Flag of Gabon
Africa 2.6M people Capital: Libreville Currency: Central African CFA franc (Fr) Language: French Time: UTC+01:00

Moving to GabonShare

Gabon is a solid destination for global professionals, featuring a moderate tax burden of 15.1%. It hosts a vibrant and diverse expat community, notably drawing a significant number of residents from Equatorial Guinea.

Lifestyle & Vibe

Gabon experienced a military coup in August 2023, and while the transitional military government has maintained relative stability in Libreville, the political situation remains uncertain and the country is not a recommended destination for independent remote workers. The cost of living in Libreville is disproportionately high for the region due to oil-economy pricing, internet infrastructure is limited and expensive, and the expat community consists almost entirely of oil and mining industry workers. There is no digital nomad visa, no co-working ecosystem, and daily logistics — from power reliability to banking access for foreigners — present consistent friction. Gabon is not a viable remote work destination under current political and infrastructure conditions.

Unbiased Relocation & Lifestyle Assessment

Digital Freedom & Remote Work

Censorship and network interference data is currently being collected for Gabon.

Society & Demographics

In Gabon, the population is predominantly male with 50.76% of the populace being men and 49.24% women, reflecting a slight male majority. The country has achieved significant internet penetration with 68.72% of its residents using the internet, highlighting a modern digital presence. With an urbanization rate of 91.86%, Gabon is largely a city-dwelling society, while its GINI index of 38.00 indicates moderate income inequality. Notably, only 25.51% of women hold parliamentary seats, signaling room for improvement in gender representation in politics.

Gender Distribution

Male 50.7%
Female 49.3%

Connectivity

68.7 %

Internet Users

🏆 Top: 100.0% (Bahrain)

Language

-- / 800

EF English Proficiency

🏆 Top: 624 (Netherlands)

Inequality

38.0 / 100

GINI Index (Lower = more equal)

🏆 Top: 23.8 (Slovakia)

Equality

25.5 %

Women in Parliament

🏆 Top: 63.8% (Rwanda)

Aging Society

4.1 %

Population over 65 years old

Urbanization

92.1 %

People living in cities

🏆 Top: 100.0% (Bahrain)

Migration

+1,116

Net Migration (5-yr total)

🏆 Top: +1,702,358 (Ukraine)

Education Spending

13.6% of GDP

UNESCO Data. Indicates focus on public schooling.

🏆 Top: 31.9% (Mauritania)
Insights based on World Bank and UNESCO Data

Quality of Life

The quality of life in Gabon is moderately satisfactory as indicated by a Happiness Score of 5.1670 out of 10, reflecting mixed levels of contentment among its residents. While the country’s life expectancy stands at 65.0900 years and it has an adequate ratio of medical doctors (5.2100 per 10k people), challenges persist with a universal health coverage index of only 48.0000, suggesting room for improvement in healthcare access. Additionally, factors like the obesity rate at 22.6700% and an average working week of 46.31 hours may impact overall well-being, alongside air quality measured by PM2.5 levels at 29.9500 µg/m³, which indicates moderate pollution.

Life Expectancy
65.1 yrs
🏆 Top: 84.5 yrs (Japan)
Care Access
5.2 / 10k
🏆 Top: 86.1 (Monaco)
Health Coverage
48.0 / 100

Universal Health Coverage Index

🏆 Top: 92.0 (Canada)
Obesity Rate
22.7 %
🏆 Top: 2.4% (Vietnam)
Happiness Score
5.17 / 10
🏆 Top: 7.76 (Finland)
Working Hours
46.3 hrs/wk
🏆 Top: 24.4 hrs (Vanuatu)
Paid Annual Leave
20 days
🏆 Top: 31 days (Andorra)
Public Holidays
14 days
🏆 Top: 27 days (Cambodia)
Air Quality
31.3 µg/m³
🏆 Top: 1.6 µg/m³ (Greenland)

Safety - Homicides

--per 100k

World Bank Crime Data. Lower is safer.

🏆 Top: 0.1 (Qatar)
Insights based on World Happiness Report, ILOSTAT, Wikipedia, and World Bank Data.

Economic Freedom & Business Climate

The Gabonese economy presents a mixed picture with both challenges and opportunities. With an inflation rate of 1.1700% and unemployment standing at 20.1500%, there is significant room for improvement in job creation and price stability. The overall economic freedom score of 56.6000 suggests that while Gabon has a favorable business environment, particularly in monetary and trade freedoms, it faces substantial obstacles related to property rights, judicial effectiveness, and government integrity. Financial freedom remains the weakest aspect with a score of only 40.0000, indicating potential issues in accessing financial services and markets.

