Gabon is one of the hottest and most rainforest-packed countries in Africa! It’s a major producer of oil, and it’s also well-known for its amazing array of wildlife. It’s got links to France as a former colony, but as a nation, it’s more than struck out on its own over the years.
But, how much do you really know about Gabon? In this fact file, I’ll break down some of the most essential facts about the country to help top up your pub quiz knowledge, or to even help inspire a visit.
Here are some interesting facts about Gabon you’ll want to remember.
1. Gabon is its own state and has plenty of neighbours.
Gabon is a Sovereign State on Africa’s west coast. Simply put, this means that Gabon has its own government and does not answer to another power!
Gabon shares a border with Cameroon to the north, Equatorial Guinea to the north-west, the Gulf of Guinea to the west, and the Republic of the Congo towards the east and south. It has an amazing coastline that stretches for around 550 miles or 885 km!
Of course, compared to Britain’s 7.723 miles or 12,429 km of coastline, it pales in comparison… not that I’m boasting!
2. Gabon is much bigger than the UK.
For all that we might have more of a coastline than Gabon, the country is actually larger than our own. Gabon covers an area of about 267,667 km squared, which is around 103,346 miles squared. In total, the UK is over 240,000 km squared, or 92,600 miles squared!
Believe it or not, however, when it comes to land area compared to the rest of Africa, Gabon actually finishes around the mid-table! Out of all 54 African territories measured (excluding the Western Sahara), Gabon is the 30th largest. It’s just smaller than Burkina Faso, and just larger than Guinea and Uganda.
The largest country in Africa is Algeria, which is absolutely colossal at 2.3 million square km, or 919,590 square miles! That makes Algeria over eight times the size of Gabon!
3. Gabon is home to more than two million people.
Although Gabon is larger than the UK, it’s actually fairly sparse by comparison. At the last record in 2023, around 2.4 million people live in Gabon – the local people here are known as Gabonese.
Compare that to the population of the UK – where there are over 68 million people residing at the time of writing. The UK has over 700 people per square mile – whereas in Gabon, there are only 20!
4. The capital city of Gabon is Libreville.
This beautiful city can be found on the north shore of the Gabon Estuary. It measures around 65 square km, or 25 square miles, with the metropolitan area being even larger at up to 189 square km, or 73 square miles. Just over 850,000 people live in the capital – which means almost four in ten people in Gabon reside here!
Britain’s capital, London, measures around 1,573 square km or 607 square miles in total, covering its urban areas as well as the main metropolis. Its broader area has a population of 14.9 million people – believe it or not, there are over six times as many people living in Greater London than there are living in the whole of Gabon!
5. Gabon has a highly varied terrain.
Gabon’s terrain is truly majestic – and much of it is equatorial rainforest. This covers up to 85% of the total land area, which explains why the population may be so sparse compared with other countries.
There’s an incredible smattering of lowlands, lagoons, mangroves, and even mountains. Explore a little further, and you’ll find savannas, hills, plateaus – it truly does deserve to be seen to be believed.
6. The country has a tropical climate.
If you’re looking for a bit of warmth, Gabon is definitely the place to go. As the country is situated directly on the equator, it has a tropical climate. That means enjoying the warmth of the sun year-round, with quite a bit of humidity!
The hottest time of year to visit Gabon is from the middle of winter in the upper hemisphere to the end of spring (again, in the upper hemisphere). At this time of year, you can expect temperatures to reach as high as 30 °C! You can usually expect 20 – 25 °C at highest during British summers, so this is definitely a heat boost.
7. There are a few different languages spoken in Gabon.
Since Gabon was a French colony, it should come as no surprise that French is the country’s official language. However, it is also home to many other languages, such as Myene, Fang, Bandjabi, and more! However, as long as you know how to get by in French, you should be able to communicate with most Gabonese people.
In total, there’s said to be as many as 40 different languages spoken throughout Gabon that have evolved from indigenous lexicons. You’ll also find that people speak Spanish, Portuguese, and even English. However, English is spoken in the minority – so again, if you travel, you’ll do best to learn some French phrases.
