SafekipediaDemographics of Gabon
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
Gabon is a country in Africa with a population of about 2.2 million people as of 2020. Many people in Gabon are young, with over a third of the population under 15 years old. Only a small part, about 4%, of the population is older than 65.
In Gabon, there are almost equal numbers of males and females. For every 100 females, there are about 99 males. The life expectancy in Gabon is lower than the world's average, at around 53 years, compared to the global average of 67 years.
The largest group of people in Gabon are the Fang people, making up about a third of the country's population. Most people in Gabon follow Christianity, with between 55% and 75% of the population identifying as Christian.
Population
The population of Gabon was about 2,341,179 in 2021. This is much larger than the 469,000 people living there in 1950. In 2010, many people were children, with 35.5% being under 15 years old. Most people, about 60.2%, were between 15 and 65 years old, and only 4.3% were older than 65.
| Year | Total population | Population percent | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aged 0–14 | aged 15–64 | aged 65+ | ||
| 1950 | 469 000 | 28.4% | 64.3% | 7.3% |
| 1955 | 476 000 | 29.4% | 63.5% | 7.1% |
| 1960 | 486 000 | 30.3% | 62.6% | 7.1% |
| 1965 | 502 000 | 31.9% | 61.1% | 7.1% |
| 1970 | 530 000 | 33.0% | 59.9% | 7.1% |
| 1975 | 595 000 | 35.2% | 58.0% | 6.8% |
| 1980 | 683 000 | 37.7% | 55.9% | 6.4% |
| 1985 | 794 000 | 40.0% | 54.0% | 6.0% |
| 1990 | 929 000 | 41.4% | 53.0% | 5.6% |
| 1995 | 1 087 000 | 42.0% | 52.8% | 5.1% |
| 2000 | 1 235 000 | 41.0% | 54.3% | 4.8% |
| 2005 | 1 371 000 | 38.6% | 57.0% | 4.4% |
| 2010 | 1 505 000 | 35.5% | 60.2% | 4.3% |
| Age group | Male (%) | Female (%) | Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 16.0 | 14.3 | 15.1 |
| 5–9 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 |
| 10–14 | 12.0 | 12.5 | 12.3 |
| 15–19 | 9.6 | 9.9 | 9.7 |
| 20–24 | 7.6 | 9.6 | 8.7 |
| 25–29 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 8.0 |
| 30–34 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| 35–39 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.9 |
| 40–44 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 4.9 |
| 45–49 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 3.7 |
| 50–54 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| 55–59 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
| 60–64 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 2.1 |
| 65–69 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| 70–74 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| 75–79 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 80+ | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| Age group | Male (%) | Female (%) | Total (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | 40.4 | 39.2 | 39.8 |
| 15–64 | 56.5 | 56.1 | 56.4 |
| 65+ | 3.1 | 4.7 | 3.8 |
Vital statistics
We do not have complete records of births and deaths in Gabon. The United Nations helped make some guesses about these numbers. These guesses help us learn about the population of Gabon and how it changes over time.
Demographic and Health Surveys
We have information about how many babies are born and how many children families want to have. This helps us understand how Gabon's population is growing.
