts through three major geographical regions: the coastal lowlands, the plateau region, and the mountains.
The coastal lowlands lie along the Atlantic Ocean and extend up into the river valleys that slice through the broad interior plateau. The lowlands are lined with beaches and lagoons that are fringed with mangrove swamps; forests extend from the banks of the broad, slow-moving rivers and cover most of the lowland areas. Inland the terrain rises to a plateau, and in some areas to mountains as high as 5,000 feet. Although dominated by large tracts of thick forest, the interior of the country offers scenery of great beauty, including mountains, rolling hills, forests, and scattered savannas.
Geography - note
A small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversityGabon Use of Natural Resources
| Geographic Location | Africa |
| Total Area |
103,346 Square Miles 267,667 Square Kilometers |
| Land Area |
99,485 Square Miles 257,667 Square Kilometers |
| Water Area |
3,861 Square Miles 10,000 Square Kilometers |
| Land Boundaries |
1,585 Miles 2,551 Kilometers |
| Irrigated Land |
17 Square Miles 44 Square Kilometers |
| Border Countries | Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km, Equatorial Guinea 350 km |
| Coastline |
550 Miles 885 Kilometers |
| Geographic Coordinates | 1 00 S, 11 45 E |
| Terrain | Narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south |
| Highest Point | 1,575 Meters |
| Highest Point Location | Mont Iboundji 1,575 m |
| Lowest Point Location | Atlantic Ocean 0 m |
| Natural Resources | Petroleum, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower |
| Time Zone | UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) |
