Equatorial Guinea - History, Politics, Economy, Geography, Demographics, Official languages, Culture, Mass media, Sports, Equatorial Guinea in fiction

Official name Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Span República de Guinea Ecuatorial

Local name Guinea Ecuatorial Timezone GMT +1 Area 26 016 km²/10 042 sq mi (mainland area) 28 051 km²/10 828 sq mi (total area) population total (2002e) 498 000 Status Republic Date of independence 1968 Capital Malabo Language Spanish (official) Ethnic groups Mainland population, mainly Fang (83%), Bubi (10%), Ndowe (4%), Annobonés (2%), Bujeba (1%) Religions Roman Catholic (80%), traditional beliefs (5%) Physical features Located in WC Africa; comprises the mainland area (Río Muni) and several islands in the Gulf of Guinea; mainland rises sharply from a narrow coast of mangrove swamps towards the heavily forested African plateau; Bioko, fertile volcanic island in NW, contains Guinea's highest point, Pico de Basilé, 3007 m/9865 ft. Climate Hot and humid equatorial climate; average maximum daily temperature, 29–32°C; average annual rainfall c.2000 mm/80 in. Currency 1 CFA Franc (XAF) = 100 centimes Economy Largely based on agriculture; cocoa, coffee, timber, bananas, cassava, palm oil, sweet potatoes. GDP (2002e) $1·27 bn, per capita $2700 Human Development Index (2002) 0·679 History First visited by Europeans in 15th-c; island of Fernando Póo claimed by Portugal, 1494–1788; occupied by Britain, 1781–1843; rights to the area acquired by Spain, 1844; independence, 1968; military coup, 1975; governed by Supreme Military Council headed by a President; new constitution, 1991; first multi-party elections held, 1993.

República de Guinea Ecuatorial République de Guinée équatoriale
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unidad, Paz, Justicia"  (Spanish) "Unity, Peace, Justice"
Anthem: Caminemos pisando la senda
Capital (largest city)	Malabo 3°21′N 8°40′E
Official language	French, Spanish.
Government
- President	Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
- Prime Minister	Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
Independence
- Water (%)	negligible
Population
- July 2005 estimate	504,000 (166th)
- Density	18/km² (187th) 47/sq mi
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
- Total	$18.785 billion (112th)
- Per capita	$16,507 (41st)
HDI  (2005)	0.655 (medium) (121st)
Currency	CFA franc (XAF)
Time zone	WAT (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+1)
Internet TLD	.gq
Calling code	+240

Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is a country in West Middle Africa, one of the smallest in continental Africa.

Equatorial Guinea is the smallest country, in terms of population, in continental Africa (Seychelles and São Tomé and Príncipe are smaller).

History

The first inhabitants of the continental region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Río Muni.

Politics

The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections.

On December 15, 2002 , Equatorial Guinea's four main opposition parties withdrew from the country's presidential election.

According to a March 2004 BBC profile , politics within the country are currently dominated by tensions between Obiang's son, Teodorin, and other close relatives with powerful positions in the security forces.

Economy

Pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings.

Despite a per capita GDP (PPP) of more than US$30,000 (CIA Factbook $50,200) which is as of 2006 the third highest in the world, Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st out of 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index.

In July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently, and which also banked for Chile's Augusto Pinochet.

On August 9, 2006, Harper's Magazine published an article by Ken Silverstein highlighting Obiang's recent connections with the U.S. State Department and Independence Federal Savings Bank .

Main article: Economy of Equatorial Guinea Pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings.

Despite a per capita GDP (PPP) of more than US$30,000 [9] (CIA Factbook $50,200[10]) which is as of 2006 the third highest in the world, Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st out of 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index.

In July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently, and which also banked for Chile's Augusto Pinochet.

On August 9, 2006, Harper's Magazine published an article by Ken Silverstein highlighting Obiang's recent connections with the U.S. State Department and Independence Federal Savings Bank [12].

Geography

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is located in west central Africa.

Demographics

The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of Bantu origin.

Official languages

The Constitutional Law which amends article 4 of the Fundamental Law of the State, establishes that "the official languages of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea are Spanish and French.

Culture

Several cultural dispersion and literacy organizations are located in the country, founded chiefly with the financial support of the Spanish government.

List of writers from Equatorial Guinea Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Mass media

The most dominant form of mass media in the country is the three state-operated FM radio stations.

A July 2003 article from the BBC points out there are no daily newspapers in the country and described how a Fang program called "Bidze-Nduan" ("Bury the Fire") on a widely listened-to state radio station declared that Obiang was "in permanent contact with the Almighty";

Sports

Eric Moussambani - Swimmer Gus Envela, Jr - Sprinter Equatorial Guinea national football team

Equatorial Guinea in fiction

Fernando Póo (now Bioko) is featured prominently in the 1975 science fiction work The Illuminatus!

Most of the action in Robin Cook's book, Chromosome 6, takes place in Equatorial Guinea, where an international Biochemical corporation, GenSys, established a primate research facility due to the permisive laws of the country.

Miscellaneous topics

Communications in Equatorial Guinea Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea List of Equatorial Guinea-related topics Military of Equatorial Guinea Scouting in Equatorial Guinea Transport in Equatorial Guinea

Online References

^ http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf ^ "Equatorial Guinea: Obiang Sure to Win As Opposition Quits Poll", allAfrica, 2002-12-16.

This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.

