The city of Moanda in Gabon is a rnining and industrial aty because of the implication of the COMILOG in
its creation and its development. The intensification of extraction and the amval of workers forced the
extension of exisüng installations and the cteation of rnissing extradion, economic and social
iriffastnidures. According to the mining city stereotype, the exhaustion of the manganese ore or the
relocation of the Company would sign the death sentence of Moanda. But, through the years, there was a
diversification of activities. However, it is not yet established that this diversification will ensure the
sumival of the city if the company disappears.
Also, we have to ask ourselves about the integration of mining cities in weak national urban systerns. Is
the crty of Moanda a part of the gabonese urban system or is it isolated from it? Has the city reached a
sufficient level of maturity to ensure suMval if the COMILOG must stop its adMties?
The objective of this paper is to establish the functional diversification level of the mining city of Moanda
and to replace it in the gabonese urban system. The methodology employed is divised in four parts :
review of Merature, observation, cartography of the &y and its fondions and analysis. Thus, we have
demonstratecl that the gatxxiese urban system is incomplete. At a national level, the system presents a
polaized aspect, is non-hierarcbised and extraverted. But we can say that Moanda plays a positive role
in this system. However, the city has not yet reached a satiçfadory state of fundional diversification to
ensure its durability wiaiout doubt Adually, aie city to develop beif geographically,
econornically and socially and thus increases its chan- of durability. We can still suggest that the
stability of Moanda can be reinforcd if we accept Moanda and Franwville as a conurbation.