Equatorial Guinea

Broadcast media

state maintains control of broadcast media with domestic broadcast media limited to 1 state-owned TV station, 1 state-owned radio station, and 1 private radio station owned by the president's eldest son; satellite TV service is available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are accessible (2007)

Internet country code

.gq

Internet hosts

9 (2010) country comparison to the world: 222

Internet users

14,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 199

Telephone system

general assessment: digital fixed-line network in most major urban areas and good mobile coverage domestic: fixed-line density is about 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing and in 2009 stood at about 70 percent of the population international: country code - 240; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

13,500 (2010) country comparison to the world: 199

Telephones - mobile cellular

399,300 (2010) country comparison to the world: 169

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $6.598 billion expenditures: $6.851 billion (2010 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.7% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Central bank discount rate

8.5% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 15% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.302 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 147 -$1.95 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$794.7 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $757.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Economy - overview

The discovery and exploitation of large oil and gas reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth but fluctuating oil prices have produced huge swings in GDP growth in recent years. Forestry and farming are also minor components of GDP. Subsistence farming is the dominate form of livelihood. 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. The government has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency and misuse of oil revenues; however, in 2010, under Equatorial Guinea's candidacy in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, the government published oil revenue figures for the first time. Undeveloped natural resources include gold, zinc, diamonds, columbite-tantalite, and other base metals. Growth remained strong in 2008, when oil production peaked, but slowed in 2009-10, as the price of oil and the production level fell.

Electricity - consumption

85.56 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

92 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 195

Exchange rates

Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs per US dollar - 495.28 (2010) 472.19 (2009) 447.81 (2008) 481.83 (2007) 522.4 (2006)

Exports

$10.39 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $8.495 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum products, timber

Exports - partners

US 24.3%, Italy 10.3%, Spain 10.1%, South Korea 8.3%, Canada 7.6%, China 6.3%, Netherlands 6.1%, Brazil 5.9% (2010)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$14.49 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$23.82 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $24.02 billion (2009 est.) $22.71 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 2.2% industry: 93.9% services: 3.8% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$36,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $37,900 (2009 est.) $36,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars; population figures are uncertain for Equatorial Guinea; these per capita income figures are based on a estimated population of less than 700,000; some estimates put the figure as high as 1.2 million people; if true, the per capita GDP figures would be significantly lower

GDP - real growth rate

-0.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 195 5.7% (2009 est.) 10.7% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$5.7 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $5.258 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum sector equipment, other equipment, construction materials, vehicles

Imports - partners

China 21.4%, Spain 13.8%, US 12.7%, France 10.9%, Cote dIvoire 6.7%, UK 6.3%, Italy 5.2% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

1.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 135

Industries

petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 7.1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

35.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16

Labor force

195,200 (2007) country comparison to the world: 171

Natural gas - consumption

1.55 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Natural gas - exports

4.72 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 115

Natural gas - production

6.27 billion cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Natural gas - proved reserves

36.81 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Oil - consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - exports

395,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Oil - imports

1,729 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183

Oil - production

322,700 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Oil - proved reserves

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

5.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 131 5.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.346 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $3.252 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.109 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.527 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$171.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $1.534 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.889 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $1.342 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

45.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 24

Unemployment rate

22.3% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171

Area

total: 28,051 sq km country comparison to the world: 146 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, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%) per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note

insular and continental regions widely separated

Irrigated land

NA

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% (2005)

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 volcanism: Santa Isabel (elev. 3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, forms Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea

Natural resources

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

Terrain

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Total renewable water resources

26 cu km (2001)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alberto M. FERNANDEZ embassy: KM-3, Carreterade de Aeropuerto (El Paraiso), Apartado 95, Malabo 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] 2220-1500 FAX: [237] 2220-1572

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO 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 Ignacio MILAM Tang (since 8 July 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 29 November 2009 (next to be held in 2016); 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 95.8%, Placido Mico ABOGO 3.6%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Tribunal

Legal system

mixed system of civil and customary law

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) elections: last held on 4 May 2008 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 89, EC 10, CPDS 1 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

National anthem

name: "Caminemos pisando la senda" (Let Us Tread the Path) lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed) note: adopted 1968

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

National symbol(s)

silk cotton tree

Political parties and leaders

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO] (ruling party); Electoral Coalition or EC; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Avelino MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ Ayecaba]

Political pressure groups and leaders

ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); EG Justice (US-based anti-corruption group)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, and 2008 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, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 151,147 females age 16-49: 150,345 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 113,277 females age 16-49: 115,320 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 7,398 female: 7,126 (2010 est.)

Military branches

National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea Ecuatoria, GNGE (Army), with Coast Guard (Navy) and Air Wing) (2011)

Military expenditures

0.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 171

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; service obligation 2 years; women hold only administrative positions in the Coast Guard (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.5% (male 140,946/female 136,294) 15-64 years: 54.4% (male 179,141/female 184,358) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 11,880/female 15,606) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

35.43 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

10.6% (2004) country comparison to the world: 65

Death rate

9.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 69

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 45% of population rural: 42% of population total: 43% of population unimproved: urban: 55% of population rural: 58% of population total: 57% of population (2000)

Education expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 163

Ethnic groups

Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

5% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 15

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

20,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Health expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 187

Hospital bed density

1.92 beds/1,000 population (2009) country comparison to the world: 102

Infant mortality rate

total: 77.3 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 16 male: 78.37 deaths/1,000 live births female: 76.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages

Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) 32.4% (1994 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 62.37 years country comparison to the world: 180 male: 61.4 years female: 63.36 years (2011 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 93.4% female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

Major cities - population

MALABO (capital) 128,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

280 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Median age

total: 19.1 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.7 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 85

Physicians density

0.3 physicians/1,000 population (2004) country comparison to the world: 136

Population

668,225 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Population growth rate

2.641% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Religions

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years male: 9 years female: 7 years (2002)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.91 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Urbanization

urban population: 40% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 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 and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision delay final delimitation; UN urges Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Equatorial Guinea is primarily a destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and possibly for the purpose of sexual exploitation; children have been trafficked from nearby countries for domestic servitude, market labor, ambulant vending, and possibly sexual exploitation; women may also be trafficked to Equatorial Guinea from Cameroon, Benin, other neighboring countries, and China for sexual exploitation tier rating: Tier 3 - Equatorial Guinea is not making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards on the elimination of trafficking; despite limited law enforcement action against suspected human smugglers and traffickers, including complicit public officials, the government has made no tangible efforts to provide victims of trafficking with the protective services mandated in its 2004 anti-trafficking law; prevention efforts have decreased, as the government did not hold any public awareness campaigns and its interagency commission on human trafficking took little, if any, action; the government's response to human trafficking has been inadequate, particularly given the government's substantial financial resources (2011)

Airports

7 (2010) country comparison to the world: 167

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

total: 4 country comparison to the world: 131 by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Norway 1) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 37 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Bata, Luba, Malabo (2010)

Roadways

total: 2,880 km (2000) country comparison to the world: 168