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| Continent | Africa |
|---|---|
| Region | Central Africa |
| Coordinates | 1°00′N11°45′E / 1.000°N 11.750°E /1.000; 11.750 |
| Area | Ranked 77th |
| • Total | 267,667 km2 (103,347 sq mi) |
| • Land | 96.3% |
| • Water | 3.7% |
| Coastline | 885 km (550 mi) |
| Highest point | Mont Bengoué, 1070 m (notMont Iboundji as claimed by some authorities) |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean, 0 m |
| Longest river | Ogooué River |
| Climate | Tropical monsoon ('Am'),Tropical savanna ('Aw'); always hot, humid |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south |
| Natural resources | Petroleum,natural gas,diamond,niobium,manganese,uranium,gold,timber,iron ore,hydropower |
| Environmental issues | deforestation,poaching |
Gabon is a country inCentral Africa, lying along theAtlantic Ocean, just south of theBight of Biafra.
Gabon has a total of 3,261 km of international boundaries. It bordersEquatorial Guinea (335 km) andCameroon (349 km) to the north and theRepublic of the Congo (2,567 km) to the east and south. Gabon lies on theequator.
| Land Use | (2012) |
|---|---|
| • Arable land | 1.26% |
| • Permanent crops | 0.66% |
| • Other | 98.08% |
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Narrow coastal plain with patches ofCentral African mangroves; hilly interior;savanna in east and south. A recent globalremote sensing analysis suggested that there were 420 km2 of tidal flats in Gabon, making it the 50th ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.[1]
International agreements:
Party to:Biodiversity,Climate Change,Desertification,Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,Law of the Sea,Marine Dumping,Ozone Layer Protection,Ship Pollution,Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94,Wetlands,Whaling
The equatorial location of Gabon means that it has atropical monsoon climate (KöppenAm) and atropical savanna climate (KöppenAw), with the temperature being hot year-round and humid, although theBenguela Current can moderate temperatures.
| Climate data for Libreville (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.1 (86.2) | 29.4 (84.9) | 27.6 (81.7) | 26.4 (79.5) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.5 (81.5) | 28.0 (82.4) | 28.4 (83.1) | 29.0 (84.2) | 28.6 (83.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.0 (80.6) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.7 (80.1) | 25.4 (77.7) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.3 (75.7) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.2 (79.2) | 25.9 (78.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.1 (75.4) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.9 (75.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.1 (71.8) | 21.8 (71.2) | 23.2 (73.8) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.4 (74.1) | 23.3 (73.9) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 250.3 (9.85) | 243.1 (9.57) | 363.2 (14.30) | 339.0 (13.35) | 247.3 (9.74) | 54.1 (2.13) | 6.6 (0.26) | 13.7 (0.54) | 104.0 (4.09) | 427.2 (16.82) | 490.0 (19.29) | 303.2 (11.94) | 2,841.7 (111.88) |
| Average rainy days | 17.9 | 14.8 | 19.5 | 19.2 | 16.0 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 4.9 | 14.5 | 25.0 | 22.6 | 17.6 | 177.4 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 86 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 84 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 84 | 87 | 87 | 86 | 84 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 175.2 | 176.8 | 176.9 | 176.8 | 159.5 | 130.6 | 119.2 | 90.4 | 95.9 | 112.9 | 134.6 | 167.8 | 1,716.6 |
| Source: NOAA[2] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Port-Gentil (1961–1990, extremes 1950–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.6 (90.7) | 38.0 (100.4) | 34.6 (94.3) | 33.7 (92.7) | 33.2 (91.8) | 33.2 (91.8) | 30.8 (87.4) | 33.1 (91.6) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.0 (91.4) | 34.0 (93.2) | 35.0 (95.0) | 38.0 (100.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.0 (86.0) | 29.0 (84.2) | 26.7 (80.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 27.4 (81.3) | 27.7 (81.9) | 28.3 (82.9) | 28.6 (83.5) | 29.0 (84.2) | 28.5 (83.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.9 (80.4) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.6 (79.9) | 24.4 (75.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.7 (76.5) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.5 (79.7) | 26.0 (78.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.3 (75.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 24.1 (75.4) | 22.0 (71.6) | 21.1 (70.0) | 21.9 (71.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.0 (75.2) | 23.3 (73.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 17.6 (63.7) | 19.4 (66.9) | 19.5 (67.1) | 18.0 (64.4) | 19.0 (66.2) | 16.4 (61.5) | 16.0 (60.8) | 13.2 (55.8) | 18.2 (64.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 15.8 (60.4) | 18.2 (64.8) | 13.2 (55.8) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 247.8 (9.76) | 177.8 (7.00) | 266.8 (10.50) | 299.3 (11.78) | 150.6 (5.93) | 11.5 (0.45) | 3.4 (0.13) | 5.0 (0.20) | 31.8 (1.25) | 179.9 (7.08) | 352.2 (13.87) | 227.1 (8.94) | 1,953.2 (76.90) |
