Moanda
Encyclopedia
Moanda is one of the largest towns in Gabon
, lying on the N3 road
in Haut Ogooué. It is also one of the most important manganese
mining
towns in the world, under the auspices of the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué (COMILOG), which began mining in 1957. Moanda has a population of around 39,298 inhabitants (2010 est.) and is the second largest city in the Haut Ogooué Region, after Franceville
. It is also a border town, lying 100 km away from the border with Congo-Brazzaville.
lying on the swamp
y banks of the Miosso River
. The discovery and exploitation of manganese in the nearby Bangombe Plateau
from 1953 led to the emergence of the city. In 1977 Moanda had an estimated 230 million tons of manganese, some one-fifth of the world's deposits. In 1959, the 75 km COMILOG Cableway
to the railway at Mbinda
in Congo-Brazzaville was constructed to export the manganese, but it was eventually closed in 1986 when the Trans-Gabon Railway
was completed. The city further grew during the 1990s owing to an influx of refugees from then war-torn Congo-Brazzaville.
in the south. Rocky formations Mount Boundinga
and Mount Moanda
lie further south.
The climate is equatorial, with an alternation of thunderstorms and hot temperatures between January and March, and cool temperatures from July to September.
in the southwest, and the Mukaba District, on the slopes of the Bangombe Plateau
.
(42 km²).
situated outside the city, north of the Bangombe Plateau
. Moanda is also home to an airfield
, and lies about 50 km to Mvengue Airport. The city is crossed by the N3 road
and is the northern end of the Moanda-Mbinda Road, which connects Moanda to Mbinda
, Congo. Moanda Railway Station
is the last stop before Franceville
, the southern terminus of the Trans-Gabon Railway
. The road to Congo-Brazzaville goes between Mount Moanda
and Mount Boundinga
.
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, lying on the N3 road
N3 road (Gabon)
The N3 road is one of the national highways of Gabon. It connects to the east of the country along the centre.Towns located along the highway include:*Alembe*Kazamabika*Lastoursville*Moanda*Franceville...
in Haut Ogooué. It is also one of the most important manganese
Manganese
Manganese is a chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. It has the atomic number 25. It is found as a free element in nature , and in many minerals...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
towns in the world, under the auspices of the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué (COMILOG), which began mining in 1957. Moanda has a population of around 39,298 inhabitants (2010 est.) and is the second largest city in the Haut Ogooué Region, after Franceville
Franceville
Franceville or Masuku is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 22,000 people. It lies on the River Mpassa and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It grew from a village named Masuku when Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former...
. It is also a border town, lying 100 km away from the border with Congo-Brazzaville.
History
Moanda was originally a villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
lying on the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y banks of the Miosso River
Miosso River
The Miosso River is a river flowing south of the town of Moanda in Gabon. It enters the Mberece River. The Miosso River banks are swampy and admit a significant fish population. The resulting Miosso Swamp isolates the Third Zone District and Rigobert Landji Public High School from the city....
. The discovery and exploitation of manganese in the nearby Bangombe Plateau
Bangombe Plateau
The Bangombe Plateau is a plateau covering 42sq.km in the north of Moanda, in the Haut Ogooue Region of Gabon. Exploitation of manganese deposits started on the plateau in 1953 by the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué .-Trivia:...
from 1953 led to the emergence of the city. In 1977 Moanda had an estimated 230 million tons of manganese, some one-fifth of the world's deposits. In 1959, the 75 km COMILOG Cableway
COMILOG Cableway
The COMILOG Cableway was one of the longest cableways in the world, until its closure in 1986. The ropeway conveyor ran for 76 km from Moanda in the Haut-Ogooué Province of south eastern Gabon to Mbinda in the Republic of Congo....
to the railway at Mbinda
Mbinda
Mbinda is a town in the Republic of Congo, lying on the border with Gabon. It is a transport hub and lies at the end of a railway line to Brazzaville....
in Congo-Brazzaville was constructed to export the manganese, but it was eventually closed in 1986 when the Trans-Gabon Railway
Trans-Gabon Railway
The Trans-Gabon Railway is the only railway in Gabon. It runs 670 km east from Owendo port station in Libreville to Franceville via numerous stations, the main ones being Ndjolé, Lopé, Booué, Lastoursville and Moanda.- Construction :...
was completed. The city further grew during the 1990s owing to an influx of refugees from then war-torn Congo-Brazzaville.
Geography and climate
Moanda lies on several adjacent plateaus lying between the higher and larger Bangombe plateau in the north, and the Miosso swampMiosso River
The Miosso River is a river flowing south of the town of Moanda in Gabon. It enters the Mberece River. The Miosso River banks are swampy and admit a significant fish population. The resulting Miosso Swamp isolates the Third Zone District and Rigobert Landji Public High School from the city....
in the south. Rocky formations Mount Boundinga
Mount Boundinga
Mount Boundinga is a sandstone rock lying south of Moanda, a manganese mining town in Gabon. It is larger than its neighbour, Mount Moanda, but lower in height. The road connecting Moanda to Bakoumba passes between the two rocks....
and Mount Moanda
Mount Moanda
Mount Moanda is a sandstone rock lying south to Moanda, a manganese mining town in Gabon. The mountain is less than 500m high but remains a landmark to the city. It lies next to Mount Boundinga, also a sandstone rock...
lie further south.