GDP per Capita (PPP)

22,218.3USD

Adjusts for purchasing power parity.

🏆 Top: $163,354 (Singapore)

Inflation Rate

1.8%

Annual CPI. Indicates recent price stability.

🏆 Optimal (2%): 2.0% (Saint Lucia)

Unemployment

20.1%

ILO Estimate. Indicates job market health.

🏆 Top: 0.1% (Qatar)
Overall Economic Freedom
56.6 / 100
🏆 Top: 89.1 (Hong Kong)
Property Rights
30.0 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Denmark)
Judicial Effectiveness
19.9 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.1 (Luxembourg)
Government Integrity
22.6 / 100
🏆 Top: 98.0 (Denmark)
Tax Burden Score
76.5 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Bahrain)
Government Spending
85.5 / 100
🏆 Top: 98.7 (Haiti)
Fiscal Health
87.9 / 100
🏆 Top: 99.9 (Kuwait)
Business Freedom
63.6 / 100
🏆 Top: 92.3 (Australia)
Labor Freedom
55.4 / 100
🏆 Top: 81.6 (Austria)
Monetary Freedom
80.9 / 100
🏆 Top: 88.8 (Bahrain)
Trade Freedom
57.4 / 100
🏆 Top: 95.0 (Singapore)
Investment Freedom
60.0 / 100
🏆 Top: 95.0 (Luxembourg)
Financial Freedom
40.0 / 100
🏆 Top: 80.0 (Australia)

Evaluated across 12 quantitative factors. Scores span 0-100, where higher scores indicate greater economic liberty, lighter tax burdens, and stronger property rights.

Insights based on Heritage Foundation, World Bank, & ILO Data

Climate Profile (Libreville)

Gabon boasts a lush tropical climate, characterized by high temperatures and varying levels of rainfall throughout the year, with the hottest periods occurring from February to April when average maximum temperatures soar to around 29.5°C. The rainiest periods are typically from October to December and January, with an average of 29 rainy days, while the dry season from July to August offers a more comfortable climate with fewer rainy days, making it the ideal season to relocate or visit for expats and digital nomads seeking a more pleasant experience. To make the most of Gabon's stunning natural beauty, it's recommended to plan a visit or relocation between July and August, when the weather is slightly cooler and drier, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 27.45°C to 27.68°C and fewer rainy days, creating perfect conditions for exploration and outdoor activities.

Jan
29 °C
min 24°29 rain days279h sun
Feb
29 °C
min 25°25 rain days248h sun
Mar
30 °C
min 25°26 rain days251h sun
Apr
30 °C
min 25°26 rain days236h sun
May
29 °C
min 25°28 rain days258h sun
Jun
28 °C
min 24°15 rain days264h sun
Jul
27 °C
min 23°8 rain days258h sun
Aug
28 °C
min 23°13 rain days254h sun
Sep
28 °C
min 24°22 rain days243h sun
Oct
28 °C
min 24°30 rain days240h sun
Nov
28 °C
min 24°29 rain days230h sun
Dec
29 °C
min 24°29 rain days269h sun
Powered by Open-Meteo Data

Political Stability & Governance

For an expat or digital nomad considering a move to Gabon, the data paints a picture of mixed signals on political stability and safety. While some years show slight improvements in governance with scores hovering around zero to positive, overall indicators suggest a challenging environment marked by persistent issues. The rule of law appears particularly lacking, coupled with high levels of corruption, which could pose significant risks for peace of mind and the smooth running of any business operations.
Stability & Violence
-0.28
🏆 Top: +1.58 (Liechtenstein)
Rule of Law
-1.16
🏆 Top: +2.02 (Finland)
Control of Corruption
-0.94
🏆 Top: +2.29 (Denmark)

Evaluated across Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). Scores span approximately -2.5 to 2.5, where higher scores indicate stronger governance, better stability, and lower corruption.

Insights based on World Bank Data

Relocation Guides & Articles

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tax burden in Gabon?

The tax burden in Gabon is approximately 15.1%, according to World Bank data.

Are people happy in Gabon?

The World Happiness Report scores Gabon at 5.2 out of 10.