Capital of Gabon: Libreville — Facts & 5-Question Quiz
The capital of Gabon is Libreville. Gabon sits in Africa, has a population of 2,388,992, and uses the XAF. Official languages include French.
Quick facts
- Capital: Libreville
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~2,388,992
- Area: 267,668 km²
- Population density: 8.9 people per km²
- Official language: French
- Currency: XAF
- ISO code: GA
How big is Gabon?
By population, Gabon ranks 144th in the world, holding roughly 0.03% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 76th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Gabon has 8.9 people per square kilometre, which is about 6.7 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Gabon is the 44th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Gabon in population are Lesotho (2,305,825) and Namibia (2,567,012).
By land area, its closest counterparts are New Zealand (268,021 km²) and Burkina Faso (272,967 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.
The XAF is not unique to Gabon — it is also used by Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad and Congo, and 1 other. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
How to remember Gabon
Libreville is French for 'free town'. Read Gabon's flag from top to bottom like a map from the inside out: green forest, the yellow line of the equator, then the blue Atlantic.
The flag of Gabon: green, yellow and blue
🇬🇦 The flag is three horizontal stripes of green, yellow and blue. Green stands for the forests, yellow for the equator and the sun, and blue for the sea.
Region and neighbours
Gabon is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, lying on the equator. It shares land borders with 3 countries: Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Congo.
- Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶 — capital Malabo
- Cameroon 🇨🇲 — capital Yaoundé
- Congo 🇨🇬 — capital Brazzaville
Three facts about Gabon
- The equator runs through Gabon.
- Rainforest covers most of the country, and the Lopé National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Libreville was founded in 1849 as a settlement for people freed from a slave ship, which is how it got its name.
Sources: Wikipedia: Gabon, Wikipedia: Flag of Gabon, Wikipedia: Libreville, CIA World Factbook.
Quiz yourself on Gabon
- African capitals quiz — match Gabon to Libreville
- African flags quiz — spot the Gabon flag among its neighbours
Gabon capital quiz
What is the capital of Gabon 🇬🇦?
- Moroni
- Lusaka
- Libreville
- Conakry
Show answer
Libreville
What is the capital of Lesotho 🇱🇸?
- Porto-Novo
- Dakar
- Maseru
- Rabat
Show answer
Maseru
What is the capital of Namibia 🇳🇦?
- Windhoek
- Port Louis
- Nouakchott
- Kinshasa
Show answer
Windhoek
What is the capital of Botswana 🇧🇼?
- Cairo
- Porto-Novo
- Gaborone
- Tunis
Show answer
Gaborone
What is the capital of Gambia 🇬🇲?
- Banjul
- Antananarivo
- Brazzaville
- Niamey
Show answer
Banjul
Gabon in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Gabon belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Gabon.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Gabon?
The capital of Gabon is Libreville.
What is the population of Gabon?
About 2,388,992, making it the 144th most populous country in the world.
How big is Gabon?
267,668 square kilometres, ranking 76th by land area, at a density of 8.9 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Gabon use?
The XAF, shared with 5 other countries.
What are the colours of the Gabon flag?
The flag of Gabon is three horizontal stripes of green, yellow and blue. Green stands for the forests, yellow for the equator and the sun, and blue for the sea.
Which countries border Gabon?
Gabon shares land borders with Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Congo.
How can I remember the capital of Gabon?
Libreville is French for 'free town'. Read Gabon's flag from top to bottom like a map from the inside out: green forest, the yellow line of the equator, then the blue Atlantic.
More capitals to learn
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