Map of Equatorial Guinea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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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: 28,051 km²
Land: 28,051 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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 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 natural gas timber gold bauxite diamonds tantalum sand and gravel clay

Land use
Arable land: 4.63%
Permanent crops: 3.57%
Other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 26 km³ (2001)

Natural hazards: violent windstorms flash floods

Geography
Note: insular and continental regions widely separated


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Population: 616,459 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 2.732% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups: Fang 85.7% Bubi 6.5% Mdowe 3.6% Annobon 1.6% Bujeba 1.1% other 1.4% (1994 census)

Languages: Spanish 67.6% (official) other 32.4% (includes French (official) Fang Bubi) (1994 census)

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic pagan practices

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42% (male 131,696/female 127,253)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 162,458/female 169,445)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 11,394/female 14,213) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 18.9 years
Male: 18.3 years
Female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.732% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 37.04 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 9.72 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: NA (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; deforestation
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 83.75 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 84.85 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 82.61 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.23 years
Male: 60.36 years
Female: 62.13 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.16 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.4% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 5,900 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 370 (2001 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)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2003)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 87%
Male: 93.4%
Female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 9 years (2000)

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/Republique de Guinee equatoriale
Local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale
Former: Spanish Guinea

Government type: republic

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

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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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
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

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

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

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
In the us chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 518-5,700
In the us fax: [1] (202) 518-5,252
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
From the us 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
From the us mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-2,520
From the us telephone: [237] 2,220-1500
From the us fax: [237] 2,220-1572

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)

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. 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $15.54 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 12.4% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $28,200 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.9%
Industry: 92.2%
Services: 4.8% (2007 est.)

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

Industries: petroleum fishing sawmilling natural gas

Industrial production growth rate: 10.1% (2007 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $4.963 billion
Expenditures: $2.494 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 1.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 5.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 15% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: NA

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $415 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $9.904 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: petroleum methanol timber cocoa
Partners: US 20.6% China 18.8% Spain 13.9% Taiwan 13.4% France 7.5% Japan 6.5% Portugal 6.4% (2007)

Imports: $3.083 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: petroleum sector equipment other equipment
Partners: US 19.6% Spain 13.7% Cote d'Ivoire 11.9% France 9.6% China 7.7% Italy 6.6% UK 6.4% Netherlands 4.1% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.846 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt external: $338 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

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)


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Electricity
Production: 27 million kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 25.11 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 1.3 billion m³ (2006 est.)
Consumption: 1.3 billion m³ (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 36.81 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 10,000 (2005)
Mobile cellular: 220,000 (2007)

Telephone 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)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .gq
Hosts: 9 (2008)
Users: 8,000 (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military service (2008)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (2007)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines: condensate 42 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 80 km; oil 54 km (2007)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,880 km (2000)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1
By type: cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals: Bata Malabo


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Disputes 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs