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 and 1999 legislative elections were widely seen as being flawed.


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

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 28,050 km²
Land: 28,050 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 539 km
Border countries: (2) 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
Extremes 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 km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Geography
Note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated


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Population: 465,746 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.55% (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

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

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Demographic profile

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.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.55% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 38.49 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 12.98 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 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

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

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.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 91.18 deaths/1000 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.)

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
Total population: 78.5%
Male: 89.6%
Female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

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 (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

Dependent areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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

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
In the us chancery: 1712 I Street NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 393-0525
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 393-0348
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)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 46%

Agriculture products

Industries

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

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

Imports: $248 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery
Partners: Cameroon 40%, Spain 18%, France 14%, US 8%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $254 million (1996 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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)


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

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: 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)

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2.5 million (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: NA%

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 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 1
15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 1
Under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: total:0 km

Roadways

Waterways

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.)

Ports and terminals


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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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs