The National Day of Gabon is on the 17th August (Independence from France 1960) (French National Day). It is also known as Gabonese Independence Day and marks the country’s independence from France in 1960. Gabonese people celebrate their Gabonese sovereignty as well as the progress made since independence.
National Day of Gabon
In 1958, a new French constitution was introduced that granted more autonomy to France’s colonies. This new constitution allowed each colony to choose between two options: to remain part of the French Union with greater autonomy or to become fully independent. See the list of these countries under the article on the of National Day of Niger as it is explained much better under that article.
Likewise in Gabon they held a referendum in 1958 and as expected the majority of the Gabonese people voted to remain part of the French Union. However, in 1960, a new referendum was held, and this time, the majority voted for independence. This led to negotiations between Gabon and France (National Day of France), and on the 17th August 1960, Gabon officially became an independent country.
After gaining independence, Gabon established a one-party state under the leadership of President Leon M’ba, who had been a prominent politician in the colonial government. Gabon maintained close ties with France, and French remained the official language of the country.
Likewise see the National Day of Gambia as well as the National Day of Myanmar as well as the Bahrain National Day.
Public Holidays in Gabon
Here are the public holidays in Gabon:
- New Year’s Day – January 1st
- Women’s Day – March 8th
- Easter Monday – varies (usually in March or April)
- Labour Day – May 1st
- Ascension Day – varies (usually in May)
- Whit Monday – varies (usually in May or June)
- Eid al-Fitr – varies (celebrating the end of Ramadan)
- Independence Day – August 17th
- Assumption Day – August 15th
- Eid al-Adha – varies (celebrating the end of Hajj)
- All Saints’ Day – November 1st
- National Day of Mourning and Remembrance – November 30th
- Christmas Day – December 25th
Please note that the dates of some holidays, such as Easter and Eid, vary.
