Rural population in Gabon
Gabon: Rural population was 205,177 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Gabon, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Gabon is 205,177, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.7% on the previous year and down 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Gabon peaked at 450,176 in 1961 and was at its lowest, 205,177, in 2025.
That places Gabon 164th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Gabon, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 447,764 | — |
| 1961 | 450,176 | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 449,950 | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 447,453 | -0.6% |
| 1964 | 443,060 | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 437,214 | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 430,387 | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 423,013 | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 415,580 | -1.8% |
| 1969 | 409,555 | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 405,175 | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 400,448 | -1.2% |
| 1972 | 394,370 | -1.5% |
| 1973 | 387,330 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 379,659 | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 371,635 | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 363,523 | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 355,546 | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 347,946 | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 340,990 | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 335,008 | -1.8% |
| 1981 | 330,406 | -1.4% |
| 1982 | 327,197 | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 324,909 | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 323,166 | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 321,549 | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 319,626 | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 316,918 | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 312,964 | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 307,908 | -1.6% |
| 1990 | 302,221 | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 296,477 | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 291,304 | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 287,443 | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 284,360 | -1.1% |
| 1995 | 280,923 | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 277,151 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 273,156 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 269,030 | -1.5% |
| 1999 | 264,830 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 260,650 | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 256,560 | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 252,609 | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 248,863 | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 245,433 | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 242,462 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 240,048 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 238,260 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 237,158 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 236,884 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 237,597 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 239,382 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 242,240 | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 245,862 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 244,855 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 243,178 | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 240,599 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 237,238 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 233,311 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 228,966 | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 224,170 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 218,939 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 213,314 | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 207,788 | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 206,589 | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 205,177 | -0.7% |
Gabon compared with similar countries
- Gabon's 205,177 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.53 million, 13% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Gabon's 205,177 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.41 million, 2% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 435,415 | 409,555 | 450,176 | 10 |
| 1970s | 374,662 | 340,990 | 405,175 | 10 |
| 1980s | 321,965 | 307,908 | 335,008 | 10 |
| 1990s | 282,690 | 264,830 | 302,221 | 10 |
| 2000s | 245,893 | 236,884 | 260,650 | 10 |
| 2010s | 239,323 | 228,966 | 245,862 | 10 |
| 2020s | 212,663 | 205,177 | 224,170 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Gabon
More agriculture & rural data for Gabon
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0675 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 557.95 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.6835 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0791 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 3.9% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Gabon?
- Rural population in Gabon was 205,177 in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Gabon?
- The highest recorded value was 450,176 in 1961.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Gabon?
- The lowest recorded value was 205,177 in 2025.
- How does Gabon rank for rural population?
- Gabon ranks 164th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Gabon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gabon data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.