User:Nvvchar/Woleu-Ntem Province

Woleu-Ntem Province
Province
Location of the province in Gabon
Country	Gabon
Capital	Oyem
Area
• Total	138,465 km2 (53,462 sq mi)
Population  (1998)
• Total	95,271
• Density	0.69/km2 (1.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)

Woleu-Ntem is one of Gabon's nine provinces. It covers an area of 38,465 square kilometres (14,851 sq mi). The provincial capital is Oyem. The name of the province is derived from the Woleu River and Natem River; the former river is in Oyem and the latter forms the border between Gabon and Cameroon. The population of the province, as of 1998, was 95,271.

History

In early 20th century the regional boundaries of the province were drawn by the French. In 1912-15, the province was under the German colonial administration; the inheritance of this rule is the cocoa plantation here. The province has recorded a large influx of immigrants from neighbouring countries.

Geography

Apart from the Woleu River and Ntem River, the other rivers which drain the departments are Komo and Okano. As Woleu-Ntem is the most northerly province of Gabon, it is the only province that borders Cameroon, as well as the Republics of Equatorial Guinea and the Congo. It borders Centro Sur Province, Wele-Nzas Province and Kié-Ntem Province of Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, South Province of Cameroon to the north, Sangha Department of the Republic of the Congo to the east, and domestically Estuaire Province to the southwest, Moyen-Ogooué to the south, and Ogooué-Ivindo to the southeast.

The frontier province is bounded by Crystal Mountains in the south, the Ntem River marking the border with Cameroon in the north, and adjacent to Equatorial Guinea.

The total forest area in the province called the Minkebe Forest is a continuous forest covering an area of 32,381 square kilometres (12,502 sq mi). Minkébé National Park, which encompasses an area of 7,567 square kilometres (2,922 sq mi), is part of the Minkébé Forest. These forests are considered the most "intact rain forests" that remains in Africa. The Minkebe National Park is considered to be a refuge for the African country's elephants. However, in 2004 11,100 elephants were poached.

Departments

Departments of Woleu-Ntem

Woleu-Ntem is divided into 5 departments:

• Haut-Komo Department (Medouneu)
• Haut-Ntem Department (Minvoul)
• Ntem Department (Bitam)
• Okano Department (Mitzic)
• Woleu Department (Oyem)

Economy

Economically the province is said to be one of the richest of all Gabon's provinces. Cocoa is a major crop of the province. Small scale rubber plantations cover an area of 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) in the province.

Language

Fang, with minor dialectical differences and dissimilarities, is the sole language spoken in the province. The five variations spoken in the five departments of the province are: Bitam is the langauge in Ntoumou, Atsi in Oyem, Okak in Mitzic, Mekeign in Medouneu, and Mveignin in Minvoul.

Bibliography

• Akué, Monsieur Félicien Assoumou (11 April 2012). Ethnographical and Genealogical Study of the Inhabitants of the Village of Nkok-Ekié (North Gabon) in Their Migration Since the Pre-Colonial Period Up Until the Modern Day: n. Author House. ISBN 978-1-4670-0110-6.
• Group, Oxford Business (2012). The Report: Gabon 2012. Oxford Business Group. ISBN 978-1-907065-69-9. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
• Hickendorff, Annelies (19 September 2014). Gabon. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-84162-554-6.
• Prickett, JS (4 October 2012). Pursuing Peace. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4772-4099-1.
• Publications, USA (PRD) International Business (1 October 2004). Gabon Country Study Guide. Int'l Business Publications. ISBN 978-0-7397-1459-1. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)

Category:Provinces of Gabon