Edition 2007 — 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: 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.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

4 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

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. 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 Equatorial Guinea

Birth rate

35.59 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $1.424 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
revenues: $2.752 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E
name: Malabo
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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/Republique de Guinee equatoriale
local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale

Currency (code)

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

Currency code

XAF

Current account balance

$175 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$289 million (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO
telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700

Disputes - international

in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of 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

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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 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 2006, led by oil. Equatorial Guinea now has the third highest per capita income in the world, after Luxembourg and Bermuda.

Electricity - consumption

24.18 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

26 million kWh (2004)

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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
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 - 522.594 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)

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 (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
head of government: Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama NFUBEA (since 14 August 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU (since 15 June 2004)

Exports

$8.961 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners

US 24.6%, China 21.8%, Spain 10.9%, Canada 7.3%, Taiwan 7.2%, Portugal 5.5%, Netherlands 5.2%, Brazil 4.6%, France 4% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 518-5252

[237] 220 16 20

Fiscal year

calendar year 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 - composition by sector

agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 92.6%
services: 4.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$50,200 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

18.6% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.644 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$25.69 billion (2005 est.)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

insular and continental regions widely separated People Equatorial Guinea

Government type

republic

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

$2.543 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners

US 24.5%, Italy 20.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 10.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.6%, UK 6.9% (2005)

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Industrial production growth rate

30% (2002 est.)

Industries

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Infant mortality rate

female: 83.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
male: 95.22 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 89.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5.2% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.gq

Internet hosts

19 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

5,000 (2005) Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Investment (gross fixed)

34.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

NA

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% (2005)
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 (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, CPDS 2
elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

Life expectancy at birth

female: 51.13 years (2006 est.)
male: 48 years
total population: 49.54 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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria (2007)

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49: 109,923 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 104,563

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49: 59,260 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 56,462

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Median age

female: 19.4 years (2006 est.)
male: 18.2 years
total: 18.8 years

Merchant marine

by type: cargo 1 (2006)
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 1,745 GRT/3,434 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$152.2 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.1% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Nationality

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

Natural gas - consumption

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

violent windstorms, flash floods

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,220 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

420,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines

condensate 46 km; condensate/gas 5 km; gas 47 km; oil 31 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or 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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

540,109 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.05% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Malabo Military Equatorial Guinea

Public debt

4.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios

180,000 (1997)

Religions

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.235 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

total: 2,880 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

Telephone system

domestic: NA
general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

10,000 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

96,900 (2005)

Television broadcast stations