Equatorial Guinea

republicIndependence 12 October 1968 (from Spain

Equatorial Guinea as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMalabo

Area28,050 km2

1990

Every edition of Equatorial Guinea

Populationas each edition published it

368,935 people July 1990 · 1.8m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.6% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 51.63 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.5 children per woman 1990 · 4.05 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

118 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 76.9 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $380 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -1% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

28,050km2

land area: 28,050 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Coastline

296km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

539km total

Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Terrain

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Natural resources

timber, crude oil, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use

8% arable land;
4% permanent crops;
4% meadows and pastures;
51% forest and woodland;
33% other

Note

insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People

14 fields

Population

368,935

(July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

43Death

16Net migration

Labor force

172,000

(1986 est.); 66% agriculture, 23% services, 11% industry (1980); labor shortages on plantations; 58% of population of working age (1985)

Literacy

40%

Nationality

noun--Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s); adjective--Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic divisions

indigenous population of Bioko, primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos;
Rio Muni, primarily Fang;
less than 1,000 Europeans, mostly Spanish

Religion

natives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some pagan practices retained

Language

Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Government

Republic

17 fields

Chamber of Deputies, 41 seats, elected 10 July 1988one dot, one seat

PDEG 41

Administrative divisions

2 provinces (provincias, singular--provincia);
Bioko, Rio Muni;
note--there may now be 6 provinces named Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele Nzas

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain; formerly Spanish Guinea)

Legal system

in transition; partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Chamber of People's Representatives (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo)

Supreme Tribunal Chief of State--President Brig. Gen. Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979); Head of Government--Prime Minister Cristino SERICHE Bioko Malabo (since 15 August 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Isidoro Eyi Monsuy Andeme (since 15 August 1989)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDEG), Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, party leader

Suffrage

universal adult at age NA President--last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results--President Brig. Gen. Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was reelected without opposition; Chamber of Deputies--last held 10 July 1988 (next to be held 10 July 1993); results--PDEG is the only party; seats--(41 total) PDEG 41

Communists

no significant number but some sympathizers

Member of

ACP, AfDB, Conference of East and Central African States, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Damaso OBIANG NDONG;
Chancery at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 1403, New York, NY 10017;
telephone (212) 599-1523;
US--Ambassador Chester E. NORRIS, Jr.;
Embassy at Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo (mailing address is P. O. Box 597, Malabo);
telephone 2406 or 2507

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band;
the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy

The economy, destroyed during the regime of former President Macias Nguema, is now based on agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which account for about 60% of GNP and nearly all exports.

16 fields

External debt

$191million

(December 1988)

Budget

Revenues

$23 millionExpenditures

$31 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1988)

Overview

The economy, destroyed during the regime of former President Macias Nguema, is now based on agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which account for about 60% of GNP and nearly all exports. Subsistence agriculture predominates, with cocoa, coffee, and wood products providing income, foreign exchange, and government revenues.

There is little industry. Commerce accounts for about 10% of GNP, and the construction, public works, and service sectors for about 34%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration is taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms.

GNP

$103 million, per capita $293; real growth rate NA% (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

- 6.0% (1988 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$30 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
commodities--coffee, timber, cocoa beans;
partners--Spain 44%, FRG 19%, Italy 12%, Netherlands 11% (1987)

Imports

$50 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
commodities--petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery;
partners--Spain 34%, Italy 16%, France 14%, Netherlands 8% (1987)

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

23,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced, 170 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

fishing, sawmilling

Agriculture

cash crops--timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops--rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-88), $11 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $100 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $55 million

Communications

6 fields

Airports, 4 total, 3 usable

permanent-surface runways

2runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

poor system with adequate government services;
international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries;
2,000 telephones;
stations--2 AM, no FM, 1 TV;
1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station