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.

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N 10 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Coastline: 296 km

Climate: tropical; always hot humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Natural resources: oil petroleum timber small unexploited deposits of gold manganese uranium

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: violent windstorms flash floods

Geography
Note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

Population: 474,214 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi some Fernandinos) Rio Muni (primarily Fang) Europeans less than 1000 mostly Spanish

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

Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic pagan practices

Population growth rate: 2.47% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 38.13 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.4 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Environment
Current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 94.83 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.94 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Government type: republic

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias singular - provincia); Annobon Bioko Norte Bioko Sur Centro Sur Kie-Ntem Litoral Wele-Nzas

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

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)

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido Miko ABOGO]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Augustin Nse NFUMU]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Fabian MUSA general secretary]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY mayor of Malabo]

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)

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)

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 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. Boosts in production along with high world oil prices should further stimulate growth in 2000-2001.

Real gdp growth rate: 15% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2000 (1999 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: 7.4% (1994 est.)

Labor force: NA

Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6% (1999 est.)

Exports: $555 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: petroleum timber cocoa
Partners: US 62% Spain 17% China 9% France 3% Japan 3% (1997)

Imports: $300 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: petroleum manufactured goods and equipment
Partners: US 35% France 15% Spain 10% Cameroon 10% UK 6% (1997)

Debt external: $290 million (1999 est.)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000) 615.70 (1999) 589.95 (1998) 583.67 (1997) 511.55 (1996) 499.15 (1995)

Electricity
Production: 21 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 20 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 0 (1995)

Telephone system: poor system with adequate government services

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3 million (FY97/98)
Percent of gdp: 0.6% (FY97/98)

Airports: 3 (1999 est.)

Disputes international: exclusive maritime economic zone boundary dispute with Cameroon is presently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay; maritime boundary dispute with Nigeria and Cameroon because of disputed jurisdiction over oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea