World Travel Guide - Gabon - History & Government The earliest of the present inhabitants are the Pygmies; from AD 1100 onwards various Bantu tribes began
migrating into the area. It was during this period of migration, which continued for several centuries, that the Portuguese discovered Gabon in 1472. [eng]
Gabon& - Information The first contact with Europeans was with the Portuguese in
the 1470s. During the following 350 years, first the Portuguese and later the French, Dutch and English carried on a lucrative trade in slaves. The French made
the first permanent European settlement, with the agreement of the Mpongwe ruler, in 1839. [eng]
History of Gabon During the last seven centuries, Bantu ethnic groups arrived in the area from several directions to
escape enemies or to find new land. Little is known of tribal life before European contact, but tribal
art suggests a rich cultural heritage. [eng]