Equatorial Guinea

Republic of Equatorial GuineaRepublica de Guinea Ecuatorial

republic in transition to multiparty democracyIndependence 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 83 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
Position2 00 N, 10 00 E
Area28,050 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
1996

Every edition of Equatorial Guinea

Populationas each edition published it
431,282 people July 1996 est. · 368,935 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.58% 1996 est. · 2.6% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 18.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
53.01 years 1996 est. · 51.63 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
5.17 children per woman 1996 est. · 5.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
98 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 118 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$800 1995 est. · $380 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
10% 1995 est. · -1% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, | between Cameroon and Gabon

15 fields
Area
28,050sq km
land area: 28,050 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than Maryland
Coastline
296km
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
539km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

International disputes

maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Malabo 3,008 m

Natural resources

timber, petroleum, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use

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

Environment

current issues:
tap water is not potable; desertification
natural hazards:
violent windstorms
international agreements:
party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

Geographic note

insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People

15 fields
Population
431,282
(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.58% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth
39.77Death
14.01Net migration
0

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years53.01
50.79 · 55.29
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy78.5%
89.6% · 68.1%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:
43% (male 93,319; female 92,753)
15-64 years:
53% (male 108,706; female 120,129)
65 years and over:
4% (male 7,235; female 9,140) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
all ages:
0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

98 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.17 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective:
Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic divisions

Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages

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

Government

Republic in transition to multiparty democracy; President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979) election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); Prime Minister Silvestre SIALE BILEKA (since 17 January 1992)

19 fields

Name of country

conventional long form:
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form:
Equatorial Guinea
local long form:
Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
local short form:
Guinea Ecuatorial
former:
Spanish Guinea

Type of government

republic in transition to multiparty democracy

Capital

Malabo

Administrative divisions

7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution

new constitution 17 November 1991

Suffrage

NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979) election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); results - President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected to a seven-year term without opposition
head of government:
Prime Minister Silvestre SIALE BILEKA (since 17 January 1992); Vice Prime Minister Anatolio NDONG MBA (since November 1993)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

Legislative branch

unicameral

House of People's Representatives:
  • (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo) elections last held 21 November 1993 (next to be held NA);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (82 total) PDGE 72, various opposition parties 10

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders

ruling party:
Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader
opposition parties:
  • Progressive Democratic Alliance (ADP), Antonio-Ebang Mbele Abang, president;
  • Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea (APGE),Casiano Masi Edu, leader;
  • Liberal Democratic Convention (CLD), Alfonso Nsue MIFUMU, president;
  • Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS), Santiago Obama Ndong, president;
  • Social Democratic and Popular Convergence (CSDP), Secundino Oyono Agueng Ada, general secretary;
  • Party of the Social Democratic Coalition (PCSD), Buenaventura Moswi M'Asumu, general coordinater;
  • Liberal Party (PL), Santos PASCUAL;
  • Party of Progress (PP), Severo MOTO Nsa, president;
  • Social Democratic Party (PSD), Benjamin-Gabriel Balingha Balinga Alene, general secretary;
  • Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea (PSGE), Tomas MICHEBE Fernandez, general secretary;
  • National Democratic Union (UDENA), Jose MECHEBA Ikaka, president;
  • Democratic Social Union (UDS), Camelo Modu, general secretary;
  • Popular Union (UP), Juan Bitui, president

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE
chancery:
(temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553
telephone:
[1] (914) 738-9584, 667-6913

FAX

[1] (914) 667-6838

US diplomatic representation

  • the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995);
  • US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

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

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for | about half of GDP and nearly all exports.

20 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$800
(1995 est.)
Real growth rate
10%
(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%
Labor force
172,000
(1986 est.)by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980)note: labor shortages on plantations

GDP composition by sector(1993 est.)

agriculture 47%industry 26%services 27% (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$32.5 millionExpenditures
$35.9 million (1992 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $3 million

Installed generating capacity, 23,000 kW

Electricity production
20 millionElectricity consumption per capita
50 (1993)

Economic overview

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth.

A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold.

Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful. In 1995, exports responded to the devaluation of 12 January 1994, apparently resulting in a sizable surplus and strong GDP growth. Increased production from recently discovered oil and natural gas fields will provide a greater share of exports in 1996-97.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $325 million (1995 est.)

Industries

fishing, sawmilling

Agriculture

  • coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc;
  • livestock;
  • timber

Exports

$62 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:
coffee, cocoa beans, timber, petroleum
partners:
Spain, Nigeria, Cameroon, Japan, Portugal

Imports

$60 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:
petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery
partners:
Cameroon, Spain, France, US, Italy, Netherlands

External debt

$268 million (1993 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 3 in all

1
2 438 to 3 047 m
1
1 524 to 2 437 m
1
under 914 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
2,744Railways
0
Highways: paved: 330 km · unpaved: 2,414 km (1988 est.)

Highways

total:
2,744 km
paved:
330 km
unpaved:
2,414 km (1988 est.)

Ports

Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine

total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,412 GRT/6,699 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 1, passenger-cargo 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, | National Police

9 fields
Fixed lines
2,000
(1987 est.)

Telephone system

poor system with adequate government services

domestic:
NA
international:
international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Televisions

4,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49:
92,704
males fit for military service:
47,124 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.5 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Equatorial Guinea.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/equatorial-guinea/1996.

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