| Average precipitation days | 14.8 | 12.7 | 16.4 | 15.5 | 10.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 9.0 | 17.4 | 19.6 | 13.9 | 134.3 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 84 | 84 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 84 | 86 | 84 | 84 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 150.4 | 160.8 | 154.5 | 151.5 | 147.8 | 156.3 | 163.1 | 135.3 | 125.7 | 116.1 | 115.1 | 147.2 | 1,723.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA[3] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[4] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Lambaréné (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.5 (88.7) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.5 (90.5) | 31.3 (88.3) | 28.9 (84.0) | 27.9 (82.2) | 28.4 (83.1) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.8 (87.4) | 30.9 (87.6) | 30.6 (87.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.2 (81.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.2 (81.0) | 25.3 (77.5) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.7 (76.5) | 26.1 (79.0) | 26.9 (80.4) | 26.9 (80.4) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.5 (79.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 23.1 (73.6) | 21.7 (71.1) | 19.9 (67.8) | 20.9 (69.6) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.2 (73.8) | 22.4 (72.3) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 175.3 (6.90) | 145.2 (5.72) | 253.8 (9.99) | 212.8 (8.38) | 162.2 (6.39) | 20.9 (0.82) | 3.2 (0.13) | 6.9 (0.27) | 71.0 (2.80) | 347.7 (13.69) | 393.9 (15.51) | 172.0 (6.77) | 1,968.9 (77.52) |
| Average precipitation days | 12.1 | 10.7 | 15.0 | 14.1 | 13.8 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 5.1 | 9.6 | 21.9 | 20.8 | 12.5 | 140.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 83 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 83 | 84 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 84 | 82 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 142.9 | 145.2 | 145.1 | 143.1 | 123.9 | 74.2 | 70.6 | 53.4 | 55.9 | 70.9 | 117.1 | 129.4 | 1,271.7 |
| Source: NOAA[5] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Makokou (1961–1990, extremes 1949–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.0 (93.2) | 41.5 (106.7) | 37.0 (98.6) | 39.5 (103.1) | 41.1 (106.0) | 37.3 (99.1) | 32.5 (90.5) | 33.0 (91.4) | 35.4 (95.7) | 37.2 (99.0) | 36.0 (96.8) | 33.5 (92.3) | 41.5 (106.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.2 (84.6) | 30.1 (86.2) | 30.5 (86.9) | 30.5 (86.9) | 29.8 (85.6) | 27.7 (81.9) | 25.8 (78.4) | 26.6 (79.9) | 28.7 (83.7) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.7 (83.7) | 27.6 (81.7) | 28.7 (83.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.9 (76.8) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.3 (77.5) | 24.8 (76.6) | 23.4 (74.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.5 (72.5) | 24.0 (75.2) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.1 (75.4) | 23.5 (74.3) | 24.1 (75.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.7 (67.5) | 19.8 (67.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.0 (66.2) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.4 (65.1) | 19.2 (66.6) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.3 (66.7) | 19.4 (66.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 15.9 (60.6) | 15.0 (59.0) | 16.3 (61.3) | 16.6 (61.9) | 16.8 (62.2) | 14.2 (57.6) | 11.5 (52.7) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.0 (62.6) | 15.2 (59.4) | 11.5 (52.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 88.1 (3.47) | 106.9 (4.21) | 190.0 (7.48) | 206.7 (8.14) | 187.7 (7.39) | 54.1 (2.13) | 9.0 (0.35) | 29.3 (1.15) | 142.9 (5.63) | 297.3 (11.70) | 225.7 (8.89) | 103.3 (4.07) | 1,641 (64.61) |
| Average precipitation days | 7.3 | 8.9 | 13.7 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 6.5 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 11.2 | 20.9 | 17.9 | 8.8 | 131.5 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 82 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 83 | 85 | 83 | 80 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 81 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 131.6 | 137.4 | 158.2 | 160.5 | 150.4 | 101.5 | 60.9 | 58.1 | 95.5 | 134.1 | 132.3 | 122.8 | 1,443.3 |
| Source 1: NOAA[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)[7] | |||||||||||||
Gabon is highly vulnerable toclimate change due to its dense coastal population, economic hubs along the shore, and dependence onrain-fed agriculture.[8]Rising sea levels threaten to erode the coastline and contaminate freshwater sources with saltwater. The country is already experiencing more frequent and severeextreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, and storms, which damage infrastructure, displace communities, and disruptfood security and livelihoods.[9]
To adapt, Gabon prioritises protecting its coastal areas, as well as its fishing, agriculture, and forestry industries.[8] Gabon's vast forests act as a netcarbon sink.[10][11] It is recognized as a global leader inclimate action and is widely considered the most carbon-positive country in the world, due to its strong conservation efforts.[9] However, Gabon’s economy remains heavily dependent on oil and other natural resources, leaving it exposed to global market shifts and climate-related risks. In 2023, the country accounted for just over 0.04% of globalgreenhouse gas emissions (24.7 million tonnes). Gabon has pledged to staycarbon neutral beyond 2050 and, with adequate support, aims to maintain net carbon removals of 100 million tons CO2 equivalent per year beyond that date.[12] It also seeks to expand itsrenewable energy sector.[13]
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook.CIA.
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