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Comparison · latest available · data as of 26 October 2026 · printed 27 Oct 2026
NationsTree / Compare / Gabon vs Niger

Gabon vs Niger

Side-by-side comparison of Gabon and Niger from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.

Gabon

Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years

NationsTree Index34.0150th of 196
Tree height4.1 m 
vs
20:9
indicators where each ranks higher

Niger

Sub-Saharan Africa · nation age 66 years

NationsTree Index18.5191st of 196
Tree height3.9 m 
Open in the comparison tool Data as of 26 October 2026

In short

Gabon scores 34.0 in the NationsTree Index (150th in the world) and Niger scores 18.5 (191st), a gap of 15.5 points. Their trees are 4.1 m and 3.9 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.

Niger has 11 times the population of Gabon. Niger is 4.7 times larger than Gabon by land area. Gabon and Niger have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Gabon 2.6 million and Niger 27.9 million (2025).

GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $22,218 in Gabon and $2,177 in Niger (2025, international dollars). People in Gabon live on average 7.1 years longer (68.5 vs 61.4 years).

Of 29 indicators reported by both countries, Gabon ranks higher in the world on 20 and Niger on 9. Gabon is clearly stronger in environment & energy, infrastructure & digital and main industries. Niger is clearly stronger in economy.

Over the last five years Gabon improved faster (direction score 47 vs 14 out of 100).

Where they differ most

The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Gabon and Niger.

Over time

How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.

NationsTree IndexGabonNiger
1020304050 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2025

Niger overtook Gabon in GDP (PPP) in 2024 and has stayed ahead since.

Gabon has been ahead of Niger in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.

Gabon has been ahead of Niger in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.

Niger has been ahead of Gabon in population in every year since 1990.

Strength by category

Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i

All indicators

Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.