8. Gabon makes its money from various industries.
Due to its incredible climate, Gabon is able to grow vast amounts of diverse natural products, such as coffee, cacao, sugar, and okoume. Its main exports are manganese, uranium, and – as one of the biggest producers in Africa – crude oil.
When it comes to oil reserves, Gabon is thought to hold around 0.12%, according to the latest data from Worldometer. However, this data was last updated in 2016! Gabon is in 35th place in terms of reserve stocks on the global ranking, while the UK is in 30th place.
9. Gabon is a reasonably rich country.
When it comes to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gabon ranks above the midpoint in the richest African countries table. At the time of writing, it ranks at around 27th place, just below Niger and above Botswana.
Much of Gabon’s wealth is largely thanks to its oil production and export, though its economy is much smaller than, say, South Africa’s, Egypt’s, and Algeria’s, all of whom take up the top three slots in the richest table (based on GDP).
That said, GDP per capita in South Africa, ranked the richest African nation, is $6,397. In Gabon, it’s $8,842! It’s ranked third on this basis, thanks to how few people actually live here. In the UK, it’s estimated around $50,000 per capita.
10. Thousands of people visit Gabon each year.
Gabon has remained a somewhat desirable travel destination for foreign visitors for some time, mainly thanks to its amazing rainforest land and its miles and miles of beaches. Unfortunately, there are no precise figures to suggest how many people from the UK visit Gabon annually, and the only figures available relating to global visitors suggest a few thousand arrive each year.
The tourism sector in Gabon is somewhat underdeveloped despite the beach locations and mountain reaches. There are also 13 national parks across the country – but despite all this, it’s thought only around 1% of people arrive in Gabon for tourism.
11. The British government advises some caution when travelling to Gabon.
If you choose to visit Gabon from the UK, the British government suggests taking some caution – and that UK nationals may be at risk from terrorism. It mentions that there are no terrorist incidents in Gabon’s recent history, but that doesn’t make it impossible.
The government also advises that there have been some tourist arrests made in the past, largely due to political instability. It’s simply advised that tourists to the country may be treated with extra scrutiny – take extra precautions.
12. There are a few rules for entering Gabon.
Gabon’s border authorities will require proof of a full UK passport and a travel visa before you can successfully enter the country. You’ll need to make sure your passport has at least six months left to cover you after your final date in the country.
To obtain a visa, you’ll need to contact the Gabon High Commission in the UK. Beyond that, you must always make sure you have a yellow fever vaccination, and that you obey customs rules.
Once in Gabon, if you need embassy support, you’ll need to contact the British High Commission Yaounde in Cameroon, which supports certain services in Gabon. Its address is British High Commission in Yaounde, Avenue Winston Churchill, Yaounde, Centre Region, PO Box 547, Cameroon.
You’ll need to make an appointment with the commission, for example, if you need to obtain travel documents.
13. There are a few ways to get to Gabon from the UK.
The best way to travel from the UK to Gabon – at least in terms of cost and travel time – is from London to Libreville, which will usually take anywhere between 12 and 16 hours from Heathrow or Gatwick, sometimes with a layover.
You can also travel to Gabon from airports elsewhere in the UK, with flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. However, these are typically not direct flights and will have connections. What’s more, flights out of London towards Libreville also seem to be the most affordable on average.
It’s wise to check online resources like Rome2Rio and SkyScanner before you travel. Both will advise you of the best and cheapest flights available from the UK to Gabon at any given time, meaning you will have ample chance to plan ahead.
14. You’ll need to exchange money before visiting Gabon.
The official currency used in Gabon is the Central African Franc, or CFA. It’s also known as XFA, and is used in five other African nations.
The exchange rate between the GBP and the XFA will vary depending on various factors. At the time of writing, for example, one British Pound is worth approximately 775 Francs. This value has fluctuated slightly over the years, but not to any dramatic extent.
Therefore, it’s well worth checking the latest and most accurate exchange rates with your bank or trusted currency processor before you travel to Gabon. Various factors, such as economic downturn and political movements, can affect the markets, so be open-minded about the prices you’ll receive.