| Mid-year population (thousands) | Live births (thousands) | Deaths (thousands) | Natural change (thousands) | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate (TFR) | Infant mortality (per 1000 live births) | Life expectancy (in years) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 473 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 30.2 | 24.1 | 6.0 | 3.95 | 158.6 | 39.63 |
| 1951 | 476 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 30.1 | 23.8 | 6.3 | 3.95 | 154.9 | 40.34 |
| 1952 | 479 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 30.1 | 23.5 | 6.6 | 3.97 | 151.3 | 41.04 |
| 1953 | 482 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 30.1 | 23.0 | 7.1 | 3.99 | 147.7 | 41.81 |
| 1954 | 486 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 30.2 | 22.8 | 7.4 | 4.03 | 144.3 | 42.43 |
| 1955 | 489 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 30.3 | 22.3 | 8.0 | 4.07 | 140.7 | 43.18 |
| 1956 | 494 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 30.5 | 22.0 | 8.5 | 4.12 | 137.2 | 43.90 |
| 1957 | 498 | 15 | 11 | 5 | 30.7 | 21.6 | 9.1 | 4.17 | 133.8 | 44.60 |
| 1958 | 503 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 31.1 | 21.3 | 9.8 | 4.25 | 130.5 | 45.28 |
| 1959 | 508 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 31.5 | 21.0 | 10.5 | 4.34 | 127.4 | 45.90 |
| 1960 | 513 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 31.9 | 20.6 | 11.3 | 4.42 | 124.1 | 46.58 |
| 1961 | 519 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 32.3 | 20.3 | 11.9 | 4.50 | 121.0 | 47.23 |
| 1962 | 526 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 32.6 | 20.0 | 12.6 | 4.59 | 118.0 | 47.84 |
| 1963 | 533 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 32.9 | 19.7 | 13.2 | 4.65 | 115.0 | 48.48 |
| 1964 | 540 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 33.1 | 19.3 | 13.8 | 4.71 | 112.2 | 49.05 |
| 1965 | 548 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 33.5 | 18.9 | 14.5 | 4.79 | 109.4 | 49.75 |
| 1966 | 556 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 33.8 | 18.6 | 15.2 | 4.86 | 106.7 | 50.35 |
| 1967 | 564 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 34.1 | 18.3 | 15.8 | 4.92 | 104.0 | 50.89 |
| 1968 | 574 | 20 | 10 | 9 | 34.4 | 18.0 | 16.4 | 4.98 | 101.4 | 51.44 |
| 1969 | 585 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 34.7 | 17.7 | 17.1 | 5.05 | 98.8 | 51.96 |
| 1970 | 597 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 35.1 | 17.3 | 17.8 | 5.10 | 96.3 | 52.56 |
| 1971 | 610 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 35.6 | 17.0 | 18.6 | 5.16 | 93.9 | 53.07 |
| 1972 | 622 | 22 | 10 | 12 | 36.0 | 16.6 | 19.4 | 5.24 | 91.5 | 53.61 |
| 1973 | 635 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 36.3 | 16.3 | 19.9 | 5.29 | 89.2 | 54.06 |
| 1974 | 649 | 24 | 10 | 13 | 36.5 | 16.0 | 20.5 | 5.33 | 86.9 | 54.57 |
| 1975 | 663 | 24 | 10 | 14 | 36.9 | 15.7 | 21.2 | 5.39 | 84.6 | 55.04 |
| 1976 | 679 | 25 | 10 | 15 | 37.3 | 15.3 | 22.0 | 5.46 | 82.4 | 55.57 |
| 1977 | 695 | 26 | 10 | 16 | 37.7 | 15.0 | 22.7 | 5.52 | 80.3 | 56.09 |
