1981 Edition

Area

4,040 km1, divided among 10 islands and several islets

28,051 km2; Rio Muni, about 25,900 km2, largely forested; Fernando Po, about 2,072 km2

Branches

executive branch dominant, with power concentrated in President's hands and a small group who are both ministers and members of the party's politburo; unicameral People's National Assembly (210 members) and judiciary have little independence

Capital

Conakry

Coastline

965 km

296 km

Communists

no Communist party, although there are some sympathizers

Elections

approximate schedule — five years parliamentary, latest in 1980; seven years presidential, latest in 1975 Political parties and leaders: only party is Democratic Party of Guinea (PDG), headed by Sekou Toure

Government leader

President Ahmed Sekou TOURE, who has been designated "The Supreme Leader of the Revolution"

Land boundaries

539 km

Legal system

based on French civil law system, customary law, and presidential decree; constitution adopted 1958; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction GUINEA (Continued)

Limits of territorial waters

12 nm (fishing 200 nm, economic 200 nm)

Limits of territorial waters (claimed)

12 nm

Member of

AFDB, EGA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ISCON, ITU, Niger River Commission, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October

Political subdivisions

35 administrative regions, 170 arrondissements, about 8,000 local entities at village level

Suffrage

universal over age 18

Type

republic; under one-party presidential regime

Ethnic divisions

about 71% mulatto; 28% African; 1% European

indigenous population of Province Bioko, primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos; of Rio Muni primarily Fang; less than 1,000 Europeans, primarily Spanish

Labor force

bulk of population engaged in subsistence agriculture

most Equatorial Guineans involved in subsistence agriculture; labor shortages on plantations

Language

Portuguese and Crioulo, a blend of Portuguese and West African words

Spanish official language of government and business; also pidgin English, Fang

Literacy

37%

school enrollment reportedly 90% for school age children, but overall literacy rate is only 38%

Nationality

noun — Cape Verdean(s); adjective — Cape Verdean-

noun — Equatorial Guinean(s); adjective — Equatorial Guinean

Population

293,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.6%

260,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.1%

Religion

Catholicism, fused with local superstitions

natives all nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some pagan practices retained

Branches

National Assembly, 56 members; the official party is the supreme political institution

executive and legislative powers held by 11member Supreme Military Council, assisted by ministries headed by appointed military commissars; judicial process not clearly defined since coup

Capital

Praia

Malabo

Communists

no significant number of Communists, but some sympathizers

Elections

last parliamentary elections held December Political parties and leaders: political activities suspended; before coup of 3 August 1979, National Unity Party of Workers (PUNT) was the sole legal party

Government leader

Lt. Col Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, President, Supreme Military Council (SMC), succeeded former President Masie Nguema after 3 August 1979 coup

Government leaders

President Aristides PEREIRA; Prime Minister Pedro PIRES; Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvino da LUZ

Legal system

to be determined

in transition; law by decree issued by Supreme Military Council; in part based on Spanish civil law and custom

Member of

Conference of East and Central African States, EGA, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IMCO, IMF, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UPU

National holiday

12 September

Independence Day, 5 July

12 October EQUATORIAL GUINEA (Continued)

Official name

Republic of Cape Verde

Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Political subdivisions

10 islands

3 military regions; 7 provinces with appointed military governors

Suffrage

universal over age 15 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

popular suffrage has been deferred

Type

republic; achieved independence from Portugal in July 1975

republic

Agriculture

major cash crops — Rio Muni, timber, coffee; Fernando Po, cocoa; main food products — rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, and livestock

cash crops — coffee, bananas, palm products, peanuts, and pineapples; staple food crops — cassava, rice, millet, corn, sweet potatoes; livestock raised in some areas

Budget

(1976) receipts $2.8 million

(1979) public revenue $479.6 million, current expenditures $271.2 million, development expenditures $435.6 million

Electric power

7,000 kW capacity (1980); 25 million kWh produced (1980), 99 kWh per capita

75,000 kW capacity (1980); 500 million kWh produced (1980), 90 kWh per capita

Exports

$13.3 million (1980 est); cocoa, coffee, and wood

$410 million (f.o.b., 1980); bauxite, alumina, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels

Fiscal year

calendar year

calendar year

GNP

$100 million (1980); $417 per capita (Note: economy destroyed by former President Masie Nguema)

$1.5 billion (1980), $270 per capita

Imports

$37.1 million (1980 est.); foodstuffs, chemicals and chemical products, textiles

$380 million (f.o.b., 1980); petroleum products, metals, machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles

Major industries

fishing, sawmilling

bauxite mining, alumina, light manufacturing and processing industries

Major trade partner

Spain

Major trade partners

Communist countries, Western Europe (including France), US

Monetary conversion rate

172.1 Ekuele=US$l (March 1981)

18.928 syli=US$l floating (Februaryl981)

Airfields

3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

18 total, 18 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m DEFENSE FORCES

Civil air

1 major transport aircraft

13 major transport aircraft

Highways

Rio Muni — 2,460 km, including approx. 185 km bituminous, remainder gravel and earth; Fernando Po — 300 km, including 146 km bituminous, remainder gravel and earth

7,604 km total; 4,949 km paved, remainder unimproved earth

Inland waterways

Rio Muni has approximately 167 km of year-round navigable waterway, used mostly by pirogues

1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, $6.2 million; 21% of central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 58,000; 30,000 fit for military service

males 15-49, 1,173,000; 590,000 fit for military service

Ports

1 major (Malabo), 3 minor

1 major (Conakry), 2 minor

Railroads

none

805 km; 662 km meter gauge (1.000 m), 143 km standard gauge (1.435 m)

Telecommunications

poor system with adequate government services; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 2,000 telephones (0.6 per 100 popl.); 2 AM and no FM stations; no TV station DEFENSE FORCES