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; it is one of the smallest countries in Africa consisting of a mainland territory and five inhabited islands. The capital of Malabo is located on the island of Bioko approximately 25 km from the Cameroonian coastline in the Gulf of Guinea. Between 1968 and 1979 autocratic President Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA virtually destroyed all of the country's political economic and social institutions before being deposed by his nephew Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO in a coup. President OBIANG has ruled since October 1979 and plans to stand for reelection in 2016. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991 presidential and legislative elections between 1996 and 2009 were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has placed legal and bureaucratic barriers that prevent 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 the drop in global oil prices has placed significant strain on the state budget. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy and to increase foreign investment despite limited improvements in the population's living standards. Equatorial Guinea is the host of major regional and international conferences and continues to seek a greater role in regional affairs.


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Location: Central 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
Rank: 146
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 528 km
Border countries: (2) Cameroon 183 km; Gabon 345 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
Agricultural land: 10.1%
Forest: 57.5%
Other: 32.4%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 26 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: violent windstorms; flash floods
Volcanism: Santa Isabel which last erupted in 1923 is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel along with two dormant volcanoes form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Geography
Note: insular and continental regions widely separated


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Population: 740,743 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 166
Growth rate: 2.51% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 23
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic pagan practices

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 40.47%
15-24 years: 19.55%
25-54 years: 31.74%
55-64 years: 4.24%
65 years and over: 4.01% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 72.9%
Youth dependency ratio: 67.9%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5%
Potential support ratio: 20%

Median age
Total: 19.5 years
Male: 19 years
Female: 20 years

Population growth rate: 2.51% (2015 est.)
Rank: 23

Birth rate: 33.31 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 32

Death rate: 8.19 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 89

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 99

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 39.9% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.12% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MALABO (capital) 145,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: tap water is non-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
0-14 years: 1.03 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male/female
55-64 years: 0.76 male/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 69.17 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 70.21 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 68.09 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 14

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.85 years
Male: 62.76 years
Female: 64.97 years
Rank: 183

Total fertility rate: 4.57 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 24

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 12.6% (2011)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 6.16% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 11
People living with hivaids: 31,600 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 70
Deaths: 800 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 71

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria and dengue fever
Animal contact disease: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16.2% (2014)
Rank: 129

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.6% (2010)
Rank: 87

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.3%
Male: 97.4%
Female: 93%

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/Republique de Guinee Equatoriale
Local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee Equatoriale
Former: Spanish Guinea
Etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the 'equatorial' refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the equator

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Malabo
Geographic coordinates: 3 45 N 8 47 E
Time difference: UTC+1

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 referendum 17 November 1991; amended several times last in 2012 (2015)

Legal system: mixed system of civil and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Brig. Gen. Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MGASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
Head of government: Prime Minister Vicente EHATE TOMI ; First Deputy Prime Minister Clemente ENGONG NGUEMA ONGUENE; Second Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Pascual OBAMA ASUE; Third Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso NSUE MOKUY
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term ; election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in 2016); 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 95.8% Placido MICO Abogo (CPDS) 3.6% other 0.6%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional formerly the unicameral Parliament consists of the Senate or Senado and the House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the constitutional referendum of 2011 established the Senate and was implemented at the time of the May 2013 elections
Elections: last held on 26 May 2013
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 54 CPDS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 99 CPDS 1

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Justice ; Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 4 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president 2 of which are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies
Subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals

Political parties and leaders:
Not officially registered parties: Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA]
Note: in November 2014 the government hosted a National Dialogue process to engage with the political opposition; the opposition particiapated with limited attendance and engagement; on March 18 2015 the CPDS FDR and UP formed a coalition called the Front of Democratic Opposition or FOD

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 IPU ITSO ITU MIGA NAM OAS (observer) OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WHO WIPO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Ntutumu EVUNA ANDEME
In the us chancery: 2020 16th Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] 518-5,700
In the us FAX: [1] 518-5,252
In the us consul general: Houston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark L. ASQUINO
From the us embassy: Carretera Malabo II Malabo Guinea Ecuatorial
From the us mailing address: US Embassy Malabo US Department of State Washington DC 20,521-2,520
From the us telephone: [240] 333 09 57 41

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); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands white stands for peace and red recalls the fight for independence

