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___ Equatorial Guinea

Pico Basilé on the island of Bioko
Volcano Pico Basilé on the island of Bioko. It is the tallest mountain in Equatorial Guinea, with an altitude of 3,011 m.
Image: Serge Moons
 
Location map of Equatorial Guinea. Where in Africa is Equatorial Guinea?
Location map of Equatorial Guinea

Flag of Equatorial Guinea
Flag of Equatorial Guinea
A virtual guide to Equatorial Guinea, a tropical country situated in central West Africa bordering the Bight of Biafra (Atlantic Ocean) between Cameroon and Gabon, and it shares maritime borders with Nigeria and São Tomé and Príncipe.


Equatorial Guinea is composed of five inhabited islands plus a portion on the African mainland, known as Río Muni. With an area of 28,000 km² the country is slightly smaller than Belgium or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland.


Equatorial Guinea has a population of about 1.2 million people (census 2015), capital city is Malabo on Bioko Island, largest city is Bata (pop. 250,000), a port city at the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the Litoral Province of Río Muni. Spoken languages are Spanish, (national), French, and Portuguese.


Republic of Equatorial Guinea
República de Guinea Ecuatorial


Country Profile



Background:
The country gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 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 also 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 rapid growth in real GDP, there is strong evidence of government misappropriation of oil revenues, in particular, for lavish personal expenditures. Furthermore, the failure of the government to inject oil revenues into the country's economy, especially to fund much-needed improvements in the country's infrastructure, has meant little improvement in the economic and social welfare of most Equatoguineans.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook and US Department of Energy Information)

 

Official Name:
República de Guinea Ecuatorial
République de la Guinée Équatoriale
short form: none
int'l form: Equatorial Guinea
former: Spanish Guinea

ISO Country Code: gq, gnq

Time:
Local Time = UTC +1h
Actual Time: Mon-Mar-18  21:47

Country Calling Code: +240

Capital City: Malabo (on the island Bioko)
Bata (the economícal capital)

Other Cities: Luba (also on Bioko) and Bata and Ebebiyín in Río Muni, the mainland.

Government:
Nominally multi-party Republic with strong domination by the executive branch.
Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain).

Geography:
Location: West central Africa bordering the Bight of Biafra.
Area: 28,000 km² (10,800 sq. miles)
Terrain: Varies. Annobón and Bioko Island are of volcanic origin, Río Muni the mainland stretches from coastal plain to hilly.

Climate: Tropical; always hot and humid.

People:
Nationality: Equatorial Guinean, Equatoguinean
Population: 1.2 million people (Census 2015)
Ethnic groups: The mainland ethnic group of the Fang constitutes the great majority of the population and dominates political life and business. The Bubi people (50 000) of Bioko Island; other--Annobonese, Ndowe, Kombe, and Bujebas. The pygmy populations have long been integrated into the dominant Bantu-speaking cultures.
Languages: Spanish, French (both official); other--pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo.
Religion: Christianity (about 90%); pagan practices.
Literacy: 84%

Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum.

Agriculture products: Main--cocoa, timber; other: coffee, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock.

Industries: petroleum, natural gas, fishing, sawmilling.

Exports - commodities: petroleum products, timber

Exports - partners: China 16.6%, South Korea 15.1%, Spain 9%, brazil 8.2%, Netherlands 6.8%, South Africa 6.6%, India 5.8%, UK 5.7%, France 5.7% (2015)

Imports - commodities: petroleum sector equipment, other equipment, construction materials, vehicles

Imports - partners: Netherlands 16.9%, Spain 16.3%, China 14.8%, USA 8.9%, Côte d'Ivoire 6%, France 4.8% (2015)

Currency: CFA Franc (XAF)

Sources: GE Dirección General de Estadística y Cuentas Nacionales, World Fact Book, and others.

Political System
The nature of Equatorial Guinea's government is non-democratic, since opposition is barely tolerated. President Obiang rules the country since 1979, he is accused of corruption and abuse of power. Equatorial Guinea is currently a one party state controlled by the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE). The constitution provides the president wide powers, including the right to rule by decree.

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Official Sites of Equatorial Guinea


Sitio Web Institucional de Guinea Ecuatorial
Official Web Page of the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

Diplomatic Missions
Embassies of Equatorial Guinea Abroad
Address list of Equatorial Guinea Embassies around the world.
Foreign Embassies in Equatorial Guinea
Address list Foreign Embassies in Equatorial Guinea.
Embajada de La Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial - Reino Unido
Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in the United Kingdom.
U.S. Embassy Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Official website of the US Embassy at Malabo.


Opposition
Asociacion para la solidaridad democratica con Guinea Ecuatorial - ASODEGUE
Information about and from the Association for democratic solidarity with Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish).

