[ga-bawn] 
| 1. | Official name, Gabonese Republic. a republic in W equatorial Africa: formerly a part of French Equatorial Africa; member of the French Community. 1,190,159; 102,290 sq. mi. (264,931 sq. km). Capital: Libreville. |
| 2. | an estuary in W Gabon. ab. 40 mi. (65 km) long. |
Ga·bon (gā-bŏn', -bōɴ')  (click for larger image in new window) A country of west-central Africa on the Atlantic Ocean. Previously inhabited by Pygmy and then Bantu-speaking peoples, the region was visited by the Portuguese in 1472 and settled by the French in 1841. It became part of French Equatorial Africa in 1910 and achieved independence in 1960. Libreville is the capital and the largest city. Population: 1,450,000. |