Franceville
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Franceville Masuku |
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|---|---|
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 Franceville
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| Coordinates: 1°38′S 13°35′E / 1.633°S 13.583°E | |
| Country |
 Gabon
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| Province | Haut-Ogooué Province |
| Department | Mpassa Department |
| Population (2013 census) | |
| • Total | 110,568 |
Franceville is one of the four largest cities in Gabon, with a population of around 110,568 (2013 census) 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 slaves and renamed it "Francheville" (meaning "city of the freed" in French) in 1880. The city later came to be called Franceville.
Franceville was founded by Brazza 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 (built in 1899), a large statue of President Omar Bongo (who was born in Franceville), and a primate medical research institute. The town also has a golf course, while its airport lies 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.
The infrastructure of Franceville 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, which provides the area with constant electricity. President of Gabon Omar Bongo was buried in Franceville on June 18, 2009.
The population was 31,183 in 1993. The 2010 population was approximated to be around 56,000 people. Another population number is 42,967, possibly retrieved following the disputed census of 2003 (alternately a 2004 estimate). Another recent estimate gives the population as 75,000.
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Wikipedia