Gabon — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

Gabon’s postal services are managed by the national postal authority. Gabon was a French Equatorial Africa territory, issuing stamps as part of the FEA collective (1936–1958) before independence in August 1960. Gabon — centred on the Congo Basin equatorial rainforest — is one of Africa’s most forested and least densely populated countries, and its extraordinary biodiversity is reflected in its stamp programme. The country is home to approximately half of Africa’s western lowland gorilla population and a major forest elephant population.

Notable Stamp Issues

Gabon’s first separate stamps appeared in 1904 (before absorption into FEA in 1910). French Equatorial Africa stamps (1936–1958) served Gabon alongside Congo, Central African Republic, and Chad. Post-independence stamps from 1959 depicted Léon M’ba (first president) and Gabonese culture. President Omar Bongo’s long rule (1967–2009) is documented on Gabonese stamps. Modern Gabonese stamps feature the western lowland gorilla (Albert Schweitzer’s Lambaréné hospital is in Gabon), the mandrill (the world’s largest monkey species, found in Gabonese forests), and forest elephant.

Collecting Tips

Yvert & Tellier covers French colonial Gabon and FEA stamps. Scott Africa covers the republic. French Equatorial Africa stamps are collected as a regional area. Gabon’s gorilla stamps are popular with primate thematic collectors. Mandrill stamps from Gabon are unique — this spectacularly coloured primate is found only in west-central African forests. Albert Schweitzer’s Lambaréné hospital stamps attract medical history collectors. The Ivindo River and Lopé National Park wildlife stamps offer attractive landscape and nature subjects.

Part of the Africa Postal Directory.