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Comoros – 159th Country.  To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries.  Comoros is my 159th Country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read!  The Comoros is a small island nation located off the east coast of Africa, in the Indian Ocean. The islands were inhabited by various Arab and Bantu-speaking groups before being colonized by France in the 19th century. The Comoros gained independence in 1975 and has since experienced political instability and coups. The country has a unique culture and is known for its traditional music, art, and architecture. The Comoros has a mixed economy, with agriculture, fishing, and tourism playing important roles, but the country also faces challenges related to poverty, unemployment, and environmental degradation. The Comoros has also been affected by natural disasters, including cyclones and volcanic eruptions. This visit was a treat after my previous three countries in Central Africa.  This island reminded my a bit of the Seychelles without [...]

Central African Republic – 158th Country.  To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries.  Central African Republic is my 158th Country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! The Central African Republic is a landlocked country located in central Africa, bordered by Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon. The area that is now the Central African Republic was inhabited by various indigenous groups for centuries before being colonized by France in the late 19th century. The country gained independence in 1960 and has since experienced political instability, coups, and periods of violent conflict. The Central African Republic has significant natural resources, including diamonds, gold, and uranium, but has struggled with poverty and underdevelopment.  In recent years, the Central African Republic has seen the involvement of both the Wagner Group and the United Nations in the country. The Wagner Group is a private military company with ties to the Russian government, [...]

Equatorial Guinea – 157th Country.  To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries.  Equatorial Guinea is my 157th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read!  Equatorial Guinea is a small country located on the west coast of Central Africa, bordered by Cameroon and Gabon. The area that is now Equatorial Guinea was originally inhabited by various Bantu-speaking groups before being colonized by the Portuguese and later, the Spanish.  It is the only Spanish speaking nation in Africa. The country gained independence from Spain in 1968 and has since been led by a series of authoritarian regimes. Equatorial Guinea has significant reserves of oil and gas, which have been a major driver of the economy, but there have been concerns about corruption and human rights abuses. The country has also faced challenges related to poverty, health, and education.  EG is comprised of a mainland portion as well as a island where the capital resides. This [...]

Gabon – 156th Country.  To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries.  Gabon is my 156th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read!      Gabon is a country located in central Africa, bordered by Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Republic of Congo. The area that is now Gabon was inhabited by various Bantu-speaking groups for centuries before being colonized by France in the late 19th century. Gabon gained independence in 1960 and has since been led by a series of authoritarian regimes. The country has significant reserves of oil and timber, which have been a major driver of the economy, but there have been concerns about corruption and the unequal distribution of wealth. Gabon has also made efforts to promote conservation and ecotourism, due to its rich biodiversity and rainforest habitats. You might detect a theme, but my trip again was colored by an awful guide for my trip to Gabon. My trip began with [...]

Republic of Congo – 155th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Republic of Congo is my 155th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read!  The Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, gained independence from France in 1960. The early years of independence were marked by political instability and coups, with several different leaders taking power. In the 1990s, multi-party democracy was established, and the country has since made progress in reducing poverty and promoting economic growth. The Republic of Congo has significant natural resources, including oil and minerals, which have been a major driver of the economy. However, the country also faces challenges related to corruption, inequality, and political instability, and there have been periodic outbreaks of violence and conflict in certain regions. ROC is one of those many countries in Africa which have limited tourism infrastructure and supply. Meaning, there are limited suppliers and the one I used “mailed [...]