Home>Africa>Equatorial Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 28,050 sq km
land: 28,050 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment—current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography—note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

Population: 465,746 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 100,334; female 99,826)
15-64 years: 53% (male 118,248; female 129,777)
65 years and over: 4% (male 7,801; female 9,760) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.55% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 38.49 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
note: migration to Spain is a traditional and continuing factor; between 80% and 90% of Equatorial Guinean nationals going to Spain do not return

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 91.18 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.39 years
male: 52.03 years
female: 56.83 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: 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), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.5%
male: 89.6%
female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

Country name:
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

Data code: EK

Government type: republic in transition to multiparty democracy (the transition appears to have halted)

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: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979)
head of government: Prime Minister Serafin Seriche DOUGAN (since NA April 1996); First Vice Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Second Vice Prime Minister for Internal Affairs Demetrio Elo NDONG NGEFUMU (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote to a seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); prime minister and vice prime ministers appointed by the president
election results: President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98% of popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 21 November 1993 (next to be held NA 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—PDGE 68, CSDP 6, UDS 5, CLD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
ruling party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Augustin Nse NFUMU]
opposition parties: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido Miko ABOGO]; Democratic Social Union or UDS [Carmelo MODU, general secretary]; Liberal Democratic Convention or CLD [Alfonso Nsue MOKUY, president]; Liberal Party or PL [Antonio Nkulu Asumu ANGUE]; National Democratic Union or UDENA [Pedro-Cristino Bueriberi BOKESA, president]; Party of the Social Democratic Coalition or PCSD [Buenaventura Monswi M'asumu NSEGUE, general coordinator]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises MBA, president]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Basilio Ava Eworo and Domingo ABUY]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY, mayor of Malabo]; Social Democratic and Popular Convergence or CSDP [Secundino Oyono Awong ADA]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Francisco Mabale NSENG]; Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea or PSGE [Tomas MECHEBA Fernandez, general secretary]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE
chancery: 1712 I Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 393-0525
FAX: [1] (202) 393-0348

Diplomatic representation from the US: 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; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

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—overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Several large oil companies are expected to bid on oil licenses by May 1999. 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 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. The country responded favorably to the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$660 million (1997 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: NA%

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,500 (1997 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 46%
industry: 33%
services: 21% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1996 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7 million (1996 est.)

Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1994 est.)

Electricity—production: 19 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.47%
hydro: 10.53%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 19 million kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc (tapioca); livestock; timber

Exports: $197 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports—commodities: petroleum, timber, cocoa

Exports—partners: US 34%, Japan 17%, Spain 13%, China 13%, Nigeria

Imports: $248 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports—commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery

Imports—partners: Cameroon 40%, Spain 18%, France 14%, US 8%

Debt—external: $254 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid—recipient: $33.8 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) is used

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1—560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March

Telephones: 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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1992 est.)

Railways:
total: 0 km

Highways:
total: 2,880 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 2,880 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors: Bata, Luba, Malabo

Merchant marine:
total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,370 GRT/25,194 DWT
ships by type: cargo 9, passenger 2, passenger-cargo 1 (1998 est.)

Airports: 3 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 102,269 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 51,979 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $2.5 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: NA%

Disputes—international: maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay; maritime boundary dispute with Nigeria because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook