What is the capital of Gabon?
Libreville occupies 65 square kilometres on the Gabon Estuary near the Gulf of Guinea, in the north-western province of Estuaire, and is also the country's main port.
Libreville is the capital and seat of government of Gabon. Gabon itself has an estimated population of 2,593,130 (2025).
Libreville is also the largest city in Gabon, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Libreville at a glance
| City population | 703,904 (2013 census) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇬🇦 Gabon |
| Largest city in Gabon | Libreville |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (WAT) |
| Currency | Central African CFA franc (XAF) |
About Libreville
The Mpongwe people lived in the area long before the French acquired the land in 1839. The site was later an American Christian mission and a resettlement place for freed slaves, from which the French name Libreville, meaning 'free town', comes, before becoming the chief port of French Equatorial Africa.
At Gabonese independence in 1960, Libreville was a trading post and minor administrative centre of about 32,000 people. It has grown so fast since that a third of the national population now lives there.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Libreville.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Gabon?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Gabon on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.