Libreville

Libreville
Boulevard du nord, Palais du Sénat, Gabon Mining Logistics building, Church of Notre-Dame de Lourdes, The Mosquée du CHU (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire), Bay of the Cap
One of the two versions of the flag of Libreville, without text.

One of the two versions of the flag of Libreville, with text.
Coat of arms of Libreville
Libreville is located in Gabon
Libreville
Libreville
Location in Gabon
Libreville is located in Africa
Libreville
Libreville
Libreville (Africa)
Coordinates: 0°23′25″N 9°27′15″E / 0.39028°N 9.45417°E / 0.39028; 9.45417
CountryGabon
ProvinceEstuaire Province
Capital districtLibreville
Area
 • Land65.42 km2 (25.26 sq mi)
 • Metro
189 km2 (73 sq mi)
Population
 (2013 census)
 • Capital city703,904
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (West Africa Time)
 • Summer (DST)(Not Observed)
HDI (2018)0.788[1]
high
Websitewww.libreville.ga

Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, located on the Gabon Estuary. Libreville occupies 65 square kilometres (25 sq mi) of the northwestern province of Estuaire. Libreville is also a port on the Gabon Estuary, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904.[2]

The area has been inhabited by the Mpongwe people since before the French acquired the land in 1839. It was later an American Christian mission, and a slave resettlement site, before becoming the chief port of the colony of French Equatorial Africa. By the time of Gabonese independence in 1960, the city was a trading post and minor administrative centre with a population of 32,000. Since 1960, Libreville has grown rapidly and now is home to one-third of the national population.

  1. ^ "Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  2. ^ "GeoHive – Gabon". 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011.