Land use in Gabon
Gabon: Land use was 495,000 hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
495,000 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
131st
of 224 countries
All-time high
495,000 hectares
in 1995
All-time low
145,000 hectares
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land use in Gabon, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Gabon recorded 495,000 hectares for land use in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use in Gabon peaked at 495,000 hectares in 1995 and was at its lowest, 145,000 hectares, in 1961.
Gabon ranks 131st of 224 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Land use in Gabon, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 145,000 hectares | — |
| 1962 | 160,000 hectares | +10.3% |
| 1963 | 175,000 hectares | +9.4% |
| 1964 | 190,000 hectares | +8.6% |
| 1965 | 205,000 hectares | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 220,000 hectares | +7.3% |
| 1967 | 235,000 hectares | +6.8% |
| 1968 | 250,000 hectares | +6.4% |
| 1969 | 265,000 hectares | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 280,000 hectares | +5.7% |
| 1971 | 300,000 hectares | +7.1% |
| 1972 | 315,000 hectares | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 335,000 hectares | +6.3% |
| 1974 | 350,000 hectares | +4.5% |
| 1975 | 369,000 hectares | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 404,000 hectares | +9.5% |
| 1977 | 427,000 hectares | +5.7% |
| 1978 | 449,000 hectares | +5.2% |
| 1979 | 451,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 453,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 455,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 457,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 459,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 461,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 463,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 465,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 467,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 469,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 471,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 473,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 475,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 480,000 hectares | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 482,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 484,000 hectares | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 495,000 hectares | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 495,000 hectares | +0.0% |
Gabon compared with similar countries
- Gabon's 495,000 hectares is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.58 million hectares, 31% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Gabon's 495,000 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.21 million hectares, 15% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 205,000 hectares | 145,000 hectares | 265,000 hectares | 9 |
| 1970s | 368,000 hectares | 280,000 hectares | 451,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1980s | 462,000 hectares | 453,000 hectares | 471,000 hectares | 10 |
| 1990s | 486,900 hectares | 473,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 495,000 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Gabon
- 128 New Zealand 592,000 hectares compare
- 129 Costa Rica 544,348 hectares compare
- 130 Armenia 503,400 hectares compare
- 132 Mauritania 460,000 hectares compare
- 133 North Macedonia 456,000 hectares compare
- 134 Gambia 447,000 hectares compare
More environment data for Gabon
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.43 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.219 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.09 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.6222 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use in Gabon?
- Land use in Gabon was 495,000 hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest land use recorded in Gabon?
- The highest recorded value was 495,000 hectares in 1995.
- What is the lowest land use recorded in Gabon?
- The lowest recorded value was 145,000 hectares in 1961.
- How does Gabon rank for land use?
- Gabon ranks 131st out of 224 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use rising or falling in Gabon?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gabon data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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