Books

Max Liniger-Goumaz, Small is not Always Beautiful: The Story of Equatorial Guinea (French 1986, translated 1989) ISBN 0-389-20861-2 Ibrahim K. Cien años de evangelización en Guinea Ecuatorial (1883-1983)/ One Hundred Years of Evangelism in Equatorial Guinea (1983, Barcelona: Claretian Missionaries) Adam Roberts, The Wonga Coup: Guns, Thugs and a Ruthless Determination to Create Mayhem in an Oil-Rich Corner of Africa (2006, PublicAffairs) ISBN 1-5864-8371-4

News

allAfrica - Equatorial Guinea news headline links (English, French) Guinea-Ecuatorial.net (Spanish, some French)

Overviews and Directories

BBC News Country Profile - Equatorial Guinea CIA World Factbook - Equatorial Guinea Open Directory Project - Equatorial Guinea directory category Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Equatorial Guinea directory category The Index on Africa - Equatorial Guinea University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Equatorial Guinea directory category Yahoo! - Equatorial Guinea directory category

Ethnic Groups

The Bubis of Fernando Po The history of first inhabitants of Bioko Island, now an endangered people Cultura Bubi Cultures de Mon: Los Bubis African Pygmies Culture and music of the first inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea, with photos and ethnographic notes

Tourism

Equatorial Guinea travel guide from Wikitravel

Economy

Equatorial Guinea Banking Issues, from the Fair Finance Watch Equatorial Guinea Investment Opportunities in Spanish

Spain and Africa

Spanish Embassy's Plan for African 2006-2008 v • d • e Countries of West Africa

Benin • Burkina Faso • Cameroon • Côte d'Ivoire • Equatorial Guinea • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Liberia • Mali • Niger • Nigeria • Republic of the Congo • Senegal • Sierra Leone • Togo

v • d • e Member states of the African Union

Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Republic of the Congo • Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Eritrea • Ethiopia • Equatorial Guinea • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia • Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria • Rwanda • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia • South Africa • Sudan • Swaziland • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Western Sahara (SADR) • Zambia • Zimbabwe

v • d • e Countries of Africa

Sovereign states: Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Republic of the Congo • Comoros • Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Ethiopia • France • Gabon • The Gambia • Ghana • Guinea-Bissau • Guinea • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia • Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria • Portugal • Rwanda • Senegal • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia • South Africa • Spain • Sudan • Swaziland • São Tomé and Príncipe • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Yemen • Zambia • Zimbabwe

Dependencies: British Indian Ocean Territory (UK) • French Southern Territories (France)  • Mayotte (France)  • Réunion (France)  • Saint Helena (UK)

 Mostly in Europe. 

v • d • e Francophonie Members: Belgium • Benin • Bulgaria • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cambodia • Cameroon • Canada • New Brunswick • Quebec • Ontario • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Côte d'Ivoire • Cyprus • Democratic Republic of the Congo • Djibouti • Dominica • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • France • French Guiana • Gabon • Ghana • Guadeloupe • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Haiti • Laos • Lebanon • Madagascar • Mali • Martinique • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Niger • Republic of the Congo • Romania • Rwanda • Saint Lucia • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Seychelles • Saint-Pierre and Miquelon • Switzerland • Togo • Tunisia • Ukraine • Vanuatu • Vietnam

Observers: Armenia • Austria • Croatia • Czech Republic • Georgia • Hungary • Lithuania • Mozambique • Poland • Serbia • Slovakia • Slovenia • Ukraine

v • d • e Countries on the North Atlantic Ocean

Eurasia-Africa: Benin • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Côte d'Ivoire • Equatorial Guinea • France • Gabon • Gambia • Ghana • Gibraltar • Guernsey • Guinea • Guinea-Bissau • Ireland • Isle of Man • Jersey • Liberia • Mauritania • Morocco • Nigeria • Portugal • São Tomé and Príncipe • Senegal • Sierra Leone • Spain • Togo • United Kingdom • Western Sahara

Americas: Aruba • Bahamas • Belize • Bermuda • Brazil • Colombia • Canada • Cayman Islands • Costa Rica • Cuba • France (French Guiana • Saint-Pierre and Miquelon) • Guyana • Haiti • Honduras • Mexico • Montserrat • Netherlands Antilles • Nicaragua • Panama • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Suriname • Trinidad and Tobago • Turks and Caicos Islands • United States • Venezuela

North-west approaches: Greenland • Iceland

v • d • e Niger-Congo-speaking nations

Kordofanian:  Sudan

Mande:  The Gambia •  Guinea •  Guinea-Bissau •  Mali •  Mauritania •  Senegal •  Sierra Leone

Atlantic-Congo

Atlantic

 Benin •  Burkina Faso •  Cameroon •  Central African Republic •  Chad •  Côte d'Ivoire •  The Gambia •  Guinea •  Guinea-Bissau •  Liberia •  Mali •  Mauritania •  Niger •  Senegal •  Sierra Leone •  Sudan •  Togo

Ijoid:  Nigeria - Dogon:  Mali

Volta-Congo

Senufo:  Benin •  Côte d'Ivoire •  Mali

Gur:  Benin •  Burkina Faso •  Côte d'Ivoire •  Ghana •  Mali •  Nigeria •  Togo

Adamawa-Ubangi:  Cameroon •  Central African Republic •  Chad •  Nigeria

Kru:  Burkina Faso •  Côte d'Ivoire •  Liberia

Kwa:  Benin •  Côte d'Ivoire •  Ghana •  Nigeria •  Togo

Benue-Congo

Bantu

 Angola •  Botswana •  Burundi •  Cameroon •  Democratic Republic of the Congo •  Republic of the Congo •  Equatorial Guinea •  Gabon •  Kenya •  Nigeria •  Malawi •  Mozambique •  Namibia •  Rwanda •  Somalia •  South Africa •  Swaziland •  Tanzania •  Uganda •  Zambia •  Zimbabwe

Yoruba and Igbo:  Nigeria