Map of Equatorial Guinea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by ruthless leaders who have badly mismanaged the economy since independence from 190 years of Spanish rule in 1968. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991 the 1996 presidential elections were widely seen as being flawed.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 28,050 km²
Land: 28,050 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: Total 539 km, 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
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Pico Basite (Mount Malabo) 3,008 m

Elevation

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 8%
Permanent crops: 4%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 51%
Other: 33%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
Adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions: Nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification
Current issues Natural hazards: violent windstorms
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified_Desertification, Law of the Sea
International agreements note: Insular and continental regions rather widely separated

Air pollutants

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:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 53.01 years (1996 est.), 52.56 years (1995 est.)
Male: 50.79 years 9,196 est.), 50.39 years (1995 est.)
Female: 55.29 years (1996 est.), 54.79 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 78.5%
Male: 89.6%
Female: 68.1%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Government type: 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

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: New constitution 17 November 1991

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: Universal adult at age NA

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979); election last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results_President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO was reelected 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; seats_(82 total) PDGE 72, various opposition parties 10

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders

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

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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Accounts for 47% of GDP, cash crops_timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops_rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 11.3% (1993 est.)

Labor force: 172,000 (1986 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 66%
By occupation Services: 23%
By occupation Industry: 11% (1980)
By occupation note: Labor shortages on plantations

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $32.5 million
Expenditures: $35.9 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1992 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April_31 March

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value. $62 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$60 million (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1_500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)
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


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 20 million kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 50 kWh (1993)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: 2,000 telephones; poor system with adequate government services
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2.5 million, NA of GDP (FY93/94)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3
2438 to 3047 m: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
Under 914 m: 1

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

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

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs