Franceville


Franceville is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of 110,568 at the 2013 census. 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 slaves and renamed it Francheville in 1880. The city later came to be called Franceville.

Overview

Brazza founded Franceville on June 13, 1880. The former name was Masuku. As time went on, it became known as Franceville.
Features of the town include St Hilaire's Church, a large statue of President Omar Bongo, a primate medical research institute, and a golf course. Its airport is 20 km west, in Mvengué.
There is a market where numerous items can be purchased, including clothing, fruit and vegetables, electronics, meats, and the market also sells bushmeat, which includes African Rock Python, monkey and local species of animals.
Franceville's infrastructure is overall of better quality than the rest of the country, most probably because of the city's significance.
There are a few hotels, of which the best known is the Hotel Poubara, overlooking the President's holiday home.
Franceville also has many waterfalls. One of the best known is the Poubara Falls, which is co-located with a hydroelectric plant that provides the area with constant electricity. President Omar Bongo was buried in Franceville on June 18, 2009.

Population

The population was 31,183 in 1993. The 2010 population was approximated at 56,000. Another population number is 42,967, possibly retrieved following the disputed census of 2003. Another recent estimate gives the population as 75,000.

Climate

Franceville has a tropical savanna climate. There are a lot of thunderstorms in the city.

Industry

Franceville has a cement works.

Education

Schools include:

Twin towns – sister cities

Franceville is twinned with: