Oyem | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Oyem Location in Gabon | |
| Coordinates: 1°36′N11°34′E / 1.600°N 11.567°E Coordinates: 1°36′N11°34′E / 1.600°N 11.567°E | |
| Country |  Gabon |
| Province | Woleu-Ntem Province |
| Department | Woleu Department |
| Elevation | 900 m (3,000 ft) |
| Population (2013 census) | |
| • Total | 60,685 |
Oyem is the capital of Woleu-Ntem province in northern Gabon, lying on the N2 road and the River Ntem.
The town lies on a plateau at an elevation of about 3,000 feet (910 m). It is the administrative and transport center for the surrounding agricultural area. [1] Oyem is located 411 kilometers away from the national capital, Libreville. [2]
Oyem is named after a large tree that grows around the town. [3] In the 1990s, there were several female Peace Corps officers raped and murdered in Gabon, stirring controversy over the safety of its locations. [4]
The town was sieged by rabid dogs in March 2004, who killed three of five residents infected. The town council was forced to shoot 50 strays. [5]
In October 2004, Oyem was affected by water and power cuts. In December of that year, it was severely affected by a rare typhoid fever outbreak which spread across northern Gabon. [2] About 50 cases were reported in Oyem. [6]
Cocoa and coffee are the most important cash crops in Oyem and are trucked to the Cameroon ports of Kribi and Douala for export. Rubber and potatoes are also farmed. [1] The town has an airport, Oyem Airport.
Within the town is a hospital, two churches, an agricultural school, a government secondary school, and a customs station. [1]
| Year | Population [7] |
|---|---|
| 1993 | 22,404 |
| 2003 | 35,241 |
| 2013 | 60,684 |
Oyem is twinned with:
Clermont-Ferrand, France [8] 
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the Gulf of Guinea to the west. It has an area of nearly 270,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) and its population is estimated at 2.1 million people. There are three distinct regions: the coastal plains, the mountains, and the savanna in the east. Gabon's capital and largest city is Libreville. The official language is French.
The Armed Forces of Gabon or the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces is the national professional military of the Republic of Gabon, divided into the Army, Air Force, Navy, and a National Gendarmerie, consisting of about 5,000 personnel. The armed forces includes a well-trained, well-equipped 1,800-member guard that provides security for the President of Gabon.
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Gabon Championnat National D1 is the top division of the Gabonese Football Federation, it was created in 1968.
The Battle of Gabon, also called the Gabon Campaign, occurred in November 1940 during World War II. The battle resulted in forces under the orders of General de Gaulle taking the colony of Gabon and its capital, Libreville, from Vichy France, and the rallying of French Equatorial Africa to Free France.
The following outline is provided as an overview and topical guide to Gabon :
Minkébé National Park is a national park in the extreme northeast of Gabon. It covers an area of 7,570 km2. The WWF recognized it as an area needing protection as early as 1989 and has been actively working towards protecting the forest since 1997. The park was established as a provisional reserve in 2000 but the Minkébé National Park itself was officially recognized and established by the Gabonese government in August 2002. It is recognized as a critical site for conservation by the IUCN and has been proposed as a World Heritage Site.
The 1964 Gabonese coup d'état was staged between 17 and 18 February 1964 by Gabonese military officers who rose against Gabonese President Léon M'ba. Before the coup, Gabon was seen as one of the most politically stable countries in Africa. The coup resulted from M'ba's dissolution of the Gabonese legislature on 21 January 1964, and during a takeover with few casualties 150 coup plotters arrested M'ba and a number of his government officials. Through Radio Libreville, they asked the people of Gabon to remain calm and assured them that the country's pro-France foreign policy would remain unchanged. A provisional government was formed, and the coup's leaders installed Deputy Jean-Hilaire Aubame, who was M'ba's primary political opponent and had been uninvolved in the coup, as president. Meanwhile, M'ba was sent to Lambaréné, 250 kilometres (155 mi) from Libreville. There was no major uprising or reaction by the Gabonese people when they received word of the coup, which the military interpreted as a sign of approval.
Tourism in Gabon is underdeveloped. Despite this, attractions include beaches, ocean and inland fishing facilities, the falls on the Ogooué River, and the Crystal Mountains. Tourists also come to see the famous hospital founded by Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Lambaréné. Hunting is legal in specific areas from December to September.
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André Mba Obame was a Gabonese politician. After serving as an adviser to President Omar Bongo in the 1980s, he was a minister in the government of Gabon from 1990 to 1991 and again from 1997 to 2009; during that time, he was identified with the reformist wing of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG). He held the key post of Minister of the Interior from 2006 to 2009 and then briefly served as Minister of the Coordination and Follow-up of Government Action in mid-2009. He was an independent candidate in the 30 August 2009 presidential election and placed third with 25.33% of the vote, according to official results, but he claimed victory and alleged that the PDG candidate, Ali Bongo, won through fraud.
Emmanuel Ondo Methogo is a Gabonese politician. A member of the ruling Gabonese Democratic Party, he was a minister in the government from 1991 to 2007. Subsequently he served as President of the National Council of Communication (CNC).
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François Engongah Owono is a Gabonese politician. He was long identified with the reformist faction of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) during the rule of President Omar Bongo, holding various important posts. After serving in the government of Gabon as Minister of National Education from 2004 to 2006, he was President of the National Council of Communication from 2006 to 2009 and then Minister of State for Labor in 2009. Under Bongo's son and successor, Ali Bongo, Engongah Owono held the key post of Secretary-General of the Presidency from October 2009 to January 2011.
Raymond Ndong Sima is a Gabonese politician who was Prime Minister of Gabon from February 2012 to January 2014.
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Julien Nkoghe Bekale is a Gabonese politician who was Prime Minister of Gabon from 2019 to 2020. In the aftermath of the 2019 Gabonese coup d'état attempt, he was appointed prime minister by president Ali Bongo Ondimba on 12 January 2019.
Oyem Solar Power Station, is a planned 50 megawatts (67,000 hp) solar power plant in Gabon. The power station is under development by Amea Power, a subsidiary of the Al Nowais Investments (ANI), based in the United Arab Emirates.
Most populous cities or towns in Gabon According to the 2013 Census | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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