View source for Demographics of Gabon

{{Short description|none}}
<!-- This short description is INTENTIONALLY "none" - please see WP:SDNONE before you consider changing it! -->
{{Infobox place demographics|place=[[Gabon]]|image=File:Gabon single age population pyramid 2020.png|image_size=350|caption=Population pyramid of Gabon in 2020|size_of_population=2,340,613 (2022 est.)|nation=Gabonese|official=French|age_0–14_years=36.45%|age_65_years=3.98%|growth=2.4% (2022 est.)|birth=26.03 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)|death=5.67 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)|net_migration=3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)|sr_at_birth=1.03 male(s)/female|sr_under_15=1.03 male(s)/female|sr_65_years_over=0.78 male(s)/female|total_mf_ratio=1.08 male(s)/female (2022 est.)|infant_mortality=28.56 deaths/1,000 live births|life=69.7 years|life_male=67.98 years|life_female=71.48 years (2022 est.)|fertility=3.31 children born/woman (2022 est.)|spoken=[[Fang language|Fang]] and other [[Bantu languages]]; [[Baka language|Baka]]}}

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 ratio 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 and 75% of the population of Gabon being Christian.

==Population==
[[File:Gabon population.svg|thumb|301x301px|Gabon population statistics (1950–2014)]]
According to {{UN_Population|source}} the total population was {{UN_Population|Gabon}} in {{UN_Population|Year}}, 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
.<ref name="WPP 2010">{{cite web|url=http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm|title=Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision|website=Esa.un.org|access-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Year
!rowspan=2 width="80" |Total population
!colspan=3|Population percent
|-
!aged 0–14
!aged 15–64
!aged 65+
|-
| 1950
|align=right| 469 000
|{{percentage bar|28.4}}
|{{percentage bar|64.3}}
|{{percentage bar|7.3}}
|-
| 1955
|align=right| 476 000
|{{percentage bar|29.4}}
|{{percentage bar|63.5}}
|{{percentage bar|7.1}}
|-
| 1960
|align=right| 486 000
|{{percentage bar|30.3}}
|{{percentage bar|62.6}}
|{{percentage bar|7.1}}
|-
| 1965
|align=right| 502 000
|{{percentage bar|31.9}}
|{{percentage bar|61.1}}
|{{percentage bar|7.1}}
|-
| 1970
|align=right| 530 000
|{{percentage bar|33.0}}
|{{percentage bar|59.9}}
|{{percentage bar|7.1}}
|-
| 1975
|align=right| 595 000
|{{percentage bar|35.2}}
|{{percentage bar|58.0}}
|{{percentage bar|6.8}}
|-
| 1980
|align=right| 683 000
|{{percentage bar|37.7}}
|{{percentage bar|55.9}}
|{{percentage bar|6.4}}
|-
| 1985
|align=right| 794 000
|{{percentage bar|40.0}}
|{{percentage bar|54.0}}
|{{percentage bar|6.0}}
|-
| 1990
|align=right| 929 000
|{{percentage bar|41.4}}
|{{percentage bar|53.0}}
|{{percentage bar|5.6}}
|-
| 1995
|align=right|1 087 000
|{{percentage bar|42.0}}
|{{percentage bar|52.8}}
|{{percentage bar|5.1}}
|-
| 2000
|align=right|1 235 000
|{{percentage bar|41.0}}
|{{percentage bar|54.3}}
|{{percentage bar|4.8}}
|-
| 2005
|align=right|1 371 000
|{{percentage bar|38.6}}
|{{percentage bar|57.0}}
|{{percentage bar|4.4}}
|-
| 2010
|align=right|1 505 000
|{{percentage bar|35.5}}
|{{percentage bar|60.2}}
|{{percentage bar|4.3}}
|}

Structure of the population (DHS 2012; males 19,318, females 20,636, total 39,955):
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80" |Age group
! width="80" |Male (%)
! width="80" |Female (%)
! width="80" |Total (%)
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 16.0
| align="right" | 14.3
| align="right" | 15.1
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 12.4
| align="right" | 12.4
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 12.0
| align="right" | 12.5
| align="right" | 12.3
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 9.6
| align="right" | 9.9
| align="right" | 9.7
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 7.6
| align="right" | 9.6
| align="right" | 8.7
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 7.5
| align="right" | 8.4
| align="right" | 8.0
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 7.8
| align="right" | 7.0
| align="right" | 7.4
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 6.6
| align="right" | 5.4
| align="right" | 5.9
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 5.4
| align="right" | 4.4
| align="right" | 4.9
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 4.1
| align="right" | 3.3
| align="right" | 3.7
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 3.4
| align="right" | 4.2
| align="right" | 3.8
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 2.0
| align="right" | 2.3
| align="right" | 2.1
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 2.6
| align="right" | 1.7
| align="right" | 2.1
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 1.1
| align="right" | 1.4
| align="right" | 1.2
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 0.9
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 1.1
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 0.6
| align="right" | 0.7
| align="right" | 0.6
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 0.5
| align="right" | 1.3
| align="right" | 0.9
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="50"|Age group 
! width="80" |Male (%)
! width="80"|Female (%)
! width="80"|Total (%)
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 40.4
| align="right" | 39.2
| align="right" | 39.8
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 56.5
| align="right" | 56.1
| align="right" | 56.4
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 3.1
| align="right" | 4.7
| align="right" | 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.<ref>{{cite UN WPP|2022|rows=3749:3820|cols=M,X,AE,S,AH,S,AA,AV,AI}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!
! style="width:80pt;"|Mid-year population (thousands)
! style="width:80pt;"|Live births (thousands)
! style="width:80pt;"|Deaths (thousands)
! style="width:80pt;"|Natural change (thousands)
! style="width:80pt;"|Crude birth rate (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|Crude death rate (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|Natural change (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[Total fertility rate]] (TFR)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[Infant mortality]] (per 1000 live births)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[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
|style="color:blue"|  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
|style="color:blue"|39.0
|13.2
|25.9
|style="color:blue"|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
|style="color:blue"|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
|style="color:blue"|  53
|27.7
|style="color:blue"|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
|
|
|-
|}

