THE military coup that took place in Gabon on August 30, 2023 has attracted the attention of the general public to the country, particularly the media, as both local and international media platforms report the incident in the country.
The coup which took place on Wednesday, unseated the Gabonese President, Ali Bongo Ondimba, whose family has held power for more than half a century just minutes after he was named the winner of a contested election in the country.
The ousted President had faced accusations of electoral fraud and corruption since he began ruling the nation nearly 14 years ago.
Gabon is now part of the seven African countries under military rule.
In some news reports, the country is being referred to as a country in West Africa, which can be seen here and here.
CLAIM
Gabon is located in West Africa.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by the FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.
Gabon is located on the west coast of Central Africa astride the Equator and was a French colony until its independence in 1967. The capital is Libreville.
The country shares borders with Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon on the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the islands of Sao Tome and Principe are situated off the coast.
It acquires dense rainforests and unique ecosystems containing more than 3,000 species of vegetation, including the okoumé, a hardwood tree that forms the backbone of Gabon’s timber industry.
The rainforest is inhabited with various animals such as antelope, monkeys, gorillas, numerous tropical birds, and varieties of elephants which contributes to the wildlife conservation and sustainability of the country, with a significant portion of its land dedicated to several national parks and protected areas.
Gabon is part of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) member states.
THE VERDICT
The claim that Gabon is a West African country is FALSE; it is a Central African country located on the west coast and is part of ECCAS.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].