Roland, F8EN ex CN8EM, FO8BV, 3C3CR, TR50R will be active again as TR8CR from Gabon, 15 May - until end of the June 2024.
He will operate on 30 - 10m, CW.
QSL via F6AJA.
Ads for direct QSL:
JEAN MICHEL DUTHILLEUL, 515 RUE DU PETIT HEM, 59870 BOUVIGNIES, France.
Abnormal Africa: Gabon
With Africa are associated with quite unambiguous associations: poverty, bordering on poverty, devastation, incessant wars, a riot of various exotic diseases and, maybe - the savannah, lions and crocodiles. In general, this is not far from the truth, because Africa is the most disadvantaged continent on our planet.
But even here there are exceptions, real oases of prosperous African community. One such oasis is Gabon, a tiny state in Central Africa, whose per capita income in 2017 reached the level of some European countries.
At first glance, it seems incredible that a state with a total area of only 260,000 square kilometers and bordering such colorful neighbors as Cameroon and Congo could achieve such impressive results. But if we look a little more closely, it becomes clear: there is no miracle here, alas, no miracle.
Gabon owes 90% of its economic prosperity to its rich oil deposits: the country produces almost 20 million tons of oil a year. It is worth paying tribute to the Gabonese authorities - the country has managed to curb the brutal African corruption, which eats up the lion's share of income of most other countries on the continent.
The remaining 10% comes from tourism and agriculture. This is why Gabon's current prosperity is precarious: oil fields are on the verge of being depleted and no new geological surveys are being conducted. In addition, foreign investment is steadily declining. Without drastic economic reforms, Gabon may face the fate of South Africa, which in a matter of years turned from a prosperous country into a specter of human greed.
The Pygmy Kingdom: History
The history of Gabon also stands out against the background of neighboring states. Before the arrival of Europeans, the territory of modern Gabon was inhabited by Pygmies - an amazing people, today almost lost its former self-sufficiency. Pygmy tribes existed relatively peacefully, but were not able to form their own state. By the arrival of the first Europeans, on the territory of Gabon there were not even rudimentary signs of statehood.
This life continued until the end of the 15th century, when the Portuguese landed on the coast of modern Gabon. They gave this area such a name - but why, no one can still explain. Anyway, it was the Portuguese who became a kind of catalyst for the formation of a new state. International trade flourished in Gabon: ivory, ebony, palm oil, honey and, of course, slaves, were traded throughout the color.
But the "real" was formed much later - only in the late 19th century, when Portugal withdrew from the international scene, giving way to France. The French quickly occupied Gabon, making it their central supplier of coffee, cocoa and precious wood. After only 90 years (a paltry period by historical standards), Gabon gained independence, becoming one of the first free countries in Africa.
However, modern Gabon is still not particularly eager to distance itself from France. On the contrary, the local government is pursuing a course of rapprochement with Europe. Diplomatic missions, simplified visa regime, student exchange programs - in short, almost a real Europe in the heart of Africa. Not surprisingly, Gabon is the most stable country on the entire continent: during the entire period of independence, there have been only a couple of localized conflicts, fortunately without casualties.
A riot of nature: geography and climate
Gabon's natural world is typical of the west coast of Central Africa. The country has a predominantly flat relief with small (up to 200 meters) differences in altitude. Most of the territory is occupied by tropical forests, which have survived despite prolonged industrial deforestation. The center of Gabon is occupied by the South Guinean upland, which is a continuous flat plateau, 500 meters above sea level.
Gabon is located exactly in the center of the equator. As a result, there are two rainy seasons here at once, which are replaced by the same two seasons of drought. At the same time there are practically no temperature changes: all year round the air warms up from 23 to 25 degrees. Such geography, combined with a favorable location and climate, have created in Gabon an amazing natural harmony.
Today, the country has several dozen species of trees, including valuable trees. In addition, Gabon is one of the few Central African countries with natural stands of mangroves. The animal world is also amazingly diverse: elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards, dozens of species of monkeys. It is worth saying that the Gabonese authorities cooperate with international conservation organizations: there are several large reserves in the country and regular raids against poachers.