The climate is equatorial, with an alternation of thunderstorms and hot temperatures between January and March, and cool temperatures from July to September.
Divisions
Moanda is divided into three areas. The first area is built on the main plateau and its slopes and includes the commercial centre and populous districts Ankoula, Montagne Sainte and Fumier. The second area includes the most populous districts Alliance, Rio and L'Oasis. The third area is on the easternmost plateau and includes Lekolo and Leyima. Another plateau is home to Rigobert Landji High School, the largest high school in the city. Other districts include the Third ZoneThird Zone
The Third Zone District of Moanda lies south of the city of Moanda, Gabon. It is isolated from the city by the Miosso Swamp and its only connection remains the Moanda-Bakoumba road, which passes between Mounts Moanda and Boundinga and continues to the border with Congo-Brazzaville.-Geography:The...
in the southwest, and the Mukaba District, on the slopes of the Bangombe Plateau
Bangombe Plateau
The Bangombe Plateau is a plateau covering 42sq.km in the north of Moanda, in the Haut Ogooue Region of Gabon. Exploitation of manganese deposits started on the plateau in 1953 by the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué .-Trivia:...
.
Economy
Moanda is notable for being to one of the largest manganese mining centres in the world. The operating company, COMILOG, exports an average 3.5 million tons of manganese a year, making Gabon one of the three largest manganese exporters in the world. The manganese so far is exploited on the Bangombe PlateauBangombe Plateau
The Bangombe Plateau is a plateau covering 42sq.km in the north of Moanda, in the Haut Ogooue Region of Gabon. Exploitation of manganese deposits started on the plateau in 1953 by the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué .-Trivia:...
(42 km²).
Transport
Moanda is served by Moanda Railway StationMoanda Railway Station
Moanda Railway Station is a station on the Trans-Gabon Railway and the penultimate stop before Franceville Railway Station, the southern terminus of the railway. Like many stations of the Trans-Gabon, it lies outside the limits of Moanda itself, in an isolated plain...
situated outside the city, north of the Bangombe Plateau
Bangombe Plateau
The Bangombe Plateau is a plateau covering 42sq.km in the north of Moanda, in the Haut Ogooue Region of Gabon. Exploitation of manganese deposits started on the plateau in 1953 by the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué .-Trivia:...
. Moanda is also home to an airfield
Moanda Airport
Moanda Airport is an airport serving Moanda, a town in the Haut-Ogooué Province in Gabon.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level and has one runway which is long....
, and lies about 50 km to Mvengue Airport. The city is crossed by the N3 road
N3 road (Gabon)
The N3 road is one of the national highways of Gabon. It connects to the east of the country along the centre.Towns located along the highway include:*Alembe*Kazamabika*Lastoursville*Moanda*Franceville...
and is the northern end of the Moanda-Mbinda Road, which connects Moanda to Mbinda
Mbinda
Mbinda is a town in the Republic of Congo, lying on the border with Gabon. It is a transport hub and lies at the end of a railway line to Brazzaville....
, Congo. Moanda Railway Station
Moanda Railway Station
Moanda Railway Station is a station on the Trans-Gabon Railway and the penultimate stop before Franceville Railway Station, the southern terminus of the railway. Like many stations of the Trans-Gabon, it lies outside the limits of Moanda itself, in an isolated plain...
is the last stop before Franceville
Franceville
Franceville or Masuku is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 22,000 people. It lies on the River Mpassa and at the end of the Trans-Gabon Railway and the N3 road. It grew from a village named Masuku when Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza chose it to resettle former...
, the southern terminus of the Trans-Gabon Railway
Trans-Gabon Railway
The Trans-Gabon Railway is the only railway in Gabon. It runs 670 km east from Owendo port station in Libreville to Franceville via numerous stations, the main ones being Ndjolé, Lopé, Booué, Lastoursville and Moanda.- Construction :...
. The road to Congo-Brazzaville goes between Mount Moanda
Mount Moanda
Mount Moanda is a sandstone rock lying south to Moanda, a manganese mining town in Gabon. The mountain is less than 500m high but remains a landmark to the city. It lies next to Mount Boundinga, also a sandstone rock...
and Mount Boundinga
Mount Boundinga
Mount Boundinga is a sandstone rock lying south of Moanda, a manganese mining town in Gabon. It is larger than its neighbour, Mount Moanda, but lower in height. The road connecting Moanda to Bakoumba passes between the two rocks....
.