Gabon at its true size
Gabon covers 267,667 km², number 75 of 194 countries by area. Home to 2,593,130 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 267,667 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,593,130 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 9.7 per km² |
| Capital | Libreville |
| Local time in Libreville | |
| Time zone | UTC+1 IANA |
| Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) Wikidata |
| Languages | French |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Middle Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | OPEC |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +241 |
| Codes | GA · GAB · 266 |
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Where Gabon ranks
Among the independent states, in 42 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#140 of 1942.6 million people#43 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#181 of 1949.7 people per km²#49 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#16 of 19292% urban#1 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#40 of 1923.59 births per woman#37 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#41 of 192+2.11% a year#30 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#42 of 19227.1 births per 1,000 people#38 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#129 of 1926.2 deaths per 1,000 people#35 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#46 of 19236.2% under 15#40 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#139 of 1924.1% aged 65 and over#14 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#60 of 192+0.4 per 1,000 people#8 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#82 of 1900.38 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#31 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#87 of 185$8,090 a person#3 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#121 of 18469% online#11 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#88 of 184$22,218 a person#3 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#118 of 187+2.5% a year#43 of 52 in Africa
- Inflation#124 of 176+1.8% a year#35 of 50 in Africa
- Unemployment#5 of 17820.2% of the labour force#5 of 53 in Africa
- Extreme poverty#60 of 1493.8% under $3.00 a day#43 of 47 in Africa
- Income inequality (Gini)#52 of 149a Gini index of 38.0#25 of 47 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#63 of 17828.9% of jobs#39 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#90 of 17818.9% of jobs#13 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#108 of 17852.3% of jobs#15 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#100 of 1841.8% of GDP#31 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#36 of 16855.5% of GDP#5 of 49 in Africa
- Military spending#79 of 1551.7% of GDP#19 of 50 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#69 of 191125 subscriptions per 100 people#14 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#101 of 1852.05 tonnes a person#10 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#3 of 19291% forest#1 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#4 of 19091.3% renewable#4 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#131 of 19295.1% with electricity#8 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#44 of 19131.3 µg/m³#23 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#64 of 19122.6% of the land protected#19 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#169 of 1901.3% of the land arable#48 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#165 of 1760.5% of its available fresh water#46 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#39 of 1801,831 mm a year#7 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Gabon’s area, lit up on the map →
- New Zealand1.0×Gabon and New Zealand are almost exactly the same size.
- Western Sahara1.01×Gabon and Western Sahara are almost exactly the same size.
- Burkina Faso0.98×Gabon and Burkina Faso are almost exactly the same size.
- Ecuador1.04×Gabon is 4% larger than Ecuador.
- Guinea1.09×Gabon is 9% larger than Guinea.
- United Kingdom1.1×Gabon is 10% larger than United Kingdom.
How many times does Gabon fit into…
- Russia: about 64 times
- Canada: about 37 times
- United States: about 37 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Gabon shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Summits
- Mont Bengoué1,070 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Gabon. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Gabon
- How big is Gabon?
- Gabon covers 267,667 km², which makes it number 75 of 194 countries by area. About 2,593,130 people live there (2025), 9.7 per km².
- Is Gabon bigger than New Zealand?
- Gabon and New Zealand are almost exactly the same size. Gabon: 267,667 km²; New Zealand: 268,021 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Gabon?
- Gabon lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Gabon?
- Gabon shares a land border with Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea.