from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Equatorial Guinea
Introduction
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.
Geography
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic 2 00 N, 10 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Maryland
comparative:
Land total: 539 km
boundaries: border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline: 296 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
volcanic
Elevation lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite,
resources: diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Land use: arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural violent windstorms, flash floods
hazards:
Environment - tap water is not potable; deforestation
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - insular and continental regions widely separated
note:
People
Population: 540,109 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 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)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 18.8 years
male: 18.2 years
female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.05% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 49.54 years
expectancy at male: 48 years
birth: female: 51.13 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.55 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 3.4% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 5,900 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 370 (2001 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2005)
Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni
(primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly
Spanish
Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic,
pagan practices
Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English,
Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.7%
male: 93.3%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Government
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 republic
type:
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 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
divisions: Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem,
Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)
National Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
holiday:
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
Executive chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro
branch: OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he
seized power in a military coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama
NFUBEA (since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime
Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)
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 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 unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara
branch: de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members
directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in
2009)
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 Supreme Tribunal
branch:
Political Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido
parties and MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or
leaders: PDGE [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party);
Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo
MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE
[Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises
Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
[Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent
Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
participation: Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF,
OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO,
WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO
representation chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252
Diplomatic chief of mission: the US ambassador to Cameroon is
representation accredited to Equatorial Guinea
from the US: embassy: adjacent to the golf course at the base of
Mont Febe; note - relocated embassy is opened for
limited functions; inquiries should continue to be
directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon
mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US
Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC
20521-2520
telephone: [237] 220 15 00
FAX: [237] 220 16 20
Flag three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and
description: 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
Economy - The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves
overview: 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.
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. Growth remained strong in
2005, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the second
highest per capita income in the world, after
Luxembourg.
GDP $25.69 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $7.644 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 18.6% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $50,200 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 3%
composition by industry: 90.6%
sector: services: 6.2% (2005 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment 30% (1998 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 39.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $1.973 billion
expenditures: $711.5 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 6.4% of GDP
Agriculture - coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas,
products: palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Industrial 30% (2002 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 29.43 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 94.3%
production by hydro: 5.7%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 27.37 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 1,200 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 1.27 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 1.27 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $264 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $6.727 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa
commodities:
Exports - US 25.8%, China 22.9%, Spain 11.4%, Canada 7.7%, Taiwan
partners: 7.5%, Portugal 5.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, France 4.2%
(2005)
Imports: $1.864 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - petroleum sector equipment, other equipment
commodities:
Imports - US 24.6%, Italy 20.7%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%, Cote
partners: d'Ivoire 8.7%, UK 7% (2005)
Reserves of $2.103 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $353 million (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $33.8 million $NA
recipient:
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
(code): responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US
rates: dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003),
696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 10,000 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 96,900 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: poor system with adequate
system: government services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 240; international
communications from Bata and Malabo to African and
European countries; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 180,000 (1997)
Television 1 (2002)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet .gq
country code:
Internet 19 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2002)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 5,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 4 (2006)
Airports - total: 3
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with unpaved under 914 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Pipelines: condensate 46 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil
31 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 2,880 km (1999)
Merchant total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and Malabo
terminals:
Military
Military Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)
branches:
Military 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 104,563
available for females age 18-49: 109,923 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 56,462
for military females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $152.2 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.1% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
international: 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, imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in
the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi allocation
contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been
pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to
resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied
Mbane Island and create a maritime boundary in the
hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay
Trafficking in current situation: Equatorial Guinea is a transit and
persons: destination country for women and children trafficked
for forced labor, involuntary domestic servitude, and
commercial sexual exploitation from surrounding
countries - primarily Benin, Nigeria, Mali, and
Cameroon; victims work in the agricultural and
commercial sectors of Malabo and Bata, where demand is
high due to a booming oil sector; children work as
farmhands, street vendors, or household servants; girls
and women are also trafficked for commercial sexual
exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Equatorial Guinea is
placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to
provide adequate evidence of concrete measures to
address trafficking over the past year