Gabon

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 29,099 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.)

Broadcast media

state owns and operates 2 TV stations and 2 radio broadcast 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

total: 1,313,802 | percent of population: 62% (July 2018 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: fixed-line and Internet sectors have remained underdeveloped due to the lack of competition and high prices; sufficient international bandwidth due to submarine cable systems, but monopolized by Gabon Telecom; 3G and mobile LTE services and mobile broadband available; govt. commits to XAF 150 billion in backbone infrastructure work through 2020; efforts towards new legal and regulatory improvements (2020) | domestic: fixed-line is 1 per 100 subscriptions; a growing mobile cellular network with multiple providers is making telephone service more widely available with mobile cellular teledensity at 138 per 100 persons (2019) | international: country code - 241; landing points for the SAT-3/WASC, ACE and Libreville-Port Gentil Cable fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 22,412 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.03 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 3,008,814 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138.28 (2019 est.)

Agriculture - products

cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical softwood); fish

Budget

revenues: 2.634 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 2.914 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: CCC (2020) | Moody's rating: Caa1 (2018) | Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2016)

Current account balance

-$725 million (2017 est.) | -$1.389 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$6.49 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $5.321 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Ease of Doing Business Index scores

45.0 (2020)

Economic overview

Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most Sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon relied on timber and manganese exports until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. From 2010 to 2016, oil accounted for approximately 80% of Gabon’s exports, 45% of its GDP, and 60% of its state budget revenues. Gabon faces fluctuating international prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. A rebound of oil prices from 2001 to 2013 helped growth, but declining production, as some fields passed their peak production, has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. GDP grew nearly 6% per year over the 2010-14 period, but slowed significantly from 2014 to just 1% in 2017 as oil prices declined. Low oil prices also weakened government revenue and negatively affected the trade and current account balances. In the wake of lower revenue, Gabon signed a 3-year agreement with the IMF in June 2017. Despite an abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management and over-reliance on oil has stifled the economy. Power cuts and water shortages are frequent. Gabon is reliant on imports and the government heavily subsidizes commodities, including food, but will be hard pressed to tamp down public frustration with unemployment and corruption.

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar - | 605.3 (2017 est.) | 593.01 (2016 est.) | 593.01 (2015 est.) | 591.45 (2014 est.) | 494.42 (2013 est.)

Exports

$10.8 billion (2019 est.) | $9.533 billion (2018 est.) | $9.145 billion (2017 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, timber, manganese, uranium

Exports - partners

China 36.4%, US 10%, Ireland 8.5%, Netherlands 6.3%, South Korea 5.1%, Australia 5%, Italy 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$16.064 billion (2019 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity) - real

$33.253 billion (2019 est.) | $32.161 billion (2018 est.) | $31.895 billion (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 37.6% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 14.1% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 29% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: -0.6% (2016 est.) | exports of goods and services: 46.7% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -26.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 5% (2017 est.) | industry: 44.7% (2017 est.) | services: 50.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$9,119 (2019 est.) | $9,041 (2018 est.) | $9,203 (2017 est.) | note: data are in 2010 dollars

GDP real growth rate

0.5% (2017 est.) | 2.1% (2016 est.) | 3.9% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

25.6% of GDP (2017 est.) | 24.3% of GDP (2016 est.) | 29.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% | highest 10%: 32.7% (2005)

Imports

$5.02 billion (2019 est.) | $4.722 billion (2018 est.) | $4.749 billion (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction materials

Imports - partners

France 23.6%, Belgium 19.6%, China 15.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

1.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2019 est.) | 4.7% (2018 est.) | 2.6% (2017 est.)

Labor force

557,800 (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 64% | industry: 12% | services: 24% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

34.3% (2015 est.)

