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.

Area
Total: 267,667 km²
Land: 257,667 km²
Water: 10,000 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries
Total: 3,261 km
Border countries (3): (3) 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

Land use
Agricultural land: 8.4% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 6.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 91.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 0.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 40 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: none

Geography
Note: the country has maintained its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Population
Total: 2,455,105 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,270,023
Female: 1,185,082
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
Growth rate: 2.37% (2024 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: 63.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 56.7 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 14.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 22 years (2024 est.)
Male: 22.5 years
Female: 21.5 years

Population growth rate: 2.37% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 25.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 233 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 26.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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: 3.21 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 9.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 45.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 13.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 18.7% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 44.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 21.1% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.4% (2020 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 20.1% (2024 est.); 20.3% (2023 est.); 20.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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
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

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

National anthem
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:

Real gdp growth rate: 3.4% (2024 est.); 2.4% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3.4% (2024 est.); 2.4% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 6.2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 50.9% (2024 est.)
Services: 37.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 824,400 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 20.1% (2024 est.); 20.3% (2023 est.); 20.4% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 20.1% (2024 est.); 20.3% (2023 est.); 20.4% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $2.939 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $3.226 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 9.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $13.622 billion (2024 est.); $12.869 billion (2023 est.); $13.814 billion (2022 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, ships, manganese ore, refined petroleum, wood (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $6.094 billion (2024 est.); $5.38 billion (2023 est.); $5.005 billion (2022 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, iron pipes, cars, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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.)
Access electrification - total population: 93.5% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 98.5%
Access electrification - rural areas: 29%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 51.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 47.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources 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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.144 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 230,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.005 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 908,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

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

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 43,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 3 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 72% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 80,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

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

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