Gabon - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Gabon. A small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity. Mother's mean age at first birth is 19.6 years (2012 est.) (Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 227 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Gabon
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
Tarrain narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south
Natural Resources petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower
Natural Hazards none
Irrigated Land 40 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Major aquifers Congo Basin
Land Boundaries 3,261 km
Border Countries Cameroon 349 km; Republic of the Congo 2,567 km; Equatorial Guinea 345 km
Coastline 885 km
Climate tropical; always hot, humid
Area
Total Area
Land Area 257,667 sq km
Water Area 10,000 sq km
comparative Area slightly smaller than Colorado
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Contiguous zone 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Mont Bengoue 1,050 m
Lowest point Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation 377 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 19% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 1.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 17.2% (2018 est.)
Forest 81% (2018 est.)
Other 0% (2018 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

People and Society

In Gabon, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: 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.)

Population
Pop 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.)
Health expenditure 3.4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density 6.3 beds/1,000 population
Total fertility rate 3.21 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 1.58 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 31.1% (2012)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 49.7% (2023 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write
Education expenditures 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Net Migration rate 3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Gabonese | Gabonese (singular and plural)
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 67.6
Youth dependency ratio 61
Elderly dependency ratio 6.5
Potential support ratio 15.3 (2021 est.)
Median Age
Total 22 years (2024 est.)
Male 22.5 years
Female 21.5 years
Urbanization
Urban population 91% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 2.27% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 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.)
Infant Motality
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
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 97.2% of population
Improved: rural rural: 55.3% of population
Improved: total total: 93.1% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 2.8% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 44.7% of population
Unimproved: total total: 6.9% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 81.3% of population
Improved: rural rural: 55.1% of population
Improved: total total: 78.7% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 18.7% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 44.9% of population
Unimproved: total total: 21.3% of population (2020 est.)
Major Infectious diseases
Degree of risk very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases malaria, dengue fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: hepatitis B (2024)
Water contact diseases schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases rabies
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.)
Demographic profile

Gabon’s oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020. With a fertility rate still averaging more than 3 children per woman, the youth population will continue to grow and further strain the mismatch between Gabon’s supply of jobs and the skills of its labor force.

Gabon has been a magnet to migrants from neighboring countries since the 1960s because of the discovery of oil, as well as the country’s political stability and timber, mineral, and natural gas resources. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa. In 2011, Gabon declared an end to refugee status for 9,500 remaining Congolese nationals to whom it had granted asylum during the Republic of the Congo’s civil war between 1997 and 2003. About 5,400 of these refugees received permits to reside in Gabon.

All Important Facts about Gabon

Want to know more about Gabon? Check all different factbooks for Gabon below.

Gabon is found in Middle Africa