Libreville (population 578,156 January 1, 2005)'s the capital and largest city of Gabon. The city's a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. History The area was inhabited by the Mpongwé tribe long before the French acquired the land in 1839. In 1846, L'Elizia, a Brazilian ship carrying slaves for sale, was captured by the French navy near Loango. The slaves were freed and founded Libreville (French for "Freetown") in 1848. It was the chi… (More on Libreville)