Equatorial Guinea

Internet country code

.gq

Internet hosts

3 (2004)

Internet users

1,800 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment: poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA 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

9,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

41,500 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2002)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $708.5 million expenditures: $317.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

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

Currency code

XAF

Current account balance

$-1.168 billion (2003)

Debt - external

$248 million (2000 est.)

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 2004, 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)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)

Exports

$2.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners

US 33.6%, Spain 25.8%, China 14.4%, Canada 11.8%, Italy 6.4% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 January - 31 December

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 20% industry: 60% services: 2.4% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

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

GDP - real growth rate

20% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$1.371 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners

US 30.6%, UK 16%, France 15.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.9%, Spain 8.1%, Norway 5.9%, Italy 5.3% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

30% (2002 est.)

Industries

petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

63.6% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

NA (October 2000)

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 (1 January 2002)

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 (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

NA

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$206 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

30% (1998 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline

296 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 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, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

insular and continental regions rather widely separated

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

violent windstorms, flash floods

Natural resources

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

Terrain

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Malabo

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 local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial former: Spanish Guinea

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Executive branch

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since 14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG (since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU (since NA January 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president 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 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

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)

Government type

republic

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

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), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal

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) elections: last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held 24 April 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal adult

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 OBIANG NGUEM 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 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the judicious use of patronage. 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 country's living standards.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$75.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 120,463 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 61,084 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42% (male 110,268; female 109,222) 15-64 years: 54.3% (male 136,370; female 147,431) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,745; female 11,015) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

36.56 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

12.27 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 87.08 deaths/1,000 live births male: 93.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 80.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 55.15 years male: 53 years female: 57.36 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 18.7 years male: 18.1 years female: 19.4 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

523,051 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.43% (2004 est.)

Religions

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.68 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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 coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; creation of a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay with Gabon is hampered by dispute over Mbane Island, administered and occupied by Gabon since the 1970s

Airports

3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWT by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Bata, Luba, Malabo