Gabon is a French equatorial country, home to over forty ethnic groups. The largest group is the Fang, forming 40 percent of the population. Other major groups are the Teke, the Eshira, and the Pounou. As in many African countries, the borders of Gabon do not correspond to the borders of the ethnic groups. The Fang, for example, inhabit northern Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, southern Cameroon, and the western part of the Republic of Congo. The cultures of the ethnic groups are akin to other groups in Central Africa, and center around the rain forest and its treasures. Food preferences, farming practices, and quality of life are comparable. The ceremonial traditions vary, however, as do the personalities of the groups. There are ongoing debates about the differences in these groups and their significance.
The nation is at the vanguard of environmental sustainability and has introduced safeguards to ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of its natural endowments. Lush forests, elegant coastlines, humid savannas, and tremendous biodiversity are all part of the Gabonese identity and the government has used various strategies to ensure their preservation. The nation has 13 protected national parks, many of which are home to elephants, hippos and gorillas. Promotion of tourism is a cornerstone of the government’s growth strategy and it hopes to attract 100,000 tourists annually by 2020.
By emphasizing diversified business development and strong stewardship of natural resources, Gabon hopes to decrease its dependence on oil exportation as its primary economic driver. Its efforts to improve infrastructure and increase access to basic services has met with success, and will be key in meeting the government’s goal of increasing domestic food production (it currently imports 85% of its food). Gabon has also been recognized for its successes on the environmental front, and the country was ranked 12th in the world, and first in Africa, in Yale University’s 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index.
Planitium exports brand new cars to Gabon from Dubai including 4WD, Tropicalised, Sedan and Project vehicles.
