Gabon

Gabonese Republic

Africa Libreville

Population

2.51M

Area

267,667 km²

GDP

$20.87B

GDP Per Capita

$18,900

Pop. Density

9/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

FrCentral African CFA franc(XAF)

Calling Code

+241

Timezone

UTC+01:00

Languages

French

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Gabonese

Background

Gabon, a sparsely populated country known for its dense rainforests and vast petroleum reserves, is one of the most prosperous and stable countries in central Africa. Approximately 40 ethnic groups are represented, the largest of which is the Fang, a group that covers the northern third of Gabon and expands north into Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. From about the early 1300s, various kingdoms emerged in present-day Gabon and the surrounding area, including the Kingdoms of Loango and Orungu. Because most early Bantu languages spoken in these kingdoms did not have a written form, much of Gabon's early history was lost over time. Portuguese traders who arrived in the mid-1400s gave the area its name of Gabon. At that time, indigenous trade networks began to engage with European traders, exchanging goods such as ivory and wood. For a century beginning in the 1760s, trade came to focus mostly on enslaved people. While many groups in Gabon participated in the slave trade, the Fang were a notable exception. As the slave trade declined in the late 1800s, France colonized the country and directed a widespread extraction of Gabonese resources. Anti-colonial rhetoric by Gabon’s educated elites increased significantly in the early 1900s, but no widespread rebellion materialized. French decolonization after World War II led to the country’s independence in 1960.

Within a year of independence, the government changed from a parliamentary to a presidential system, and Leon M’BA won the first presidential election in 1961. El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba was M’BA’s vice president and assumed the presidency after M’BA’s death in 1967. BONGO went on to dominate the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). In 1968, he declared Gabon a single-party state and created the still-dominant Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG). In the early 1990s, he reintroduced a multiparty system under a new constitution in response to growing political opposition. He was reelected by wide margins in 1995, 1998, 2002, and 2005 against a divided opposition and amidst allegations of fraud. After BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power, and he was reelected in 2016. He won a third term in the August 2023 election but was overthrown in a military coup a few days later. Gen. Brice OLIGUI Nguema led a military group called the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions that arrested BONGO, canceled the election results, and dissolved state institutions. In September 2023, OLIGUI was sworn in as transitional president of Gabon.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑102.3% since 2006

$10B (2006)$21B (2024)

Population

↑68.3% since 2006

1.5M (2006)2.5M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 68.3 years

2006: 63.3 years2023: 68.3 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography19

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total : 267,667 sq km
land: 257,667 sq km
water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries

total: 3,261 km
border countries: Cameroon 349 km; Republic of the Congo 2,567 km; Equatorial Guinea 345 km

Coastline

885 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation

highest point: Mont Bengoue 1,050 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 377 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use

agricultural land

8.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.)

forest

91.5% (2023 est.)

other

0.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

40 sq km (2012)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km)

Major aquifers

Congo Basin

Population distribution

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

Natural hazards

none

Geography - note

the country has maintained its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People & Society33

Population

total: 2,513,738 (2025 est.)
male: 1,299,085
female: 1,214,653

Nationality

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups

Fang 23.5%, Shira-Punu'Vii 20.6%, Nzabi-Duma 11.2%, Mbede-Teke 5.6%, Myene 4.4%, Kota-Kele 4.3%, Okande-Tsogho 1.6%, other 12.6%, foreigner 16.2% (2021 est.)

Languages

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

Religions

Protestant 46.4% (Revival Church 37%, other Protestant 9.4%), Roman Catholic 29.8%, other Christian 4%, Muslim 10.8%, traditional/animist 1.1%, other 0.9%, none 7% (2019-21 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.6% (male 429,133/female 421,120)
15-64 years: 61.1% (male 787,480/female 711,913)
65 years and over: 4.3% (2024 est.) (male 53,410/female 52,049)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 63 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 55.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 13.9 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 22.3 years (2025 est.)
male: 22.5 years
female: 21.5 years

Population growth rate

2.35% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

25.51 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

3.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 91% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

870,000 LIBREVILLE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.6 years (2012 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

233 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 26 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 29.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 24 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 68.6 years
female: 72.1 years

Total fertility rate

3.16 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.56 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 90.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 54.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 86.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 45.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 13.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 2.7% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9.6% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.52 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 81.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 55.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 78.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 44.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 21.1% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

15% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 6.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 5.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

5.4% (2020 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

48.5% (2020 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 2.9% (2021)
women married by age 18: 13.3% (2021)
men married by age 18: 4.8% (2021)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 13.6% national budget (2023 est.)

Literacy

total population: 88.9% (2021 est.)
male: 90.8% (2021 est.)
female: 87.1% (2021 est.)

Government26

Country name

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
conventional short form: Gabon
local long form: République Gabonaise
local short form: Gabon
etymology: name originates from the Portuguese word gabão, meaning "cloak," possibly used by early explorers to describe the shape of the Komo River estuary

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Libreville
geographic coordinates: 0 23 N, 9 27 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the city was founded in 1849 by freed slaves, and the name means "free town" in French

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Legal system

mixed system of French civil law and customary law

Constitution

history: previous 1961, 1991; latest approved in November 2024 referendum
amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament; passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on Gabon’s democratic form of government cannot be amended

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025)

head of government

President Brice OLIGUI Nguema (since 3 May 2025)

cabinet

cabinet appointed by president

election/appointment process

the president directly elected by plurality vote to a 7-year term (no term limits)

most recent election date

12 April 2025

election results

2025: Brice OLIGUI Nguema elected president; percent of vote - Brice OLIGUI Nguema (Ind.) 90.35%, Alain Claude Bilie By Nze (EPG) 3.02%, other 6.63%