15. Gabon has a varied history with France.
French explorers, reportedly, started to explore and seize Gabon as early as the 1800s, however, the first European visitors to reach here were from Portugal, arriving in the 15th century.
That said, France eventually launched a protectorate and would even capture an illegal slave ship before founding Libreville, which loosely means ‘Free Town’. The country only officially ‘occupied’ Gabon by 1885, taking official administrative control by 1903. It then became part of French Equatorial Africa, before gaining complete independence in 1960.
It was overseen by the République Gabonaise until 1990, when multi-party elections began. There have been a variety of political protests and coup d’etat attempts made over the years, leading to a somewhat unbalanced political history.
16. Gabon is home to some incredible wildlife.
Given the vast rainforest land consuming much of Gabon, it’s not surprising that the country is home to an incredible array of different species, flora and fauna alike. For example, its rainforest is home to various elephants, tropical birds, apes, and antelope – and there’s said to be at least 3,000 different types of plant.
Specifically, Gabon is a thriving habitat for around 200 different mammal species and more than 600 types of birds. Surprisingly, there are fewer than 100 amphibian species living here, but that may be as a result of the climate.
A truly unique wild sight in Gabon is watching buffalo parading down the beach!
17. The majority of Gabonese people are Christian.
Gabon is a predominantly Christian nation, with around 40% of those following the faith being Roman Catholics. There is a small Muslim population here too, along with Christian churches such as the Assembly of God.
Interestingly, fewer than 6% of people in Gabon are non-Christian, non-Muslim. That accounts for other religions and non-spiritual people. However, this data has not been updated in some time – though, it remains unlikely that Gabon’s Christian population will decrease.
18. It is a very young nation.
Data from 2025 suggests that the majority of people living in Gabon are younger than 30 years old. Over a third of the population is children under the age of 15, while around one in five people is aged 30 to 44.
Very few people in Gabon are aged 75 and older – around 1%, in fact. The life expectancy for a Gabonese person is around 65 years old, compared to 82 in the UK. Unfortunately, the country’s life expectancy is likely to be affected by the prevalence of diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria, and the nation is still struggling with HIV and AIDS.
19. People have been living in Gabon for hundreds of thousands of years.
Archaeologists believe to have found evidence that people were living in Gabon all the way back in ancient times – since at least the Palaeolithic Age, in fact!
Societies and peoples have been residing here for approximately 400,000 years, plus more – making it a key part of Africa’s already impressive age.
20. Gabon has been recognised by UNESCO.
Of course, as beautiful as Gabon is, it makes sense that it’s been recognised by UNESCO World Heritage! Right now, there are two sites in particular that UNESCO has chosen to protect. The first is the landscape of Lopé-Okanda, which is national parkland. This area holds incredible importance from both a natural and a cultural perspective. It received a UNESCO listing in 2007.
More recently, Ivindo National Park, too, has received a spot on UNESCO’s list. Recognised in 2021, it’s protected for being a vital habitat for several threatened species, such as the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Forest Elephant, the latter of which is currently critically endangered.
FAQs About Gabon
What is Gabon most known for?
Gabon is known for its stunning landscapes, diverse culture, and ever-expanding economy! Its economy has primarily grown due to its export of crude oils and manganese. It’s also well known for its rainforest land, and for being home to several endangered species. Two of Gabon’s national park spaces are UNESCO-recognised.
Is Gabon still a French colony?
No, Gabon is no longer a French colony. In fact, the country became fully independent back in 1960. However, as in many African countries, the currency in Gabon remains the CFA franc, and its official language remains French. They share this in common with Burkina Faso, for example.
What’s the most common animal in Gabon?
Thanks to its rainforests and savannah, Gabon is rife with incredible wildlife! In particular, you will likely come across a gorilla or two in this country! Gabon is home to many of Africa’s gorillas, as well as forest elephants, hippopotami, forest buffalo, red river hogs, and chimpanzees. Really, it’s an animal lover’s dream to visit this country!
Do you know any fun facts about Gabon? Share them in the comments below!