National symbols: silk cotton tree; national colors: green white red blue

National anthem
Name: 'Caminemos pisando la senda'
Lyrics and music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ
Note: adopted 1968

National heritage


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Economy overview: Exploitation of oil and gas deposits beginning in the 1990’s has driven economic growth in Equatorial Guinea allowing per capita GDP to rise to over $29,000 in 2014. Declining revenue from hydrocarbon production high levels of infrastructure expenditures lack of economic diversification and corruption have led to limited improvements in the general population’s living conditions. Equatorial Guinea hosted two economic diversification symposia in 2014 that focused on attracting investment in five sectors: agriculture and animal ranching fishing mining and petrochemicals tourism and financial services. Undeveloped mineral resources include gold zinc diamonds columbite-tantalite and other base metals. Forestry and farming are also minor components of GDP. Subsistence farming is the dominant form of livelihood. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings the neglect of the rural economy since independence has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. Foreign assistance programs by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement and high GDP figures now make Equatorial Guinea ineligible for most donor assistance. The government has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency and misuse of oil revenues and has attempted to address this issue by working towards compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. US foreign assistance to Equatorial Guinea is limited in part because of US restrictions pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 129

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 205

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 46

Gross national saving:
Rank: 51

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 17%
Government consumption: 8.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 56.5%
Investment in inventories: 0.1%
Exports of goods and services: 88%
Imports of goods and services: -69.9%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.1%
Industry: 85.7%
Services: 9.2%

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

Industries: petroleum natural gas sawmilling

Industrial production growth rate: -4.1% (2014 est.)
Rank: 188

Labor force: 195,200 (2007 est.)
Rank: 173

Unemployment rate: 22.3% (2009 est.)
Rank: 171

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $5.224 billion
Expenditures: $6.274 billion
Surplus or deficit: -6.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 193

Taxes and other revenues: 33.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 71

Public debt:
Rank: 158

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 157

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 34

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 40

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 122

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 142

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 164

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:
Rank: 139

Exports:
Rank: 81
Commodities: petroleum products timber
Partners: China 26.7% UK 16% Brazil 10% France 8.3% Japan 7% Netherlands 6.9% India 5.9% Spain 5.8% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 123
Commodities: petroleum sector equipment other equipment construction materials vehicles
Partners: US 23.5% Spain 17.3% China 13.6% France 5.7% Cote d'Ivoire 4.5% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 120

Debt external:
Rank: 156

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 100 million kWh (2012 est.)
Production rank: 198
Consumption: 93 million kWh (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 199
Exports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 134
Imports: 0 kWh (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 144
Installed generating capacity: 164,000 kW (2012 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 164
Generation sources fossil fuels: 22.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 190
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 85
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 77.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 18
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 172

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 248,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 34
Crude oil exports: 318,100 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 24
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 184
Crude oil proven reserves: 1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 41

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 176
Products consumption: 4,900 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 171
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 174
Products imports: 4,863 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 163

Natural gas
Production: 6.29 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Production rank: 48
Consumption: 1.49 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Consumption rank: 84
Exports: 4.8 billion m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 30
Imports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Imports rank: 191
Proven reserves: 36.81 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 67

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 5.614 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 123

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 15,100
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2
Fixed lines rank: 194
Mobile cellular total: 516,500
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 72
Mobile cellular rank: 170

Telephone system
General assessment: digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile cellular coverage
Domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2011 stood at about 60 percent of the population
International: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (2011)

Broadcast media: state maintains control of broadcast media with domestic broadcast media limited to 1 state-owned TV station 1 private TV station owned by the president's eldest son 1 state-owned radio station and 1 private radio station owned by the president's eldest son; satellite TV service is available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible (2013)

Internet
Country code: .gq
Users total: 115,100
Users percent of population: 15.9%
Users rank: 167

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for selective compulsory military service although conscription is rare in practice; 2-year service obligation; women hold only administrative positions in the Navy (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 (2013)
Rank: 166
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines: condensate 42 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 79 km; oil 71 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,880 km
Rank: 169

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 5
By type: cargo 1 chemical tanker 1 petroleum tanker 3
Foreign owned: 1 (2010)
Rank: 124

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bata Luba Malabo
LNG terminal: Bioko Island


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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 delayed final delimitation; UN urged 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