CAP LOPEZ

Cape Lopez (French: Cap Lopez, formerly known as Cap Lopez Gonsalvo) is a peninsula approximately 30 kilometers long, located on Manki Island in the Ogoowe River Delta of Gabon. At a height of approximately 3.6 meters, it extends into the Atlantic Ocean and is the westernmost point of the Gabonese coast, as well as the southern boundary of the Gulf of Guinea and the Gulf of Bonny. Cape L ó pez was discovered by Portuguese explorer L ó pez Gonsalves around 1474 and named around 1480. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the slave trade was prevalent. In 1862, France and local residents signed the Treaty of L ó pez, ceding sovereignty over L ó pez to France. In 1960, Cape Lopez gained independence from Gabon. At present, it belongs to the Bangui district of the Ogoowe coastal province in Gabon, and the city of Rangthil Port is about ten kilometers away from Cape Lopez. The apex of Cape Lopez has a lighthouse. Founded in 1897, the lighthouse we see today was built in 1911 and is made of steel and copper riveted together. The purpose of setting up the lighthouse is to serve as a reference point for the entrance of the oil port at Cape Lopez, guiding nearby ships. The lighthouse has been closed for many years and there are hidden concerns of erosion and collapse. The oil port of Cape Lopez is located near the port of Gentil. Almost all of Gabon's oil is exported from here. The port was built during the French colonial rule in 1957-1958. It is constantly expanding to accommodate increasingly larger oil tankers. Cape Lopez was also the landing site of Albert Schweitzer when he traveled to Gabon for medical treatment in 1913, and then traveled upstream along the Ogoowe River to reach Rambaraine.