Colonization, was often justified as a good deed, in that it by brought technology and supposed higher culture to barbarians, but more often it was just a trauma to the people. African Colonization was the same way, reaching its heights in the 19th century. To this day many African countries that were once French colonies are still French-speaking, including Gabon.
On this day August 17th, in 1960, Gabon declared its independence from France and became a democracy. Since its independence, the Republic of Gabon has had three presidents. There have been outcries of foul play in their elections.
Gabon is bordered by Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. What makes Gabon so interesting is that it has a small population, roughly 1.5 million, yet it is also one of the most prosperous sub-Saharan African countries. This is due to its abundance in natural resource, primarily oil and petroleum. Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon with over half a million residents. Libreville is a French word which can be translated as “Freedom Town.”