Gabon Weather, climate and geography

Weather and climate

Best time to visit

Equatorial with up to 80% humidity. The dry season is from June to August, and the main rainy season is from October to May. Average temperatures are 25°C (77°F).

Required clothing

Lightweight tropical wear, with raincoats advised during the rainy season.

Geography

Gabon is bordered to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the north by Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon, and to the east and south by the Congo. The 800km-long (500 miles) sandy coastal strip is a series of palm-fringed bays, lagoons and estuaries. The lush tropical vegetation (which covers about 82% of the interior) gives way in parts to the savannah. There are many rivers and they remain the main communication routes along which settlements have grown. Of the 40 or so Bantu tribes, the largest are the Fang, Eshira, Mbele and Okande. Only a small percentage of native Gabonese live in the towns, as the population is concentrated in the coastal areas and the villages along the banks of the many rivers, following a more traditional rural style of life.