| 1978 | 712 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 38.0 | 14.6 | 23.4 | 5.57 | 78.2 | 56.66 |
| 1979 | 730 | 28 | 10 | 17 | 38.2 | 14.3 | 23.9 | 5.61 | 76.1 | 57.05 |
| 1980 | 749 | 29 | 11 | 18 | 38.5 | 14.0 | 24.5 | 5.66 | 74.1 | 57.45 |
| 1981 | 769 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 38.9 | 13.8 | 25.1 | 5.73 | 72.2 | 57.82 |
| 1982 | 790 | 31 | 11 | 20 | 38.9 | 13.5 | 25.4 | 5.74 | 70.3 | 58.11 |
| 1983 | 811 | 32 | 11 | 21 | 39.0 | 13.2 | 25.9 | 5.76 | 68.6 | 58.60 |
| 1984 | 833 | 32 | 11 | 22 | 38.9 | 12.9 | 26.0 | 5.73 | 67.0 | 58.89 |
| 1985 | 856 | 33 | 11 | 22 | 38.8 | 12.5 | 26.3 | 5.71 | 65.5 | 59.31 |
| 1986 | 880 | 34 | 11 | 23 | 38.7 | 12.3 | 26.4 | 5.69 | 64.1 | 59.64 |
| 1987 | 905 | 35 | 11 | 24 | 38.7 | 12.0 | 26.7 | 5.67 | 62.9 | 59.89 |
| 1988 | 930 | 36 | 11 | 25 | 38.5 | 11.8 | 26.6 | 5.62 | 61.8 | 60.01 |
| 1989 | 957 | 36 | 11 | 25 | 38.1 | 11.6 | 26.5 | 5.55 | 60.8 | 60.27 |
| 1990 | 983 | 37 | 11 | 26 | 37.6 | 11.4 | 26.2 | 5.46 | 60.0 | 60.31 |
| 1991 | 1 010 | 38 | 11 | 26 | 37.2 | 11.3 | 26.0 | 5.37 | 59.3 | 60.40 |
| 1992 | 1 037 | 38 | 11 | 27 | 36.8 | 11.1 | 25.8 | 5.29 | 58.6 | 60.55 |
| 1993 | 1 065 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 36.4 | 10.9 | 25.5 | 5.19 | 58.1 | 60.72 |
| 1994 | 1 094 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 35.6 | 10.8 | 24.8 | 5.04 | 57.7 | 60.70 |
| 1995 | 1 122 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 34.8 | 10.6 | 24.2 | 4.88 | 57.3 | 60.70 |
| 1996 | 1 151 | 39 | 12 | 27 | 34.2 | 10.5 | 23.7 | 4.74 | 57.0 | 60.61 |
| 1997 | 1 180 | 40 | 12 | 28 | 34.0 | 10.4 | 23.6 | 4.66 | 56.6 | 60.66 |
| 1998 | 1 210 | 41 | 12 | 28 | 33.8 | 10.3 | 23.5 | 4.58 | 56.1 | 60.79 |
| 1999 | 1 241 | 42 | 13 | 29 | 33.5 | 10.2 | 23.3 | 4.50 | 55.4 | 60.85 |
| 2000 | 1 273 | 43 | 13 | 30 | 33.5 | 10.0 | 23.5 | 4.47 | 54.7 | 61.07 |
| 2001 | 1 307 | 43 | 13 | 31 | 33.3 | 9.8 | 23.4 | 4.42 | 53.8 | 61.27 |
| 2002 | 1 342 | 44 | 13 | 31 | 33.1 | 9.8 | 23.3 | 4.36 | 52.9 | 61.29 |
| 2003 | 1 378 | 45 | 13 | 32 | 32.9 | 9.5 | 23.3 | 4.30 | 51.8 | 61.67 |
| 2004 | 1 417 | 46 | 13 | 33 | 32.8 | 9.4 | 23.4 | 4.25 | 50.6 | 61.84 |
| 2005 | 1 458 | 48 | 14 | 34 | 32.7 | 9.3 | 23.4 | 4.21 | 49.4 | 61.96 |
| 2006 | 1 503 | 49 | 14 | 35 | 32.7 | 9.1 | 23.6 | 4.17 | 48.2 | 62.38 |
| 2007 | 1 550 | 50 | 14 | 37 | 32.7 | 8.9 | 23.8 | 4.14 | 46.8 | 62.62 |
| 2008 | 1 600 | 52 | 14 | 38 | 32.7 | 8.7 | 24.0 | 4.12 | 45.4 | 63.08 |
| 2009 | 1 654 | 54 | 14 | 40 | 33.0 | 8.6 | 24.4 | 4.14 | 43.9 | 63.30 |
| 2010 | 1 711 | 57 | 14 | 42 | 33.2 | 8.3 | 24.9 | 4.15 | 42.4 | 63.90 |
| 2011 | 1 773 | 59 | 14 | 44 | 33.2 | 8.2 | 25.0 | 4.15 | 41.0 | 64.05 |
| 2012 | 1 837 | 60 | 14 | 45 | 32.7 | 7.9 | 24.8 | 4.09 | 39.7 | 64.59 |
| 2013 | 1 902 | 61 | 15 | 46 | 32.2 | 7.8 | 24.4 | 4.02 | 38.4 | 64.78 |
| 2014 | 1 967 | 62 | 15 | 47 | 31.6 | 7.7 | 24.0 | 3.95 | 37.0 | 64.97 |
| 2015 | 2 029 | 63 | 15 | 48 | 31.0 | 7.4 | 23.6 | 3.92 | 35.6 | 65.46 |
| 2016 | 2 086 | 63 | 15 | 48 | 30.4 | 7.2 | 23.1 | 3.92 | 33.8 | 65.80 |
| 2017 | 2 140 | 64 | 15 | 48 | 29.7 | 7.1 | 22.7 | 3.91 | 32.6 | 66.19 |
| 2018 | 2 192 | 64 | 15 | 48 | 29.0 | 7.0 | 22.0 | 3.91 | 31.6 | 66.31 |