Indicator Gabon Niger
Land & people
Surface area i km² 267,67076th/216 · 2024 1,267,00021st/216 · 2024
Land area i km² 257,67076th/216 · 2024 1,266,70020th/216 · 2024
Population i people 2.6 m142nd/217 · 2025 27.9 m54th/217 · 2025
Population growth i % 2.11%42nd/217 · 2025 3.22%9th/217 · 2025
Population density i people/km² 9.9202nd/216 · 2024 21.3183rd/216 · 2024
Urban population i % 92.1%28th/217 · 2025 18.4%213th/217 · 2025
Population aged 0–14 i % 36.2%48th/217 · 2025 46.2%3rd/217 · 2025
Population aged 65+ i % 4.1%163rd/217 · 2025 2.6%205th/217 · 2025
Economy
GDP i USD $21.43 bn132nd/210 · 2025 $21.65 bn130th/210 · 2025
GDP (PPP) i intl. USD $57.62 bn130th/199 · 2025 $60.78 bn127th/199 · 2025
Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) i intl. USD 2021 $49.23 bn130th/199 · 2025 $51.94 bn127th/199 · 2025
GDP per person i USD $8,263111th/210 · 2025 $775203rd/210 · 2025
GDP per person (PPP) i intl. USD $22,218100th/199 · 2025 $2,177191st/199 · 2025
GNI per person (Atlas) i USD $8,090101st/201 · 2025 $750192nd/201 · 2025
GDP growth i % 2.5%132nd/210 · 2025 7.0%19th/210 · 2025
Inflation i % 1.8%54th/180 · 2025 -4.5%3rd/180 · 2025
Unemployment i % 20.2%182nd/187 · 2025 0.4%3rd/187 · 2025
General government gross debt i % of GDP 84.2%152nd/189 · 2025 45.5%76th/189 · 2025
Government budget balance i % of GDP -12.1%185th/192 · 2025 -2.9%102nd/192 · 2025
Main industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing i % of GDP 6.8%94th/197 · 2025 47.6%1st/197 · 2025
Industry incl. construction i % of GDP 47.2%7th/200 · 2025 18.7%132nd/200 · 2025
Manufacturing i % of GDP 19.1%25th/192 · 2025 7.0%133rd/192 · 2024
Services i % of GDP 42.3%177th/200 · 2025 31.1%197th/200 · 2025
Trade
Exports of goods & services i USD $11.89 bn104th/182 · 2025 $3.41 bn144th/182 · 2025
Imports of goods & services i USD $6.30 bn135th/182 · 2025 $3.93 bn145th/182 · 2025
Exports i % of GDP 55.5%40th/183 · 2025 15.8%158th/183 · 2025
Imports i % of GDP 29.4%135th/183 · 2025 18.1%170th/183 · 2025
Trade openness i % of GDP 84.9%86th/183 · 2025 33.9%172nd/183 · 2025
Fuel exports i % of merchandise exports 54.0%23rd/170 · 2023 88.0%6th/170 · 2024
Manufactures exports i % of merchandise exports 17.8%110th/171 · 2023 7.3%141st/171 · 2024
Food exports i % of merchandise exports 0.9%163rd/171 · 2023 4.1%143rd/171 · 2024
Ores & metals exports i % of merchandise exports 23.3%24th/171 · 2023 0.0%167th/171 · 2024
High-tech exports i % of manufactured exports 1.8%134th/168 · 2023 8.6%77th/168 · 2024
Current account balance i % of GDP -6.0%150th/191 · 2025 -3.7%124th/191 · 2025
Foreign direct investment, inflows i % of GDP 1.8%113th/196 · 2025 1.2%135th/196 · 2025
Natural resources
Natural resource rents i % of GDP 18.5%26th/209 · 2021 6.4%63rd/209 · 2021
Oil rents i % of GDP 15.56%13th/197 · 2021 0.62%52nd/197 · 2021
Natural gas rents i % of GDP 0.27%49th/197 · 2021 0.03%70th/197 · 2021
Coal rents i % of GDP 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 0.04%37th/195 · 2021
Mineral rents i % of GDP 0.02%79th/209 · 2021 0.83%48th/209 · 2021
Forest rents i % of GDP 2.65%28th/209 · 2021 4.89%14th/209 · 2021
Arable land i % of land area 1.3%179th/206 · 2024 14.0%78th/206 · 2024
Renewable freshwater per person i m³ 67,4698th/183 · 2022 138168th/183 · 2022
Tourism
International tourist arrivals i arrivals 526,0002005 85,000170th/194 · 2020
Tourism receipts i USD $28.7 m2015 $130.0 m136th/175 · 2019
Tourism receipts i % of exports 0.5%2015 9.4%60th/168 · 2019
Outbound trips i departures 236,0002003 10,0001998
Society & health
Life expectancy i years 68.5165th/217 · 2024 61.4207th/217 · 2024
Under-5 mortality i per 1,000 births 32.6141st/196 · 2024 110.7195th/196 · 2024
Physicians i per 1,000 people 0.52124th/174 · 2022 0.04174th/174 · 2023
Hospital beds i per 1,000 people 2.02011 0.3143rd/145 · 2020
DPT immunization i % of children 12–23 months 61%183rd/193 · 2024 86%125th/193 · 2024
Completed lower secondary, 25+ i % of adults — 8.4%153rd/153 · 2022
Secondary enrolment i % gross 70.3%2019 19.9%172nd/173 · 2024
Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) i % of population 49.4%2017 23.3%44th/55 · 2021
Old-age dependency ratio i % of working-age population 6.9%162nd/217 · 2025 5.1%198th/217 · 2025
Health spending i % of GDP 3.1%175th/193 · 2023 4.0%154th/193 · 2023
Adult literacy i % 88.9%54th/98 · 2021 35.6%98th/98 · 2022