Statistics
Dirección General de Estadística y Cuentas Nacionales - DGECN
Statistics Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish)


Maps

Map of Equatorial Guinea
Political map of Equatorial Guinea.
Administrative Map of Equatorial Guinea
Map of Equatorial Guinea showing the countries administrative divisions.

Google Earth Google Earth Equatorial Guinea
Searchable map and satellite view of Equatorial Guinea and Bioko island.
Google Earth Google Earth Malabo
Searchable map and satellite view of Equatorial Guinea's capital on Bioko island.

Political Map of Africa
The 54 countries of Africa.
Map of Africa
Relief Map of Africa.



Aerial view of Malabo, capital city of Equatorial Guinea located on Bioko Island.
Image: Ipisking

 

News

The organization Reporters Without Borders has included President Obiang in its list of "Predators of Press Freedom".

Equatorial Guinea News
Equatorial Guinea news section of the government website.
La Gaceta de Guinea Ecuatorial
Monthly magazine.
Gaceta de Guinea
Madrid based news about Equatorial Guinea.

International News Sources
Afrol News
Current news provided by Afrol News.
Panapress
Equatorial Guinea news (in English, French, Portugues and Arabic).
IRIN News Equatorial Guinea
Latest news from Equatorial Guinea by the UN humanitarian news and information service.
 

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Arts & Culture


Découverte de la Guinée Equatoriale - Arts et Tradition
Official website about Smart warriors, Scarce white masks, Bubi Songs and dances and more about the culture of Equatorial Guinea.

Malabo.sa
Malabosa: Variety magazine of Malabo (in Spanish)

Culture of Equatorial Guinea
Wikipedia article about Equatorial Guinea's culture.
 

Business & Economy

Banque Centrale des Etats d'Afrique Centrale - BEAC
Central Bank of Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

IZF.net, le portail de la Zone Franc CFA
Information about business and investment in the Western African countries within the monetary system of the Franc Zone - CFA. (in French)

Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy
Official website of the regulatory and legislative agency which has responsibility for all matters relating to minerals, petroleum, industry and energy supplies.
 
 
Annobon island, Equatorial Guinea
Aerial view of Annobón island with San Antonio de Palé and the new airport in foreground.


Travel and Tour Consumer Information


Destination Equatorial Guinea - Travel and Tour Guides

Equatorial Guinea provinces: the insular regions: Bioko-Norte with the Capital Malabo, Bioko-Sur, and Annobón island, with its capital San Antonio de Palé.
The continental provinces of Río Muni: Litoral with Bata, the country's largest city, Kie-Ntem, Wele-Nzás, and Centro-Sur.


Tourism in Equatorial Guinea
Government website about the country's geography, tourism, infrastructures and other useful information about Equatorial Guinea.

Tourism in Equatorial Guinea II
The Embassy of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea in the UK has also some information for tourists willing to visit the country.
 


Education


Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial UNGE
The National University of Equatorial Guinea, located in Malabo.
 
 

Environment & Nature


Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program
BBPP is a joint initiative of Arcadia University in Glenside, PA, USA and Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial ("UNGE") to protect the wildlife of Bioko Island.
ECOFAC, Conservation et utilisation rationnelle des Ecosystèmes Forestiers d'Afrique Centrale
Conservation and development of the Forest Ecosystems of Central Africa, the European Union's commitment to a sustainable exploitation of natural resources.
Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial
A research project about the Flora of Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish).
Gulf of Guinea Islands' Biodiversity Network
Information about the biodiversity, and its conservation, of the four Gulf of Guinea islands of Bioko, Príncipe, São Tomé and Annobón.
 


Bioko Island and Malabo -
Bioko Island and Malabo
© equatorialoil.com

History


Once Upon a Coup
History of Equatorial Guinea by PBS.

History of Equatorial Guinea
Wikipedia article about Equatorial Guinea's history from prehistory until today.
 
Río Muni Coast of Equatorial Guinea
Coast of Río Muni the mainland on the African continent.

Sources and additional Information about Equatorial Guinea

Africa South of the Sahara: Djibouti
Stanford University.
BBC News Country Profile: Equatorial Guinea
GlobalEDGE: Equatorial Guinea
Open Directory Project: Equatorial Guinea
OEC: Equatorial Guinea
UNICEF Equatorial Guinea
Wikipedia: Equatorial Guinea
The World Factbook -- Equatorial Guinea
 
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Other Countries of Central Africa
Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad
Congo, Dem. Rep. (Kinshasa), Congo, Rep. (Brazzaville), Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe


Other Countries of Eastern Africa
Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique
Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
 
 
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