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Moanda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Moanda is one of the four largest towns in Gabon, lying on the N3 road in Haut Ogooué. It is one of the most important manganese mining towns in the world, under the auspices of the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué (COMILOG), who began mining in 1957.Moanda has a population of around 23,000 inhabitants.
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Moanda is surrounded by several plateaux, including the Bangombe, which is exploited by COMILOG, Mount Boudinga and Mount Moanda . The Climate is equatorial. From January to March, the weather alternates between thunderstorms and hot temperatures; whereas it is cool between July and September.
Moanda is divided into 3 areas. The first area includes the commercial centre, and some populous districts such as Ankoula, Montagne Sainte and Fumier. The second and third areas gather the most populous districts; Lekolo, Leyima, L’Oasis, Alliance, and the Third Zone, and other districts like Mukaba.
COMILOG exports an average two million tons of manganese a year, making Gabon one of the three main manganese exporters in the world. The manganese is exploited on the Bangombe plateau (42 km²).
Moanda is served by Moanda railway Station situated outside the city.
Moanda is also home to an airfield, and crossed by the N3 road.
Moanda owes its existence to the discovery and then exploitation of manganese by Comilog since 1953.
In 1959, the 75 km COMILOG Cableway to the railway at Mbinda in Congo-Brazzaville was constructed to export the manganese, but this closed in 1986 when the Trans-Gabon Railway was completed.