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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

2,000 telephones; poor system with adequate government services local: NA intercity: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $2.5 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94) ERITREA

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 89,752; males fit for military service 45,611 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for almost 50% of GDP, 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: $32.5 million expenditures: $35.9 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: 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]

capacity: 23,000 kW production: 20 million kWh consumption per capita: 50 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 273,16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports [time series]

$56 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, timber, cocoa beans partners: Spain 55.2%, Nigeria 11.4%, Cameroon 9.1% (1992)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$260 million (1992 est)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Imports [time series]

$62 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: Cameroon 23.1%, Spain 21.8%, France 14.1%, US 4.3% (1992)

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

growth rate 11.3% (1993 est.)

Industries [time series]

fishing, sawmilling

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.6% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $280 million (1993 est.)

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

$700 (1993 est.)

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

7.3% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for about half of GDP and nearly all exports. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the international donor community have failed to revitalize export agriculture. Businesses for the most part are owned by government officials and their family members. 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 fields will provide a greater share of exports in 1995.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

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

Climate [time series]

tropical; always hot, humid

Coastline [time series]

296 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification natural hazards: violent windstorms international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea

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 sq km

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

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: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Teodoro Biyogo NSUE chancery: (temporary) 57 Magnolia Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553 telephone: [1] (914) 738-9584, 667-6913

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979); election 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 head of government: Prime Minister Silvestre SIALE BILEKA (since 17 January 1992); Vice Prime Minister Anatolio NDONG MBA (since November 1993) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

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

[1] (914) 667-6838

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

[240] (9) 21-64

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

Legal system [time series]

partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of People's Representatives: (Camara de Representantes del Pueblo) elections last held 21 November 1993; seats - (82 total) PDGE 72, various opposition parties 10

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, 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 party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader opposition parties: Progressive Democratic Alliance (ADP), Antonio-Ebang Mbele Abang, president; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea (APGE),Casiano Masi Edu, leader; Liberal Democratic Convention (CLD), Alfonso Nsue MOKUY, president; Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS),Santiago Obama Ndong, president; Social Democratic and Popular Convergence (CSDP), Secundino Oyono Agueng Ada, general secretary; Party of the Social Democratic Coalition (PCSD), Buenaventura Moswi M'Asumu, general coordinater; Liberal Party (PL), leaders unknown; Party of Progress (PP), Severo MOTO Nsa, president; Social Democratic Party (PSD), Benjamin-Gabriel Balingha Balinga Alene, general secretary; Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea (PSGE), Tomas MICHEBE Fernandez, general secretary; National Democratic Union (UDENA), Jose MECHEBA Ikaka, president; Democratic Social Union (UDS), Jesus Nze Obama Avomo, general secretary; Popular Union (UP), Juan Bitui, president

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: Charge d'Affaires Joseph P. O'NEILL embassy: Calle de Los Ministros, Malabo mailing address: P.O. Box 597, Malabo telephone: [240] (9) 21-85, 24-06, 25-07

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (female 90,404; male 90,997) 15-64 years: 53% (female 117,124; male 105,724) 65 years and over: 4% (female 8,969; male 7,075) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

40.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.36 deaths/1,000 population (1995 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]

100.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

172,000 (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980) note: labor shortages on plantations

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 52.56 years male: 50.39 years female: 54.79 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1983) total population: 62% male: 77% female: 48%

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 (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

420,293 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.59% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,760 km (2,460 km on Rio Muni and 300 km on Bioko) paved: NA unpaved: NA

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,412 GRT/6,699 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger-cargo 1

Ports [time series]

Bata, Luba, Malabo

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 0 km