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. He has been elected several times since 1996, and was most recently reelected in 2016. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, presidential and legislative elections since 1996 have generally been labeled as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has placed legal and bureaucratic barriers that hinder political opposition. Equatorial Guinea experienced rapid economic growth in the early years of the 21st century due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves in 1996. Production peaked in late 2004 and has slowly declined since, although aggressive searches for new oil fields continue. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production, resulting in massive increases in government revenue in past years, the drop in global oil prices as of 2014 has placed significant strain on the state budget and pushed the country into recession. Oil revenues have mainly been used for the development of infrastructure and there have been limited improvements in the population's living standards. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy and to increase foreign investment. The country hosts major regional and international conferences and continues to seek a greater role in international affairs, and leadership in the sub-region.


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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: 145
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
Mean elevation: 577 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
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% (2011 est.)
Forest: 57.5% (2011 est.)
Other: 32.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land
Note: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: violent windstorms; flash floodsvolcanism: Santa Isabel (3,007 m), 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; despite its name, no part of the Equator passes through Equatorial Guinea; the mainland part of the country is located just north of the Equator


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Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 836,178 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 164
Growth rate: 2.35% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 28
Below poverty line: 44% (2011 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
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 Fang, Bubi, Portuguese (official), French (official)) 32.4% (1994 census)

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, Muslim, Baha'i, animist, indigenous

Demographic profile: Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest and least populated countries in continental Africa and is the only independent African country where Spanish is an official language. Despite a boom in oil production in the 1990s, authoritarianism, corruption, and resource mismanagement have concentrated the benefits among a small elite. These practices have perpetuated income inequality and unbalanced development, such as low public spending on education and health care. Unemployment remains problematic because the oil-dominated economy employs a small labor force dependent on skilled foreign workers. The agricultural sector, Equatorial Guinea’s main employer, continues to deteriorate because of a lack of investment and the migration of rural workers to urban areas. About three-quarters of the population lives below the poverty line.Equatorial Guinea’s large and growing youth population - about 60% are under the age of 25 - is particularly affected because job creation in the non-oil sectors is limited, and young people often do not have the skills needed in the labor market. Equatorial Guinean children frequently enter school late, have poor attendance, and have high dropout rates. Thousands of Equatorial Guineans fled across the border to Gabon in the 1970s to escape the dictatorship of MACIAS NGUEMA; smaller numbers have followed in the decades since. Continued inequitable economic growth and high youth unemployment increases the likelihood of ethnic and regional violence.

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.73% (male 164,417/female 159,400)
15-24 years: 19.94% (male 84,820/female 81,880)
25-54 years: 32.72% (male 137,632/female 135,973)
55-64 years: 4.69% (male 17,252/female 22,006)
65 years and over: 3.92% (male 13,464/female 19,334) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 64.4
Youth dependency ratio: 60.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 3.9
Potential support ratio: 25.5 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 20.3 years
Male: 19.9 years
Female: 20.7 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 191

Population growth rate: 2.35% (2020 est.)
Rank: 28

Birth rate: 30.7 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 31

Death rate: 7.3 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 111

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 80

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 73.1% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 4.28% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 297,000 MALABO (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (forests are threatened by agricultural expansion, fires, and grazing); desertification; water pollution (tap water is non-potable); wildlife preservation
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 59.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 60.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 58.6 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 13

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.7 years
Male: 64.4 years
Female: 66.9 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 192

Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 29

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 12.6% (2011)

Drinking water source
Urban: 18.3% of population
Rural: 67.9% of population
Total: 32.4% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 3.1% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.4 physicians/1000 population (2017)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 18.8% of population
Rural: 36.6% of population
Total: 23.8% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 7% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 10
People living with hivaids: 65,000 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 57
Deaths: 1800 (2019 est.)
Deaths rank: 48

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Animal contact diseases: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8% (2016)
Rank: 156

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 5.6% (2011)
Rank: 80

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.3%
Male: 97.4%
Female: 93% (2015)

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 for 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: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Malabo; note - a new capital of Cuidad de la Paz (formerly referred to as Oyala) is being built on the mainland near Djibloho; Malabo is on the island of Bioko
Geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: named after Malabo Lopelo Melaka (1837-1937), the last king of the Bubi, the ethnic group indigenous to the island of Bioko; the name of the new capital, Cuidad de la Paz, translates to 'City of Peace' in Spanish

