From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1995
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 Match 74   DB Rec# - 7,526  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Equatorial Guinea 
Text          : 
                                Equatorial Guinea 
 
                                    Geography 


 
Location: 
    Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cameroon and 
    Gabon 
Map references: 
    Africa 
Area: 
  total area: 
    28,050 sq km 
  land area: 
    28,050 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly larger than Maryland 
Land boundaries: 
    total 539 km, Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km 
Coastline: 
    296 km 
Maritime claims: 
  exclusive economic zone: 
    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    12 nm 
International disputes: 
    maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over 
    islands in Corisco Bay 
Climate: 
    tropical; always hot, humid 
Terrain: 
    coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic 
Natural resources: 
    timber, petroleum, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    8% 
  permanent crops: 
    4% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    4% 
  forest and woodland: 
    51% 
  other: 
    33% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 
  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 
Note: 
    insular and continental regions rather widely separated 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    420,293 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 


  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.) 
Population growth rate: 
    2.59% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    40.22 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    14.36 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    100.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    52.56 years 
  male: 
    50.39 years 
  female: 
    54.79 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    5.23 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) 
  adjective: 
    Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean 
Ethnic divisions: 
    Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), 
    Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish 
Religions: 
    nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices 
Languages: 
    Spanish (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over can read and write (1983) 
  total population: 
    62% 
  male: 
    77% 
  female: 
    48% 
Labor force: 
    172,000 (1986 est.) 
  by occupation: 
    agriculture 66%, services 23%, industry 11% (1980) 
  note: 
    labor shortages on plantations 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  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 
Digraph: 
    EK 
Type: 
    republic in transition to multiparty democracy 
Capital: 
    Malabo 
Administrative divisions: 
    7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko 
    Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas 
Independence: 
    12 October 1968 (from Spain) 
National holiday: 
    Independence Day, 12 October (1968) 
Constitution: 
    new constitution 17 November 1991 
Legal system: 
    partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom 
Suffrage: 
    universal adult at age NA 
Executive branch: 
  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 
Legislative branch: 
    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 
Judicial branch: 
    Supreme Tribunal 
Political parties and leaders: 
  ruling party: 
    Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro 
    OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, party leader 
 
                                   Government 
  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 
Member of: 
    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 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
  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 
  FAX: 
    [1] (914) 667-6838 
US diplomatic representation: 
  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 
  FAX: 
    [240] (9) 21-64 
Flag: 
    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) 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    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. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $280 million (1993 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 


    7.3% (1993 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $700 (1993 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    1.6% (1992 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    NA% 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $32.5 million 
  expenditures: 
    $35.9 million, including capital expenditures of $3 million (1992 est.) 
Exports: 
    $56 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    coffee, timber, cocoa beans 
  partners: 
    Spain 55.2%, Nigeria 11.4%, Cameroon 9.1% (1992) 
Imports: 
    $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) 
External debt: 
    $260 million (1992 est) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate 11.3% (1993 est.) 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    23,000 kW 
  production: 
    20 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    50 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    fishing, sawmilling 
Agriculture: 
    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 
 
                                     Economy 
Economic aid: 
  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 
Currency: 
    1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes 
Exchange rates: 
    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 
Fiscal year: 
    1 April - 31 March 


 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
  total: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
    2,760 km (2,460 km on Rio Muni and 300 km on Bioko) 
  paved: 
    NA 
  unpaved: 
    NA 
Ports: 
    Bata, Luba, Malabo 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,412 GRT/6,699 DWT 
  ships by type: 
    cargo 1, passenger-cargo 1 
Airports: 
  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 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    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 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    1 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police 
Manpower availability: 
    males age 15-49 89,752; males fit for military service 45,611 (1995 est.) 
Defense expenditures: 
    exchange rate conversion - $2.5 million, NA% of GDP (FY93/94) 

Index to 1995 World Factbook... UMSL Govt. Docs... UMSL Libraries... UMSL Home...

Cite:
The World Factbook IN National Trade Data Bank: The Export Connection (disk 2 of a 2 disk set), January, 1996, United States Department of Commerce (http://www.doc.gov/),Economics and Statistics Administration (http://www.doc.gov/resources/ESA_info.html), SuDoc No: C1.88:996/2/v.2

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995



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