User:Nvvchar/Woleu-Ntem Province

Woleu-Ntem is one of Gabon's nine provinces. It covers an area of 38465 km2. The provincial capital is Oyem. The name of the province is derived from the Woleu River and Natem River; the former river is in Oyem and the latter forms the border between Gabon and Cameroon. The population of the province, as of 1998, was 95,271.

History
In early 20th century the regional boundaries of the province were drawn by the French. In 1912-15, the province was under the German colonial administration; the inheritance of this rule is the cocoa plantation here. The province has recorded a large influx of immigrants from neighbouring countries.

Geography
Apart from the Woleu River and Ntem River, the other rivers which drain the departments are Komo and Okano. As Woleu-Ntem is the most northerly province of Gabon, it is the only province that borders Cameroon, as well as the Republics of Equatorial Guinea and the Congo. It borders Centro Sur Province, Wele-Nzas Province and Kié-Ntem Province of Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, South Province of Cameroon to the north, Sangha Department of the Republic of the Congo to the east, and domestically Estuaire Province to the southwest, Moyen-Ogooué to the south, and Ogooué-Ivindo to the southeast.

The frontier province is bounded by Crystal Mountains in the south, the Ntem River marking the border with Cameroon in the north, and adjacent to Equatorial Guinea.

The total forest area in the province called the Minkebe Forest is a continuous forest covering an area of 32381 km2. Minkébé National Park, which encompasses an area of 7567 km2, is part of the Minkébé Forest. These forests are considered the most "intact rain forests" that remains in Africa. The Minkebe National Park is considered to be a refuge for the African country's elephants. However, in 2004 11,100 elephants were poached.

Departments
Woleu-Ntem is divided into 5 departments:
 * Haut-Komo Department (Medouneu)
 * Haut-Ntem Department (Minvoul)
 * Ntem Department (Bitam)
 * Okano Department (Mitzic)
 * Woleu Department (Oyem)

Economy
Economically the province is said to be one of the richest of all Gabon's provinces. Cocoa is a major crop of the province. Small scale rubber plantations cover an area of 13000 ha in the province.

Language
Fang, with minor dialectical differences and dissimilarities, is the sole language spoken in the province. The five variations spoken in the five departments of the province are: Bitam is the langauge in Ntoumou, Atsi in Oyem, Okak in Mitzic, Mekeign in Medouneu, and Mveignin in Minvoul.