Equatorial Guinea
Country Guide

Explore Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea with its capital Malabo is located in Africa (Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra). It covers some 28,052 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Maryland) with a population of 778,358. Spanish and French are the languages spoken by people in Equatorial Guinea. Did you know that is sharing borders with Cameroon and Gabon.

Equatorial Guinea is a small country in West Africa, divided into two parts, the mainland and the islands. A former Spanish colony, it borders Cameroon and Gabon. This country is one of the largest oil producing countries in Sub-Sahara, behind Angola and Nigeria. Since the discovery, the country has flown into economic stardom, but this country remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and it is very common to see officials asking for bribes around the corners of the country.

Popular Destinations in Equatorial Guinea

Administrative regions of Equatorial Guinea

• Annobon Province
• Bioko Norte Province
• Bioko Sur Province
• Centro Sur Province
• Kie-Ntem Province
• Litoral Province
• Wele-Nzas Province

About the country

The terrain is coastal plains rise to interior hills having islands are volcanic. The average density of population is about 28 per km². The climate in Equatorial Guinea can be described as tropical with always hot, humid. Possible natural disasters include flash floods, Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea and violent windstorms.

To reach someone Equatorial Guinea dial +240 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".gq". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, E). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is XAF.

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); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence.

Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule; it is one of the smallest countries in Africa consisting of a mainland territory and five inhabited islands. The capital of Malabo is located on the island of Bioko, approximately 25 km from the Cameroonian coastline in the Gulf of Guinea. Between 1968 and 1979, autocratic President Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA virtually destroyed all of the country's political, economic, and social institutions before being deposed by his nephew Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO in a coup. President OBIANG has ruled since October 1979 and was reelected in 2016. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, presidential and legislative elections since 1996 have generally been labeled as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has placed legal and bureaucratic barriers that prevent 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, the drop in global oil prices has placed significant strain on the state budget. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy and to increase foreign investment despite limited improvements in the population's living standards. Equatorial Guinea is the host of major regional and international conferences and continues to seek a greater role in regional affairs.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 146)	28,051	sq km
Land (World Rank: 142)	28,051	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 168)	3.70	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland
Coastline
296
Landborder
528
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 66)	3,008	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 195)	10.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 156)	4.30	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 91)	2.10	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 168)	3.70	%
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - tap water is non-potable
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Marine Dumping - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Wetlands
Hazzards	- flash floods - Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea - violent windstorms
Location
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Climate
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 163)	778,358
Deathrate (World Rank: 97)	0.78	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 32)	3.22	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 24)	2.44	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 23)	4.39	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 195)	19.30
Female (World Rank: 190)	20.30
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 153)	157,388
0 14 female (World Rank: 153)	152,469
15 24 male (World Rank: 160)	78,145
15 24 female (World Rank: 161)	75,348
25 54 male (World Rank: 169)	125,108
25 54 female (World Rank: 169)	125,096
55 64 male (World Rank: 174)	14,676
55 64 female (World Rank: 170)	19,349
65 x male (World Rank: 173)	12,808
65 x female (World Rank: 170)	17,971
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 14)	6.52	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 181)	65	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 185)	66	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 174)	63	years
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 102)	2.10
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 137)	74.50	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 156)	8.00	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 204)	47.90	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 168)	425,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 172)	395,300,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 143)	55.10	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 44)	44.90	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 35)	227,000	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 27)	278,000	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 42)	1,100,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 173)	5,200	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 163)	5,197	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 46)	6,200,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 86)	2,050,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 31)	5,010,000,000	m³
Carbon footprint
3700000

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Nation

Budget
Military (World Rank: 152)	0	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 166)	4	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 86)	-2	% of GDP
National symbol
silk cotton tree
National colours
white
Adjective
Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Noun
Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
Background
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule; it is one of the smallest countries in Africa consisting of a mainland territory and five inhabited islands. The capital of Malabo is located on the island of Bioko, approximately 25 km from the Cameroonian coastline in the Gulf of Guinea. Between 1968 and 1979, autocratic President Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA virtually destroyed all of the country's political, economic, and social institutions before being deposed by his nephew Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO in a coup. President OBIANG has ruled since October 1979 and was reelected in 2016. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, presidential and legislative elections since 1996 have generally been labeled as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has placed legal and bureaucratic barriers that prevent 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, the drop in global oil prices has placed significant strain on the state budget. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy and to increase foreign investment despite limited improvements in the population's living standards. Equatorial Guinea is the host of major regional and international conferences and continues to seek a greater role in regional affairs.
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); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 129)	31,180,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 213)	-9.70	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 44)	38,000	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 168)	2.30	%
Source industry (World Rank: 4)	57.20	%
Source service (World Rank: 205)	40.50	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 173)	195,200
In poverty (World Rank: 33)	44.00	%
Products
Industries	- natural gas - petroleum - sawmilling
Agriculture	- bananas - cassava - cocoa - coffee - livestock - manioc - palm oil nuts - rice - tapioca - timber - yams
Exports	- petroleum products - timber
Imports	- construction materials - other equipment - petroleum sector equipment - vehicles

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 192)	10,000
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 194)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 179)	71.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 170)	180,597
Population (World Rank: 178)	23.80	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 143)	6.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 189)	1.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 168)	2,880

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