Capital

Gabun

name: Libreville

geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: original site settled by freed slaves and the name means "free town" in French; named in imitation of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone

Citizenship

Gabun

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Gabon

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Legal system

Gabun

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

Suffrage

Gabun

18 years of age; universal

Area

Gabun

total: 267,667 sq km

land: 257,667 sq km

water: 10,000 sq km

Land use

Gabun

agricultural land: 19% (2018 est.)

arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 17.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 81% (2018 est.)

other: 0% (2018 est.)

Location

Gabun

Central Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator, between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Age structure

Gabun

0-14 years: 35.04% (male 424,741/female 415,342)

15-64 years: 60.76% (male 765,729/female 690,931)

65 years and over: 4.2% (2023 est.) (male 50,920/female 49,705)

Birth rate

Gabun

25.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Gabun

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Gabun

French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Life expectancy at birth

Gabun

total population: 70 years (2023 est.)

male: 68.3 years

female: 71.8 years

Major urban areas - population

Gabun

870,000 LIBREVILLE (capital) (2023)

Median age

Gabun

total: 21.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 22.2 years

female: 21.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Gabun

19.6 years (2012 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Net migration rate

Gabun

3.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Gabun

the relatively small population is spread in pockets throughout the country; the largest urban center is the capital of Libreville, located along the Atlantic coast in the northwest as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Gabun

2.39% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Gabun

3.26 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Gabun

urban population: 91% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Gabun

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Gabun

-1.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Gabun

3.2% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Gabun

718,400 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Gabun

33.4% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Gabun

22.26% (2021 est.)

21.97% (2020 est.)

20.74% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Gabun

62.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

64.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Gabun

1.18% (2020 est.)

2.46% (2019 est.)

4.75% (2018 est.)

Exports

Gabun

$10.8 billion (2019 est.)

$9.533 billion (2018 est.)

$9.145 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - partners

Gabun

China 63%, Singapore 5% (2019)

Imports

Gabun

$5.02 billion (2019 est.)

$4.722 billion (2018 est.)

$4.749 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - partners

Gabun

France 22%, China 17%, Belgium 6%, United States 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Airports

Gabun

44 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Gabun

total: 44,607 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Gabun

total: 1.656 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 72% (2021 est.)

Railways

Gabun

total: 649 km (2014)

standard gauge: 649 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Roadways

Gabun

total: 14,300 km (2001)

paved: 900 km (2001)

unpaved: 13,400 km (2001)

Telephones - fixed lines

Gabun

total subscriptions: 31,708 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Gabun

total subscriptions: 3,144,609 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 134 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Gabun

1,600 km (2010) (310 km on Ogooue River)

Disputes - international

Gabun

dispute with Equatorial Guinea over Mbane Island and lesser islands in the Corisco Bay submitted to ICJ in 2016