Tertiary enrolment i % gross 7.7%2003 4.2%2019
Human Development Index i index 0–1 0.733108th/193 · 2023 0.419188th/193 · 2023
Income inequality (Gini) i index 38.02017 32.940th/108 · 2021
Extreme poverty i % of population 3.8%2017 60.5%104th/108 · 2021
Infrastructure & digital
Access to electricity i % of population 95.1%154th/215 · 2024 21.3%210th/215 · 2024
Safely managed sanitation i % of population — 9.1%141st/144 · 2024
Internet users i % of population 68.7%125th/186 · 2024 15.6%182nd/186 · 2024
Mobile subscriptions i per 100 people 12576th/210 · 2024 61193rd/210 · 2024
Fixed broadband i per 100 people 4.7141st/208 · 2024 0.1193rd/208 · 2024
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) i score 1–5 2.20131st/164 · 2022 2.00148th/164 · 2018
Rail lines i route-km 64874th/82 · 2021 —
Air passengers carried i passengers 77,3202016 5,775154th/161 · 2023
Environment & energy
CO₂ emissions per person i t CO₂e 2.0591st/203 · 2024 0.1214th/203 · 2024
Renewable energy i % of final energy use 91.3%4th/212 · 2021 79.6%18th/212 · 2021
Air pollution (PM2.5) i µg/m³ 31.3157th/200 · 2023 65.2196th/200 · 2023
Forest area i % of land area 91.4%3rd/214 · 2024 0.8%199th/214 · 2024
Energy use per person i kg oil eq. 1,93260th/149 · 2024 173146th/149 · 2024
Institutions & safety
Government effectiveness i score 0–100 41.1146th/205 · 2025 34.6173rd/205 · 2025
Control of corruption i score 0–100 32.4154th/207 · 2025 33.2151st/207 · 2025
Rule of law i score 0–100 41.8165th/207 · 2025 40.1173rd/207 · 2025
Political stability i score 0–100 67.7107th/207 · 2025 34.6193rd/207 · 2025
Regulatory quality i score 0–100 42.9154th/205 · 2025 42.3160th/205 · 2025
Voice & accountability i score 0–100 42.6144th/205 · 2025 36.8161st/205 · 2025
Homicide rate i per 100,000 — 4.42012
Military
Military expenditure i USD $356.1 m114th/156 · 2025 $488.9 m106th/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of GDP 1.7%80th/156 · 2025 2.1%54th/156 · 2025
Military expenditure i % of government spending 6.4%54th/154 · 2025 15.2%16th/154 · 2025
Armed forces personnel i people 7,000142nd/170 · 2020 10,000131st/170 · 2020
Armed forces personnel i % of labour force 1.00%70th/168 · 2020 0.11%161st/168 · 2020
Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) i TIV 6.0 m125th/163 · 2024 4.0 m135th/163 · 2025
Science & innovation
R&D spending i % of GDP 0.58%2009 —
Scientific articles i articles 91142nd/197 · 2023 90143rd/197 · 2023

Questions and answers

Which has more people, Gabon or Niger?

Niger has the larger population: 27.9 m (2025) compared with 2.6 m for Gabon (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.

Which is bigger by area, Gabon or Niger?

Niger is larger: 1,267,000 km² (2024) compared with 267,670 km² for Gabon (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.

Which economy is larger, Gabon or Niger?

Niger has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $60.78 bn intl. (2025) compared with $57.62 bn intl. for Gabon (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.

Which is richer per person, Gabon or Niger?

Gabon has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $22,218 intl. (2025) compared with $2,177 intl. for Niger (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.

Where do people live longer, in Gabon or Niger?

Gabon has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.5 years (2024) compared with 61.4 years for Niger (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.

Which spends more on the military, Gabon or Niger?

Niger spends more on the military: $488.9 m (2025) compared with $356.1 m for Gabon (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.

Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Gabon or Niger?

Gabon: 34.0 points (150th in the world); Niger: 18.5 points (191st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.

More comparisons

Gabon compared with

Niger compared with

Sources

World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Gabon vs Niger — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/gabon-vs-niger. Data as of 26 October 2026.

Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Gabon vs Niger — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/gabon-vs-niger. Data as of 26 October 2026.
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