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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

Rio Muni - 2,460 km; Bioko - 300 km

Merchant marine [time series]

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,413 GRT/6,699 DWT; includes 1 cargo and 1 passenger-cargo

Ports [time series]

Malabo, Bata

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

poor system with adequate government services; international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 2,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 84,323; fit for military service 42,812 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

cash crops - timber and coffee from Rio Muni, cocoa from Bioko; food crops - rice, yams, cassava, bananas, oil palm nuts, manioc, livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues $26 million; expenditures $30 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY81-89), $14 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89) $130 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $55 million

Electricity [time series]

23,000 kW capacity; 60 million kWh produced, 160 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January 1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$37 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: coffee, timber, cocoa beans partners: Spain 38.2%, Italy 12.2%, Netherlands 11.4%, FRG 6.9%, Nigeria 12.4% (1988)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$213 million (1990)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$63.0 million (c.i.f., 1990) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: France 25.9%, Spain 21.0%, Italy 16%, US 12.8%, Netherlands 8%, FRG 3.1%, Gabon 2.9%, Nigeria 1.8% (1988)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 6.8% (1990 est.)

Industries [time series]

fishing, sawmilling

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.4% (1990)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $144 million (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$380 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

-1% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy, devastated during the regime of former President Macias NGUEMA, is based on agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence agriculture predominates, with cocoa, coffee, and wood products providing income, foreign exchange, and government revenues. There is little industry. Commerce accounts for about 8% of GDP and the construction, public works, and service sectors for about 38%. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Oil exploration, taking place under concessions offered to US, French, and Spanish firms, has been moderately successful. Increased production from recently discovered natural gas deposits will provide a greater share of exports by 1995.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 28,050 km2 land area: 28,050 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Climate [time series]

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline [time series]

296 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to violent windstorms

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

total 539 km, Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 51% other: 33%

Location [time series]

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Cameroon and Gabon

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

timber, petroleum, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium

Note [time series]

insular and continental regions rather widely separated

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Malabo

Constitution [time series]

new constitution 17 November 1991

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Damaso OBIANG NDONG chancery: (temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553 telephone: (914) 667-9664

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 25 June 1989 (next to be held 25 June 1996); results - President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO was reelected without opposition Chamber of People's Representatives: last held 10 July 1988 (next to be held 10 July 1993); results - PDGE is the only party; seats - (41 total) PDGE 41

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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)

Independence [time series]

12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Tribunal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979) Head of Government: Prime Minister Silvestre SIALE BILEKA (since 17 January 1992); Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG MIFUMU (since 22 January 1992)

Legal system [time series]

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Representatives of the People (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS (associate), NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

ruling - Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic in transition to multiparty democracy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John E. BENNETT embassy: Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo mailing address: P.O. Box 597, Malabo telephone: [240] (9) 2185 FAX: [240] (9) 2164

People

Birth rate [time series]

41.1 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

15.11 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

104.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

172,000 (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980) note: labor shortages on plantations; 58% of population of working age (1985)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.63 years male: 49.56 years female: 53.76 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 50% male: 64% female: 37%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

399,055 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.6% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)