Administrative divisions: 8 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution
History: previous 1968, 1973, 1982; approved by referendum 17 November 1991
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by three fourths of the membership in either house of the National Assembly; passage requires three-fourths majority vote by both houses of the Assembly and approval in a referendum if requested by the president; amended several times, last in 2012

Legal system: mixed system of civil and customary law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); Vice President Teodoro Nguema OBIANG Mangue(since 2012)
Head of government: Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Eyegue OBAMA Asue (since 23 June 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Clemente Engonga NGUEMA Onguene (since 23 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Angel MESIE Mibuy (since 5 February 2018); Third Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso Nsue MOKUY (since 23 June 2016) 
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and overseen by the prime minister 
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2016 (next to be held in 2023); 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 (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5%

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice - who is also chief of state - and 9 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor, administrative, and customary sections); 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 whom are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies; note - judges subject to dismissal by the president at any time
Subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals

Political parties and leaders: Citizens for Innovation or CI [Gabriel Nse Obiang OBONO]Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO]Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO]Electoral Coalition or ECJuntos Podemos (coalition includes CPDS, FDR, UDC)National Congress of Equatorial Guinea [Agustin MASOKO ABEGUE]National Democratic Party [Benedicto OBIANG MANGUE]National Union for Democracy [Thomas MBA MONABANG]Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Carmelo MBA BACALE]Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ AYECABA]Union for the Center right or UDC [Avelino MOCACHE MEHENGA]not officially registered parties:Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA]Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]

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, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Ntutumu EVUNA ANDEME (since 23 February 2015)
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
In the us consulate: Houston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Susan N. STEVENSON (since 7 May 2019)
From the us telephone: [240] 333 09 57 41 or 1-301-985-8,750
From the us embassy: Malabo II Highway (between the Headquarters of Sonagas and the offices of the United Nations), Malabo
From the us mailing address: US Embassy Malabo, 2,320 Malabo Place, Washington, DC 20,521-2,520

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 (Let Us Tread the Path)
Lyricsmusic: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed)
Note: adopted 1968

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 213

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 120

Gross national saving:
Rank: 173

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 50% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 56.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -39% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 54.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 42.9% (2017 est.)

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

Industries: petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling

Industrial production growth rate: -6.9% (2017 est.)
Rank: 197

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

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 132

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 44% (2011 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 2.114 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 2.523 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 141

Taxes and other revenues: 16.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 173

Public debt:
Rank: 139

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 75

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:
Rank: 136

Exports:
Rank: 103
Partners: China 28%, India 11.8%, South Korea 10.3%, Portugal 8.7%, US 6.9%, Spain 4.9% (2017)
Commodities: petroleum products, timber

Imports:
Rank: 129
Commodities: petroleum sector equipment, other equipment, construction materials, vehicles
Partners: Spain 20.5%, China 19.4%, US 13%, Cote dIvoire 6.2%, Netherlands 4.7% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 188

Debt external:
Rank: 162

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 67% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 75% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 45% (2019)
Production: 500 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 166
Consumption: 465 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 171
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 130
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 144
Installed generating capacity: 331,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 156
Generation sources fossil fuels: 61% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 126
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 84
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 38% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 54
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 140

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 172,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 38
Crude oil exports: 308,700 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 26
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 121
Crude oil proven reserves: 1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 40

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 139
Products consumption: 5,200 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 176
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 150
Products imports: 5,094 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 171

Natural gas
Production: 6.069 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 46
Consumption: 1.189 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 91
Exports: 4.878 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 30
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 120
Proven reserves: 36.81 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 66

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 3.062 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 148

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 6,779 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 199
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 368,920
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 45.17 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 176

Telephone system

Broadcast media: the 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 (who is the Vice President), 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 generally accessible (2019)

Internet
Country code: .gq
Users total: 209,253
Users percent of population: 26.24% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 175

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1620 (2018 est.)
Rank: 188


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 112

Military and security forces: Equatorial Guinea Armed Forces (FAGE): Equatorial Guinea National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, GNGE (Army), Navy, Air Force; Guardia Civil (paramilitary force for internal security) (2019)

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
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 466,435 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 350,000
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 3C (2016)

Airports: 7 (2013)
Rank: 167
With paved runways total: 6 (2019)
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 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports

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

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,880 km (2017)
Rank: 164

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 38
By type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 7, oil tanker 6, other 24 (2019)
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