Country explorer: Gabon

Gabon has navigated through economic shifts reflected by a generally high GDP per capita compared to regional peers, fluctuating yet significant unemployment rates, and moderate inflation levels, indicating its unique position as an oil-rich, upper-middle-income country in Central Africa with persistent economic challenges and opportunities for growth.

Gabon has experienced a steady population increase, positive net migration, a decline in fertility rates aligning with global trends, and a rise in life expectancy, underlying its progress towards improved health outcomes and demographic shifts representative of a middle-income country transitioning to lower fertility and longer lives.

Gabon has made significant strides in improving access to basic needs, outperforming many of its peers with near-universal access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, highlighting its progress towards modernization and public health improvement.

Gabon has shown a steady improvement in human development indicators, including a higher Human Development Index, reduced child mortality rates, and increased literacy rates, positioning it as a country that has seen significant positive transformations comparable to or exceeding those in many upper-middle-income countries.

Gabon has maintained relatively stable forest coverage and witnessed fluctuations in CO₂ emissions per capita, reflecting a unique commitment to conserving its abundant natural resources while navigating the complexities of economic growth and energy transition, characteristics that both distinguish it from and align it with its upper-middle-income peers.

Gabon has experienced a notable improvement in its technological and innovative landscape, characterized by a significant increase in internet usage, mobile phone subscriptions, modest growth in research and development spending, and a fluctuating but generally improving output of scientific and technical journal articles, reflecting its journey towards digital transformation and innovation development.

Gabon has experienced a unique blend of socio-cultural transformation, evidenced by a higher immigrant population compared to its peers, increased self-reported life satisfaction, progressive improvements in gender equality, and a steady decline in age dependency ratio, distinguishing its societal dynamics within the Central African region.

Gabon has experienced notable fluctuations in governance indicators, reflecting challenges in rule of law, persistent corruption perceptions, and variances in political civil liberties and press freedom, a common narrative amongst many African nations, yet distinguished by its unique oscillations in governance metrics.