1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; always hot, humid
Coastline
296 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Maryland
Disputes
maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
Environment
subject to violent windstorms
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
28,050 km2
Land boundaries
539 km; Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Land use
arable land 8%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 51%; other 33%
Natural resources
timber, crude oil, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium
Note
insular and continental regions rather widely separated
Terrain
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
28,050 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
15 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
indigenous population of Bioko, primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos; Rio Muni, primarily Fang; less than 1,000 Europeans, mostly Spanish
Infant mortality rate
107 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
172,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980); labor shortages on plantations; 58% of population of working age (1985)
Languages
Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Life expectancy at birth
49 years male, 53 years female (1992)
Literacy
50% (male 64%, female 37%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Nationality
noun - Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s); adjective - Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
no formal trade unions
Population
388,799 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Religions
natives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some pagan practices retained
Total fertility rate
5.4 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Capital
Malabo
Chamber of People's Representatives
last held 10 July 1988 (next to be held 10 July 1993); results - PDGE is the only party; seats - (41 total) PDGE 41
Chief of State
President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979)
Constitution
new constitution 17 November 1991
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Damaso OBIANG NDONG; Chancery (temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553; telephone (914) 667-9664 US: Ambassador John E. BENNETT; Embassy at Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo (mailing address is P.O. Box 597, Malabo); telephone [240] (9) 2185, 2406, 2507; FAX [240] (9) 2164
Executive branch
president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Flag
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)
Head of Government
Prime Minister Cristino SERICHE BIOKO MALABO (since 15 August 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Isidoro Eyi MONSUY ANDEME (since 15 August 1989)
Independence
12 October 1968 (from Spain; formerly Spanish Guinea)
Judicial branch
Supreme Tribunal
Legal system
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives of the People (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo)
Long-form name
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Member of
ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
Political parties and leaders
only party - Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader; multipartyism legalized in new constitution of November 1991, promulgated January 1992
President
last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results - President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO was reelected without opposition
Suffrage
universal adult at age NA
Type
republic in transition to multiparty democracy
Economy
Agriculture
cash crops - timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops - rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock
Budget
revenues $27 million; expenditures $29 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1990 est.)
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural - francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-89), $14 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89) $130 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $55 million
Electricity
23,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 269.01 (January 1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987)
Exports
$37 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: coffee, timber, cocoa beans partners: Spain 38.2%, Italy 12.2%, Netherlands 11.4%, FRG 6.9%, Nigeria 12.4 (1988)
External debt
$213 million (1990)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $156 million, per capita $400; real growth rate 1.6% (1988 est.)
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for illicit drugs from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe
Imports
$68.3 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: France 25.9%, Spain 21.0%, Italy 16%, US 12.8%, Netherlands 8%, Germany 3.1%, Gabon 2.9%, Nigeria 1.8 (1988)
Industrial production
growth rate - 6.8% (1990 est.)
Industries
fishing, sawmilling
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.6% (1990 est.)
Overview
The economy, destroyed during the regime of former President Macias NGUEMA, is now based on agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence agriculture predominates, with cocoa, coffee, and wood products providing income, foreign exchange, and government revenues. There is little industry. Commerce accounts for about 8% of GDP and the construction, public works, and service sectors for about 38%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
1 major transport aircraft
Highways
Rio Muni - 2,460 km; Bioko - 300 km
Merchant marine
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,413 GRT/6,699 DWT; includes 1 cargo and 1 passenger-cargo
Ports
Malabo, Bata
Telecommunications
poor system with adequate government services; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 2,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 81,850; 41,528 fit for military service