| 2019 | 2 243 | 64 | 15 | 48 | 28.4 | 6.9 | 21.5 | 3.88 | 30.9 | 66.60 |
| 2020 | 2 295 | 69 | 16 | 53 | 29.5 | 6.8 | 22.7 | 3.83 | 30.4 | 67.1 |
| 2021 | 2 350 | 69 | 16 | 53 | 28.9 | 6.8 | 22. | 3.78 | 29.4 | 67.1 |
| 2022 | 2 404 | 69 | 16 | 53 | 28.3 | 6.5 | 21.8 | 3.71 | 28.4 | 67.7 |
| 2023 | 2 458 | 69 | 16 | 53 | 27.7 | 6.3 | 21.4 | 3.65 | 27.5 | 68.3 |
| 2024 | 27.1 | 6.2 | 20.9 | 3.59 | ||||||
| 2025 | 26.6 | 6.2 | 20.5 | 3.54 | ||||||
| Year | Total | Urban | Rural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | |
| 2000 | 33.1 | 4.3 (3.5) | 33.3 | 3.9 (3.2) | 32.4 | 5.7 (4.7) |
| 2012 | 33.3 | 4.1 (3.2) | 33.2 | 3.9 (3.0) | 33.4 | 6.1 (4.6) |
| 2019–2021 | 31.3 | 3.9 (3.2) | 31.6 | 3.8 (3.1) | 28.9 | 5.4 (4.1) |
| Province | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libreville/Port-Gentil | 3.5 | 9.3 | 4.4 |
| Estuaire (except Libreville) | 4.1 | 8.6 | 5.2 |
| Haut-Ogooué | 4.9 | 10.3 | 5.8 |
| Moyen-Ogooué | 4.9 | 8.9 | 5.4 |
| Ngounié | 5.7 | 10.9 | 6.0 |
| Nyanga | 5.7 | 10.7 | 6.2 |
| Ogooué Maritime (except Port-Gentil) | 4.8 | 9.8 | 4.6 |
| Ogooué-Ivindo | 6.7 | 14.0 | 6.6 |
| Ogooué-Lolo | 5.3 | 11.3 | 5.9 |
| Woleu-N’tem | 5.0 | 9.8 | 4.7 |
| Period | Life expectancy in Years |
|---|---|
| 1950–1955 | 37.00 |
| 1955–1960 |  39.00 |
| 1960–1965 | 40.50 |
| 1965–1970 | 44.65 |
| 1970–1975 | 48.78 |
| 1975–1980 | 52.91 |
| 1980–1985 | 57.03 |
| 1985–1990 | 60.70 |
| 1990–1995 | 61.01 |
| 1995–2000 |  60.03 |
| 2000–2005 | 59.07 |
| 2005–2010 | 61.34 |
| 2010–2015 | 64.45 |
Life expectancy
Ethnic groups
Gabon has many different groups of people. The biggest groups are from the Bantu people, like the Fang, Eshira, Punu, and Teke. There are also other African groups, such as the Babongo tribe, who lived in the forests.
2012 Census
| Groups | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Gabonese-born | 80.1% |
| Fang | 23.2% |
| Shira-Punu/Vili | 18.9% |
| Nzabi-Duma | 11.3% |
| Mbede-Teke | 6.9% |
| Myene | 5% |
| Kola-Kele | 4.9% |
| Okande-Tsogo | 2.1% |
| Pygmy | 0.3% |
| Other Gabonese Groups | 7.5% |
| Other | 19.9% |
| Cameroonian | 4.6% |
| Malian | 2.4% |
| Beninese | 2.1% |
| Acquired Gabonese Nationality | 1.6% |
| Togolese | 1.6% |
| Senegalese | 1.1% |
| Congolese (Brazzaville) | 1% |
| Other (Includes Congolese (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinean, Nigerian ) | 5.5% |
Language and religion
Main article: Religion in Gabon
People in Gabon have many different religions. Most are Christian, with many being Roman Catholic or Protestant. Some are Muslim, and a few practice animist beliefs. Others have different religions or none at all.
The main language in Gabon is French. Other languages spoken there are Fang, Myene, Teke, Punu, and Njebi.
In cities, many young people grow up speaking French first. This is because families with parents from different backgrounds often use French at home. As cities grow, people from different places meet more often.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Demographics of Gabon, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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