Time Zone |
Africa/Libreville |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+1 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Pacific/Kosrae |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+11 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Bélinga is a major mining town in the Ogooué-Ivindo Province of the northeastern Gabonese Republic, located deep in the equatorial rainforest near Gabon's border with the Congo Brazzaville. The region is known for its world-class iron ore resources, with proven reserves of approximately 1 billion tons, making it one of the largest undeveloped iron ore deposits in West Africa.
Located on Gabon's inland plateau, with an average elevation of about 800 meters above sea level, Belinga has a tropical rainforest climate with an annual precipitation of more than 2,000 millimeters. It is surrounded by the Ivindo River and other waterways, and is rich in biodiversity, but has a weak infrastructure and is mainly connected to the port of Gentil by road.
Since the discovery of iron ore in the 1960s, Belinga has been considered a strategic project for the diversification of Gabon's economy. The development of the iron ore mine involves plans to build a 270-kilometer dedicated railroad and a deep-water port, which have been repeatedly postponed due to environmental assessments and investment issues. The local economy is still dominated by traditional forestry and small-scale agriculture.
The area is inhabited mainly by the Kota ethnic group, with a population of about 15,000 people. The balance between mining development and rainforest conservation is a central issue, and UNDP has been involved in sustainable development planning, and in 2023 the Gabonese government re-launched a revised development program that takes into account ecological preservation.
Bugol is the core region of Pohnpei State in the Federated States of Micronesia, located in the eastern part of the Caroline Islands in the west-central Pacific Ocean in a tropical oceanic climate zone, with an average year-round temperature of about 27°C and abundant precipitation. As an important part of Pohnpei, it is known for its pristine natural landscapes and unique cultures, with world-class geological wonders such as Lake Namitemito (Blue Hole) and the well-preserved ruins of an ancient stone city (Nadispe), which is a crossroads of Micronesian history and eco-tourism. With an economy based on tourism, fishing, and tropical agriculture, and a population that speaks English and Pohnpei, traditional tribal cultures coexist harmoniously with modern life, and intangible cultural heritage, such as canoeing and weaving, attracts nature and culture lovers from all over the world to explore the area.