World Facts Index
 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 sice 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.
Geography of Equatorial Guinea
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering
the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon |
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Coordinates:
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2 00 N, 10 00 E |
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Area:
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total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly smaller than
Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
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Coastline:
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296 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; always hot, humid |
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Terrain:
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coastal plains rise to
interior hills; islands are volcanic |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil, petroleum, timber,
small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium, titanium, iron
ore |
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Natural hazards:
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violent windstorms, flash
floods |
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Environment current issues:
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tap water is not potable;
deforestation |
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Geography - note:
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insular and continental
regions rather widely separated
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Population of Equatorial Guinea
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Population:
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616,459 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 41.7% (male 113,083/female 111,989)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 141,914/female 152,645)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,886/female 11,592) |
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Median age:
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18.8 years |
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Growth rate:
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2.05% |
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Infant mortality:
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89.21 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 49.54 years
male: 48 years
female: 51.13 years |
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Fertility rate:
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4.55 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or
Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos),
Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish |
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Religions:
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nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
Catholic, pagan practices |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), French (official),
pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 85.7%
male: 93.3%
female: 78.4%
|
Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of
Equatorial Guinea
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
former: Spanish Guinea |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Malabo |
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Administrative divisions:
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7 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas |
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Independence:
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12 October 1968 (from Spain) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 12 October (1968) |
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Constitution:
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approved by national referendum 17 November
1991; amended January 1995 |
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Legal system:
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partly based on Spanish civil law and
tribal custom |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal adult |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de
Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive
authority in the president |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Tribunal |
Economy
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.
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GDP:
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$15.54 billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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18.6% |
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GDP per capita:
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$50,200 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 3%
industry: 90.6%
services: 6.2% |
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Inflation rate:
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5% |
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Unemployment:
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30% (1998 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.973 billion
expenditures: $711.5 million |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 94.3%
hydro: 5.7%
other: 0% |
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Industries:
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petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas |
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Agriculture:
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coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber |
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Exports:
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petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa |
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Export partners:
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US 24.6%, China 21.8%, Taiwan 11.2%, Spain 10.9%, Canada
7.7%, Portugal 5.5%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.2%, France 4% |
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Imports:
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petroleum sector equipment, other equipment |
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Import partners:
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US 24.6%, Italy 20.3%, France 12.2%, Spain 10.7%, Cote
d'Ivoire 8.7%, UK 7.2% |
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |