Gabon population reaches 3.5 million in 2026 census

Gabon’s Constitutional Court has officially validated the results of the 2026 General Population and Housing Census, establishing the country’s population at 3,518,621 residents. This figure represents a significant increase from the 1,811,079 residents recorded during the previous census in 2013. The demographic data shows 1,800,129 women and 1,718,492 men, with the Estuaire province remaining the most populous region, housing over 2.1 million people.

Parallel to these demographic shifts, economic analyses indicate that Gabon’s Human Development Index (HDI) has historically been driven by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. However, this progress remains vulnerable due to a heavy economic reliance on hydrocarbons. Fluctuations in oil prices have caused significant volatility in national income, notably between 2013 and 2016. Experts suggest that economic diversification is essential to build resilience against external shocks and to ensure stable funding for social sectors such as health and education.