Languages spoken in Gabon
Africa · Capital: Libreville · Population 2.5 million
The official language of Gabon is French. An estimated 65% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 1.6 million people. The only other recorded language is Fang, at 32% of the population. French belongs to the Indo-European language family. French is also spoken in all three of its neighbours. In total, two languages are recorded in Gabon, and their shares add up to 97% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.0 of them.
What languages are spoken in Gabon?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| FrenchIndo-European | 65% | Official | 1.6 million |
| FangNiger-Congo | 32% | Spoken | 785,635 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Gabon?
The official language of Gabon is French. French is spoken by an estimated 65% of the population, or roughly 1.6 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak French in Gabon?
An estimated 65% of Gabon's 2.5 million people speak French, which works out at roughly 1.6 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Gabon
- Capital
- Libreville
- Population
- 2.5 million
- Continent
- Africa
- Area
- 267,668 km²
- Currency
- XAF
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- GA / GAB / 266
Which countries border Gabon?
Gabon shares a land border with three countries: Congo - Brazzaville, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. French, the most widely spoken language in Gabon, is also spoken in Congo - Brazzaville, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.