What is the capital of Gabon?

The capital of Gabon is Libreville. Located on the northern shore of the Gabon Estuary, it is also Gabon’s largest city and its leading administrative and commercial center.

Libreville’s name means “free city” in French. The settlement was founded in 1849 after the French navy freed enslaved people from the ship L’Elizia and established them at the site. The area had already been inhabited by the Mpongwe people, whose presence predates French control.

The city became an important colonial port and served as the administrative capital of the French Congo-Gabon colony from 1888 to 1904. After Gabon became part of French Equatorial Africa, some regional administrative functions shifted to Brazzaville, but Libreville remained central to Gabon’s own government and economy.

Libreville is often confused with Port-Gentil, Gabon’s major petroleum center, or with Brazzaville, the capital of neighbouring Republic of the Congo. Libreville is the national capital, while Port-Gentil is especially associated with oil and maritime industry. The capital also connects government, banking, trade, timber processing, and transport.