town, southwestern Gabon. It lies along the north bank of the Nyanga River and at the intersection of roads from Mouila, Ndendé, and Mayumba. It has regular air connections with Port-Gentil, 210 miles (340 km) north-northwest. It is a traditional market centre. Gabon's rice cultivation, introduced in 1945, is concentrated in the region around Tchibanga, and a rice mill prepares the grain for the local market. Other local crops include peanuts (groundnuts) and cassava, and there is a palm-oil mill at Moabi, 33 miles (53 km) north. The lumber industry is of growing importance, marble is processed, and iron-ore deposits have been discovered southwest of the town. Tchibanga has a government secondary school, a medical centre, and a Roman Catholic church. Pop. (1993) 14,054.