Public debt

62.7% of GDP (2017 est.) | 64.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$981.6 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $804.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

28% (2015 est.) | 20.4% (2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

4.293 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

214,200 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

196,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

2 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

2.071 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

51% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

49% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

344 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

671,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

2.244 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 92% (2019) | electrification - urban areas: 99% (2019) | electrification - rural areas: 39% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

401 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

401 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

24,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

4,662 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

10,680 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

16,580 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Colorado

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

885 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 377 m | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m | highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation (the forests that cover three-quarters of the country are threatened by excessive logging); burgeoning population exacerbating disposal of solid waste; oil industry contributing to water pollution; wildlife poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

1 00 S, 11 45 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

40 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 3,261 km | border countries (3): Cameroon 349 km, Republic of the Congo 2567 km, Equatorial Guinea 345 km

Land use

agricultural land: 19% (2011 est.) | arable land: 1.2% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 0.6% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 17.2% (2011 est.) | forest: 81% (2011 est.) | other: 0% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

none

Natural resources

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

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

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

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: 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

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

Constitution

history: previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991 | amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 2011

Country name

conventional long form: Gabonese Republic | conventional short form: Gabon | local long form: Republique Gabonaise | local short form: Gabon | etymology: name originates from the Portuguese word "gabao" meaning "cloak," which is roughly the shape that the early explorers gave to the estuary of the Komo River by the capital of Libreville

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert E. WHITEHEAD (since March 2019); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe | telephone: [241] 01-45-71-00 | embassy: Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville | mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville; pouch: 2270 Libreville Place, Washington, DC 20521-2270 | FAX: [241] 01-74-55-07

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael MOUSSA-ADAMO (since September 9, 2011) | chancery: 2034 20th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000 | FAX: [1] (301) 332-0668

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009) | head of government: Prime Minister Rose Christiane Ossouka RAPONDA (since 16 July 2020) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 27 August 2016 (next to be held in August 2023); prime minister appointed by the president | election results: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0%

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue; green represents the country's forests and natural resources, gold represents the equator (which transects Gabon) as well as the sun, blue represents the sea

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

17 August 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, 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, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts: 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

Legal system

mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (102 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal councils and departmental assemblies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (143 seats; members elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms) | elections: Senate - last held on 13 December 2014 (next to be held on 31 December 2020) National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8; composition - men 123, women 20, percent of women 14%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.5%

National anthem

name: "La Concorde" (The Concorde) | lyrics/music: Georges Aleka DAMAS | note: adopted 1960

National holiday

Independence Day, 17 August (1960)

National symbol(s)

black panther; national colors: green, yellow, blue

Political parties and leaders

Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [Gen. Jean-Boniface ASSELE] Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [DIDJOB Divungui di Ndinge] Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG [Ali BONGO Ondimba] Independent Center Party of Gabon or PGCI [Luccheri GAHILA] Legacy and Modernity Party or RH&M Rally for Gabon or RPG Restoration of Republican Values or RV Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU] Social Democrats of Gabon The Democrats or LD Union for the New Republic or UPRN [Louis Gaston MAYILA] Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Richard MOULOMBA] Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean PING]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Following, independence from France in 1960, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-ruling heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential election in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries. President Ali BONGO Ondimba’s controversial August 2016 reelection sparked unprecedented opposition protests that resulted in the burning of the parliament building. The election was contested by the opposition after fraudulent results were flagged by international election observers. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the election results but ruled in favor of President BONGO, upholding his win and extending his mandate to 2023.

Military and security forces

Gabonese Defense Forces (Forces de Defense Gabonaise): Land Force (Force Terrestre), Gabonese Navy (Marine Gabonaise), Gabonese Air Forces (Forces Aerienne Gabonaises, FAG), Gabonese National Gendarmerie (2019)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Gabonese Defense Forces (FDG) are comprised of approximately 6,500 active duty troops (3,000 Land Forces; 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2019)

Military deployments

450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FDG's inventory is comprised mostly of Brazilian, French, and South African equipment; since 2010, the leading suppliers are France and South Africa (2019 est.)