2016: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0%

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament
legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)

number of seats

145 (all directly elected)

electoral system

plurality/majority

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

10/6/2023

percentage of women in chamber

21.6%

expected date of next election

November 2030

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Senate)

number of seats

70 (all indirectly elected)

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

9/27/2025 to 10/11/2025

percentage of women in chamber

20.3%

expected date of next election

November 2025

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 4 permanent specialized supreme courts - Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation, Administrative Supreme Court or Conseil d'Etat, Accounting Supreme Court or Cour des Comptes, Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle, and the non-permanent Court of State Security, initiated only for cases of high treason by the president and criminal activity by executive branch officials)
judge selection and term of office: appointment and tenure of Supreme, Administrative, Accounting, and State Security courts NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed - 3 by the national president, 3 by the president of the Senate, and 3 by the president of the National Assembly; judges serve single renewable 7-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; county courts; military courts

Political parties

Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG
Restoration of Republican Values or RV
The Democrats or LD

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Noël Nelson MESSONE (12 December 2022)

chancery

2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009

telephone

[1] (202) 797-1000

FAX

[1] (301) 332-0668

email address and website

info@gaboneembassyusa.org

https://gabonembassyusa.org/en/

consulate(s) general

New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Vernelle Trim FITZPATRICK (since 26 January 2024); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe

embassy

Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville

mailing address

2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270

telephone

[241] 011-45-71-00

FAX

[241] 011-45-71-05

email address and website

ACSLibreville@state.gov

https://ga.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

meaning: green stands for the country's forests and natural resources, gold for the equator and the sun, and blue for the sea

National symbol(s)

black panther

National color(s)

green, yellow, blue

National coat of arms

the panthers represent vigilance and courage, and they support a shield with a ship and an okoume tree, which is a symbol of the timber trade; the ribbon below the shield has the national motto in French, Union, Travail, Justice ("Union, Work, Justice"), and the ribbon above the shield has the Latin phrase Uniti Progrediemur ("We shall go forward united")

National anthem(s)

title: "La Concorde" (The Concorde)
lyrics/music: Georges Aleka DAMAS
history: adopted 1960

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 natural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (m); Ivindo National Park (n)

Economy31

Economic overview

natural-resource-rich, upper-middle-income, Central African economy; significant reliance on oil and mineral exports; highly urbanized population; high levels of poverty and unemployment; uncertainty on institutional and development reform progress following 2023 military coup

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $48.045 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $46.472 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $45.363 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 3.4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 2.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $18,900 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $18,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $18,700 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$20.867 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 3.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 4.2% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 6.2% (2024 est.)
industry: 50.9% (2024 est.)
services: 37.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

33.7% (2024 est.)

government consumption

12.2% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

18.1% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

65.3% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-29.2% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, sugarcane, yams, taro, vegetables, maize, groundnuts, game meat (2023)

Industries

petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, gold; chemicals, ship repair, food and beverages, textiles, lumbering and plywood, cement

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

824,400 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 20.1% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 20.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 20.4% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 36% (2024 est.)
male: 31.1% (2024 est.)
female: 42.3% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

33.4% (2017 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017: 38 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% (2017 est.)
highest 10%: 27.7% (2017 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $2.939 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $3.226 billion (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 64.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2015: $140.996 million (2015 est.)
Current account balance 2014: $1.112 billion (2014 est.)
Current account balance 2013: $1.463 billion (2013 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $13.622 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $12.869 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $13.814 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

China 26%, Indonesia 8%, Spain 7%, Israel 6%, Congo, Republic of the 5% (2023)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, ships, manganese ore, refined petroleum, wood (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $6.094 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $5.38 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $5.005 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

France 14%, China 13%, S. Korea 13%, USA 7%, India 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, iron pipes, cars, packaged medicine (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $1.447 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $1.415 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $1.304 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $6.442 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

Coopération Financière en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

606.345 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 93.5% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 98.5%
electrification - rural areas: 29%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 785,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.173 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 584.039 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 604 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 51.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 47.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

imports: 75,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 204,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 2 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 463 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 463 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 25.995 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 22.101 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 67,100 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 3.18 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2024 est.)

Broadcast media

2 state-run TV stations and 2 state-run radio stations; a few private radio and TV stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible; satellite service subscriptions are available

Internet country code

.ga

Internet users

percent of population: 72% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 80,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

Transportation5

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

42 (2025)

Railways

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

Merchant marine

total: 87 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 19, oil tanker 30, other 37

Ports

total ports

9 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Libreville, Oguendjo Terminal, Port Gentil, Port Owendo

Military & Security6

Military and security forces

Gabonese Armed Forces (Force Armées Gabonaise or FAG; aka National Defense and Security Forces of Gabon or des Forces Nationales de Défense et de Sécurité (FNDS) du Gabon): Army, Navy, Air Force, Light Aviation, Fire Brigade; Gabon National Gendarmerie (GENA); Republican Guard (GR); Military Health Service; Military Engineering (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,000 active-duty Armed Forces including the Republican Guard and Gendarmerie (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Gabonese military has a mix of older and limited quantities of more modern armaments; suppliers include Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia/former Soviet Union, South Africa, and Spain (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2025)

Military - note

the Gabonese military is a small and lightly armed force that is responsible for both external and internal security; the military may also participate in the economic and social development work of the nation; key defense priorities include securing the country's borders and maritime domain; it has contributed to regional peacekeeping and joint security operations; in August 2023, officers from the Republican Guard seized control of the government and placed the president under arrest (2025)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 261 (2024 est.)

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