View Intelligence Dossier Back to 1996 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

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)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 92,704 males fit for military service: 47,124 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

2,000 (1987 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

4,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

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 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic 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 IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. 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. In 1995, exports responded to the devaluation of 12 January 1994, apparently resulting in a sizable surplus and strong GDP growth. Increased production from recently discovered oil and natural gas fields will provide a greater share of exports in 1996-97.

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) 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]

$62 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: coffee, cocoa beans, timber, petroleum partners: Spain, Nigeria, Cameroon, Japan, Portugal

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$268 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

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

purchasing power parity - $325 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 47% industry: 26% services: 27% (1993 est.)

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

$800 (1995 est.)

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

10% (1995 est.)

Imports [time series]

$60 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum, food, beverages, clothing, machinery partners: Cameroon, Spain, France, US, Italy, Netherlands

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

fishing, sawmilling

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

41% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

2 00 N, 10 00 E

Geography - note (Geographic note) [time series]

insular and continental regions rather widely separated

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 border countries: 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

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Malabo 3,008 m

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

Data code [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE 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 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); results - President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected to a seven-year term 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

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)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)

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 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (82 total) PDGE 72, various opposition parties 10

Country name (Name of country) [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 MIFUMU, 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), Santos PASCUAL; 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), Camelo Modu, general secretary; Popular Union (UP), Juan Bitui, president

Suffrage [time series]

NA years of age; universal adult

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic in transition to multiparty democracy

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

the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (male 93,319; female 92,753) 15-64 years: 53% (male 108,706; female 120,129) 65 years and over: 4% (male 7,235; female 9,140) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

39.77 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

14.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 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]

98 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 53.01 years male: 50.79 years female: 55.29 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1%

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 (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

431,282 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.58% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.17 children born/woman (1996 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 (1995 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 2,744 km paved: 330 km unpaved: 2,414 km (1988 est.)

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 (1995 est.)

Ports [time series]

Bata, Luba, Malabo

Railways [time series]

total: 0 km