A courier just delivered a handwritten message to your door. It
reads:
My dear friend and intrepid traveler,
After much planning, I have prepared a new and exciting challenge
for you. Called Around the World in 80
Caches!, it requires patience, ingenuity, and the
ability to handle the unexpected. In this journey, you will be
venturing into several countries, 80 in all, in search of concealed
artifacts. The countries will lead you to continents, and the
continents will lead you to the ultimate prize, hereafter known as
"The World." Based on your experience and past adventures, I am
confident you will succeed. As always, travel safe and be sure to
document your findings. I look forward to hearing all about your
grand expedition.
Your great admirer,
Jules Verne
IMPORTANT NOTE: Information in this cache will help you
solve Africa: ATW80 (GC1MGA3), a
puzzle cache tied to the related countries.
There are multiple paths to the cache. Shortest
path is Terrain 4.
Longer path is Terrain 2 and other path is Terrain 3.
Gabon (pronounced /g?'b?n/; French pronunciation:
[ga'bõ]) is a country in west central Africa sharing borders
with the Gulf of Guinea to the west, Equatorial Guinea to the
northwest, and Cameroon to the north, with the Republic of the
Congo curving around the east and south. Its size is almost 270,000
km⊃2; with an estimated population of 1,500,000. The capital and
largest city is Libreville. Since its independence from France on
August 17, 1960, the Republic has been ruled by two presidents. In
the early 1990s, Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new
democratic constitution that allowed for a more transparent
electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions. The
small population together with abundant natural resources and
foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the most
prosperous countries in the region, with the highest HDI in
Sub-Saharan Africa.[3]>/p>
The earliest inhabitants of the area were Pygmy peoples. They
were largely replaced and absorbed by Bantu tribes as they
migrated. In the 15th century, the first Europeans arrived. The
nation's present name originates from "Gabão", Portuguese
for "cabin", which is roughly the shape of the estuary of the Komo
River by Libreville. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza led
his first mission to the Gabon-Congo area in 1875. He founded the
town of Franceville, and was later colonial governor. Several Bantu
groups lived in the area that is now Gabon when France officially
occupied it in 1885. In 1910, Gabon became one of the four
territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived
until 1959. These territories became independent on August 17,
1960. The first president of Gabon, elected in 1961, was
Léon M’ba, with Omar Bongo Ondimba as his vice
president. French interests were decisive in selecting the future
leadership in Gabon after Independence; French logging interests
poured funds into the successful election campaign of M'ba, an
'evolue' from the coastal region. After M'ba's accession to power,
the press was suppressed, political demonstrations banned, freedom
of expression curtailed, other political parties gradually excluded
from power and the Constitution changed along French lines to vest
power in the Presidency, a post that M'ba assumed himself. However,
when M'ba dissolved the National Assembly in January 1964 to
institute one-party rule, an army coup sought to oust him from
power and restore parliamentary democracy. The extent to which
M'ba's dictatorial regime was synonymous with "French Interests"
then became blatantly apparent when French paratroopers flew in
within 24 hours to restore M'ba to power. After a few days of
fighting, the coup was over and the opposition imprisoned, despite
widespread protests and riots. The French government was
unperturbed by international condemnation of the intervention; and
paratroops still remain in the Camp de Gaulle on the outskirt's of
Gabon's capital. When M'Ba died in 1967, Bongo replaced him as
president, and has been the head of state ever since, winning each
contested election with a substantial majority.
Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since
independence from France in 1960. The current president of Gabon,
El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of
state in the world - has dominated the country's political scene
for four decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty
system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However,
allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in 2002-03
and the presidential elections in 2005 have exposed the weaknesses
of formal political structures in Gabon. Gabon's political
opposition remains weak, divided, and financially dependent on the
current regime. Despite political conditions, a small population,
abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have
helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous and stable African
countries.
Do you remember the year that
was made in Gabon?