Edition 2003 — Equatorial Guinea

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 108,179; female 107,164) 15-64 years: 54% (male 132,342; female 143,509) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,576; female 10,703) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Airports

3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) Military Equatorial Guinea

Area

land: 28,051 sq km
total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Background

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has ruled the tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands and one of the smallest countries on the African continent, since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. Geography Equatorial Guinea

Birth rate

36.94 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $200 million

Capital

Malabo

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

296 km

Constitution

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
former: Spanish Guinea
local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code

XAF

Death rate

12.54 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$248 million (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE

Disputes - international

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but states have not yet agreed to abide by the decision; creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Gabon is hampered by dispute over small islets on Mbane/Mbagne bank, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$33.8 million (1995)

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 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 unsuccessfully 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 will remain strong in 2003, led by oil.

Electricity - consumption

21.91 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

23.56 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 94.3%
hydro: 5.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
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
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
head of government: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS (since 26 February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998)

Exports

$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners

US 28.3%, Spain 25.3%, China 17.4%, Canada 10.6%, France 4.9% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 518-5252
telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

Fiscal year

1 January - 31 December Communications Equatorial Guinea

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 Equatorial Guinea

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20%
industry: 60%
services: 20% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

20% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

insular and continental regions rather widely separated People Equatorial Guinea

Government type

republic

Highways

total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

370 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

5,900 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Imports

$562 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners

US 29.1%, Spain 15.9%, UK 14.8%, France 10.4%, Norway 7.2%, Netherlands 4.8%, Italy 4.7% (2002)

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

30% (2002 est.)

Industries

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Infant mortality rate

female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 95.25 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 89.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Internet country code

.gq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

900 (2002) Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal

Labor force

NA

Land boundaries

border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
total: 539 km

Land use

arable land: 4.63%
other: 91.8% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 3.57%

Languages

Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Legal system

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

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)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2004)
note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the House to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative elections

Life expectancy at birth

female: 56.93 years (2003 est.)
male: 52.63 years
total population: 54.75 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
female: 78.4% (2003 est.) Government Equatorial Guinea
male: 93.3%
total population: 85.7%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Median age

female: 19.3 years (2002)
male: 18 years
total: 18.7 years

Merchant marine

ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,571 GRT/9,670 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$30 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (FY02) Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 116,496 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 59,110 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Nationality

adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)

Natural gas - consumption

20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

68.53 billion cu m (37257)

Natural hazards

violent windstorms, flash floods

Natural resources

oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

181,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

563.5 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; 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 pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

510,473 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.44% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bata, Luba, Malabo

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios

180,000 (1997)

Railways

total: 0 km

Religions

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

domestic: NA
general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

6,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

300 (1998)

Television broadcast stations