===Demographic and Health Surveys===
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=6&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk=|title=MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys|website=Microdata.worldbank.org|access-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! colspan=2| Total
! colspan=2| Urban
! colspan=2| Rural
|-
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
|-
| 2000
| style="text-align:right;"| 33.1
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.3 (3.5)
| style="text-align:right;"| 33.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.9 (3.2)
| style="text-align:right;"| 32.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.7 (4.7)
|-
| 2012
| style="text-align:right;"| 33.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.1 (3.2)
| style="text-align:right;"| 33.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.9 (3.0)
| style="text-align:right;"| 33.4
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.1 (4.6)
|-
| 2019–2021
| style="text-align:right;"| 31.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.9 (3.2)
| style="text-align:right;"| 31.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.8 (3.1)
| style="text-align:right;"| 28.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.4 (4.1)
|-
|}
{{Chart|definition=Gabon Total Population.chart|data=Gabon Total Population.tab|Width=450}}
{{Chart|definition=Gabon Population Change.chart|data=Gabon Population Change.tab|Width=450}}
{{Chart|definition=Gabon Infant Mortality.chart|data=Gabon Infant Mortality.tab|Width=450}}
{{Chart|definition=Gabon TFR.chart|data=Gabon TFR.tab|Width=450}}
Fertility data as of 2012 (DHS Program):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR276/FR276.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926031231/http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR276/FR276.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-26 |url-status=live|title=Enquête Démographique et de Santé 2012|website=Dhsprogram.com|access-date=7 November 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:100pt;"| Province
! style="width:100pt;"| Total fertility rate
! style="width:100pt;"| Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant
! style="width:100pt;"| 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
|}

=== Life expectancy ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Period
!Life expectancy in <br /> Years<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/|title=World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations|website=esa.un.org|access-date=2018-08-26}}</ref>
|-
|1950–1955
|37.00  
|-
|1955–1960
|{{increase}} 39.00 
|-
|1960–1965
|{{increase}} 40.50  
|-
|1965–1970
|{{increase}} 44.65  
|-
|1970–1975
|{{increase}} 48.78  
|-
|1975–1980
|{{increase}} 52.91  
|-
|1980–1985
|{{increase}} 57.03 
|-
|1985–1990
|{{increase}} 60.70  
|-
|1990–1995
|{{increase}} 61.01 
|-
|1995–2000
|{{decrease}} 60.03  
|-
|2000–2005
|{{decrease}} 59.07  
|-
|2005–2010
|{{increase}} 61.34  
|-
|2010–2015
|{{increase}} 64.45 
|}

==Ethnic groups==
Broad [[ethnic groups in Gabon]] are:
#Bantu groups including four major groupings ([[Beti-Pahuin peoples|Fang]], [[Eshira people|Eshira]], [[Punu people|Punu]], [[Teke people|Teke]])
# Other Africans, notably 'forest people' (pygmy, now sedentary) such as the [[Bongo people (Gabon)|Babongo]] tribe
[[File:Ethnic Groups of Gabon.png|border|right|frameless|700x700px]]

=== 2012 Census ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Groups
! Percentage
|- bgcolor="#E6EEFF"
|'''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%
|- bgcolor="#E6EEFF"
|'''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%
|-
|- bgcolor="#E6EEFF"
|'''Other (Includes Congolese (Kinshasa), Equatorial Guinean, Nigerian )'''
|5.5%
|}
Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Africa :: Gabon — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/gabon/|access-date=2020-10-06|website=www.cia.gov}}</ref>

==Language and religion==
{{Main|Religion in Gabon}}
'''Religions''' include Roman Catholic 43.5%, Protestant and other Christian 36%, Muslim 10%, animist 3.3%, other 6%, and none 1.2% (2020 figures).<ref>[https://www.thearda.com/world-religion/national-profiles?u=86c&u=95c The ARDA website, retrieved 2023-08-03]</ref>

'''[[Language]]s''' include [[French language|French]] (official since colonial rule), [[Fang language|Fang]], [[Myene language|Myene]], the [[Teke languages|Teke]] group, [[Punu language|Punu]], and [[Njebi language|Njebi]].

According to research conducted in 2011 at the University of Western Cape:

{{blockquote|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).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ndinga-Koumba-Binza |first=Hugues Steve |title=From foreign to national: a review of the status of French in Gabon |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267327159 |journal=University of the Western Cape}}</ref>}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Demographics of Gabon}}
{{Reflist}}

'''Attribution:'''
*{{CIA World Factbook|year=2006}}

{{Ethnic groups in Gabon}}
{{Africa in topic|Demographics of}}
{{Gabon topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Gabon}}
[[Category:Demographics of Gabon| ]]
[[Category:Society of Gabon]]