11.25% of the country is protected parkland

Gabon, with an impressive 11.25 percent of the country designated as national parkland, has a spectacular array of wildlife to enthrall nature enthusiasts in its dense rainforests and open savannah. Combine that with superb white-sand beaches, rushing rivers, and ethereal landscapes, and you have an Eden-like travel experience in an unexplored part of Africa.

Gabon pledged nearly two decades ago to set aside more than 10% of its landmass for a network of national parks. To protect Africa's wildlife, the Gabonese government has collaborated closely with The Wildlife Conservation Society. There are now 13 national parks with a total area of more than 10,000 square miles. Gabon established a national park agency, Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), in 2007 to manage the network. The president then announced in 2014 that ANPN would establish ten marine protected areas covering 23% of the country's territorial waters. Authorities expanded this in 2017 to include nine new marine parks and 11 new reserves.