The Demographics of Gabon is the makeup of the population of Gabon. As of 2020, Gabon has a population of 2,225,287. Gabon's population is relatively young with 35.5% of its population under 15 years of age and only 4.3% of its population over 65 years old. Gabon has a nearly even split between males and females with 0.99 males for every female in the population. In the age range of 15–65, the ration is exactly 1 male to 1 female. The life expectancy of Gabon is lower than the world average. Gabon's population's life expectancy at birth is 53.11 years while the world average is 67.2 years as of 2010. Ethnically, the biggest group in Gabon are the Fang people with over 500,000 people, or about a third of Gabon's population, belonging to this ethnic group. The biggest religion in Gabon is Christianity, with between 55–75% of the population of Gabon being Christian.
Population
Gabon population statistics (1950–2014)
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[1][2] the total population was 2,341,179 in 2021, compared to only 469,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 35.5%, 60.2% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 4.3% was 65 years or older
.[3]
Total population
Population aged 0–14 (%)
Population aged 15–64 (%)
Population 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
Structure of the population (DHS 2012; males 19,318, females 20,636, total 39,955):
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
Registration of vital events is in Gabon not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Population estimates account for under numeration in population censuses.[4]
According to research conducted in 2011 at the University of Western Cape:
"It has been noted that French is increasingly be-coming the mother tongue and the initial language of the younger generations in urban Gabon (Pambou, 1998:147; Ndinga-Koumba-Binza, 2005a:72 & 2005b:141; Idiata, 2008:85; cf. Blanchon, 1994). In fact, studies by Ntong Amvame (1984), Bouché (1998), Mbondzi (1998), Ompoussa (1998), Itembo (1999) and Mouloungui Nguimbyt (2002) have shown that pupils of various ages and grades at schools learn French more efficiently than any other Gabonese language. Idiata (2008:200 & 2009:126) has also noted that some pupils do not speak any of the Gabonese native languages at all. One of the reasons for this phenomenon (i.e. French being the mother tongue of younger generations) is cross-ethnic marriages.
"In fact, many couples of mixed ethnicity prefer French rather than Gabonese native languages as the code for better communication within the family. Children from a family of this kind have no choice but to acquire French as their first language. The children learn the language at home from the parents before they even get to school, therefore lessening the chances of learning any of the Gabonese native languages.
"This urbanisation is also to be considered as a cause for French being the initial language of Gabonese younger generations. In fact, “in certain urban contexts there is a large degree of learning by contact at an early age” (Lafage, 1993:216)."[13]
Literacy rates are as follows:
[14] definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
83.2%
male:
85.3%
female:
81% (2015 est.)