Military expenditures

1.6% of GDP (2019) | 1.5% of GDP (2018) | 1.8% of GDP (2017) | 1.4% of GDP (2016) | 1.2% of GDP (2015)

Military service age and obligation

20 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 36.45% (male 413,883/female 399,374) | 15-24 years: 21.9% (male 254,749/female 233,770) | 25-54 years: 32.48% (male 386,903/female 337,776) | 55-64 years: 5.19% (male 58,861/female 56,843) | 65 years and over: 3.98% (male 44,368/female 44,381) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Gabon Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Gabon. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

26.3 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.4% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

31.1% (2012)

Current Health Expenditure

2.8% (2017)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2020 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. With a fertility rate still averaging more than 4 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.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 68.9 | youth dependency ratio: 62.9 | elderly dependency ratio: 6 | potential support ratio: 16.8 (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 97% of population | rural: 68% of population | total: 93.8% of population | unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population | rural: 32% of population | total: 6.2% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

2.7% of GDP (2014)

Ethnic groups

Gabonese-born 80.1% (includes Fang 23.2%, Shira-Punu/Vili 18.9%, Nzabi-Duma 11.3%, Mbede-Teke 6.9%, Myene 5%, Kota-Kele 4.9%, Okande-Tsogo 2.1%, Pygmy .3%, other 7.5%), Cameroonian 4.6%, Malian 2.4%, Beninese 2.1%, acquired Gabonese nationality 1.6%, Togolese 1.6%, Senegalese 1.1%, Congolese (Brazzaville) 1%, other 5.5% (includes Congolese (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinean, Nigerian) (2012)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.6% (2019 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,100 (2019 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

51,000 (2019 est.)

Hospital bed density

6.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant mortality rate

total: 30.4 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 33.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 27 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69 years | male: 67.3 years | female: 70.8 years (2020 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 84.7% | male: 85.9% | female: 83.4% (2018)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2020) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever | vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis | animal contact diseases: rabies

Major urban areas - population

834,000 LIBREVILLE (capital) (2020)

Maternal mortality rate

252 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 21 years | male: 21.4 years | female: 20.6 years (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.3 years (2012 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

noun: Gabonese (singular and plural) | adjective: Gabonese

Net migration rate

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

15% (2016)

Physicians density

0.68 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

2,230,908 (July 2020 est.) | note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

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

Population growth rate

2.5% (2020 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 42.3%, Protestant 12.3%, other Christian 27.4%, Muslim 9.8%, animist 0.6%, other 0.5%, none/no answer 7.1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 77.7% of population | rural: 51.9% of population | total: 74.8% of population | unimproved: urban: 22.3% of population | rural: 48.1% of population | total: 25.2% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.15 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female | total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.41 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 35.7% | male: 30.5% | female: 41.9% (2010 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 90.1% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 2.61% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Disputes - international

UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and lesser islands and to establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Gabon is primarily a destination and transit country for adults and children from West and Central African countries subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; boys are forced to work as street vendors, mechanics, or in the fishing sector, while girls are subjected to domestic servitude or forced to work in markets or roadside restaurants; West African women are forced into domestic servitude or prostitution; men are reportedly forced to work on cattle farms; some foreign adults end up in forced labor in Gabon after initially seeking the help of human smugglers to help them migrate clandestinely; traffickers operate in loose, ethnic-based criminal networks, with female traffickers recruiting and facilitating the transport of victims from source countries; in some cases, families turn child victims over to traffickers, who promise paid jobs in Gabon | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Gabon does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Gabon’s existing laws do not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and the government failed to pass a legal amendment drafted in 2013 to criminalize the trafficking of adults; anti-trafficking law enforcement decreased in 2014, dropping from 50 investigations to 16, and the only defendant to face prosecution fled the country; government efforts to identify and refer victims to protective services declined from 50 child victims in 2013 to just 3 in 2014, none of whom was referred to a care facility; the government provided support to four centers offering services to orphans and vulnerable children – 14 child victims identified by an NGO received government assistance; no adult victims have been identified since 2009 (2015)

Airports

44 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 14 (2019) | over 3,047 m: 1 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 30 (2013) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2013) | 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013) | under 914 m: 14 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TR (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 28 | by type: general cargo 9, oil tanker 1, other 18 (2019)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 8

Pipelines

807 km gas, 1639 km oil, 3 km water (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Libreville, Owendo, Port-Gentil | oil terminal(s): Gamba, Lucina

Railways

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

Roadways

total: 14,300 km (2001) | paved: 900 km (2001) | unpaved: 13,400 km (2001)

Waterways

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