Equatorial Guinea
Republic of Equatorial GuineaRepublica de Guinea Ecuatorial/
republicIndependence 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Equatorial Guinea as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 129 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed.
The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
Geography
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
20 fieldsLand useshare of 28,051 sq km
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%)
- per capita:
- 220 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
People
22 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups(1994 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.8 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne disease:
- malaria (2008)
Nationality
- noun:
- Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
- adjective:
- Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Languages
Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)
Government
Republic; President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008)
18 fieldsLegislature, 100 seats, elected 25 April 2004one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Equatorial Guinea
- conventional short form:
- Equatorial Guinea
- local long form:
- Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale
- local short form:
- Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale
- former:
- Spanish Guinea
Capital
- name:
- Malabo
- geographic coordinates:
- 3 45 N, 8 47 E
- time difference:
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Legal system
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008);
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits);
- election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2009);
- prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
- election results:
- Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
- percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%;
- elections marred by widespread fraud
Legislative branch
unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held 4 May 2008)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, CPDS 2
note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president
Political parties and leaders
- Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO Abogo];
- Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO];
- Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO];
- Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Avelino MOCACHE];
- Popular Union or UP
Political pressure groups and leaders
ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); Global Witness (anti-corruption)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO
- chancery:
- 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 518-5700
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 518-5252
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant)
- embassy:
- K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El Paraiso, Malabo;
- note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions;
- inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon
- mailing address:
- B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
- telephone:
- [237] 2220-1500
- FAX:
- [237] 2220-1572
Flag description
- 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 discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years.
46 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement.
No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. Government officials and their family members own most businesses. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth remained strong in 2007, led by oil.
Agriculture - products
- coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts;
- livestock;
- timber
Currency (code)
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.4 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile coverage
- domestic:
- fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2007 stood at about 40 percent of the population
- international:
- country code - 240;
- international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved only
Military
National Guard (Guardia Nacional (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2008)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
National Guard (Guardia Nacional (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2008)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation;
- UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Trafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Equatorial Guinea is primarily a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation;
- children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual exploitation;
- women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual exploitation
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking, particularly in the areas of prosecuting and convicting trafficking offenders and failing to formalize mechanisms to provide assistance to victims;
- although the government made some effort to enforce laws against child labor exploitation, it failed to report any trafficking prosecutions or convictions in 2007;
- the government continued to lack shelters or formal procedures for providing care to victims (2008)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Equatorial Guinea.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/equatorial-guinea/2008.