Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is a country on the west coast of Central Africa, with an area of 28,000 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi). Formerly a colony of Spain with the name Spanish Guinea, the country achieved its independence on October 12, 1968.
Its post-independence name refers to its location near both the Equator and in the African region of Guinea. As of 2024, the country had a population of 1,795,834, over 85% of whom are members of the Fang people, the country’s dominant ethnic group. The Bubi people, indigenous to Bioko, are the second largest group at approximately 6.5% of the population.
Equatorial Guinea consists of two parts, an insular and a mainland region. The insular region consists of the islands of Bioko (formerly Fernando Pó) in the Gulf of Guinea and Annobón, a small volcanic island which is the only part of the country south of the equator. Bioko Island is the northernmost part of Equatorial Guinea and is the site of the country’s capital, Malabo. Bioko was known as “Fernando Po” until the 1970s. It is located about 40 km away from Cameroon and is the largest island of the Gulf of Guinea, covering 2,017 km2.
The mainland region, Río Muni, is bordered by Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the south and east. It is the location of Bata, Equatorial Guinea’s largest city, and Ciudad de la Paz, the country’s planned future capital. Río Muni also includes several small offshore islands, such as Corisco, Elobey Grande, and Elobey Chico. The country is a member of the African Union, Francophonie, OPEC, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).
Equatorial Guinea lies between latitudes 4°N and 2°S, and longitudes 5° and 12°E. The country has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. From June to August, Río Muni is dry and Bioko wet; from December to February, the reverse occurs. In between it, there is a gradual transition. Rain or mist occurs daily on Annobón, where a cloudless day has never been registered. The temperature at Malabo, Bioko, ranges from 16 °C (61 °F) to 33 °C (91 °F), though on the southern Moka Plateau, normal high temperatures are only 21 °C (70 °F). In Río Muni, the average temperature is about 27 °C (81 °F). Annual rainfall varies from 1,930 mm (76 in) at Malabo to 10,920 mm (430 in) at Ureka, Bioko, but Río Muni is somewhat drier.
Equatorial Guinea spans several ecoregions. Río Muni region lies within the Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion except for patches of Central African mangroves on the coast, especially in the Muni River estuary. The Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion covers most of Bioko and the adjacent portions of Cameroon and Nigeria on the African mainland, and the Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests ecoregion covers the highlands of Bioko and nearby Mount Cameroon. The São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón moist lowland forests ecoregion covers all of Annobón, as well as São Tomé and Príncipe.
Much of the mainland region of Equatorial Guinea is covered by dense tropical rainforest that has long been exploited by the lumbering industry. More than 140 species of wood are found, of which the most important commercially are okume (Aucoumea klaineana), African walnut, and various mahoganies. A secondary forest growth has replaced the virgin rainforest. Mangroves fringe long stretches of the coast as well as riverbanks. Bioko has a greater variety of tropical vegetation, including mangroves.
The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of Bantu origin. The largest ethnic group, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island since the 20th century means the Fang population exceeds that of the earlier Bubi inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80% of the population and comprise around 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Río Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, while those in the south speak Fang-Okah; the two dialects have differences but are mutually intelligible. Dialects of Fang are also spoken in parts of neighboring Cameroon (Bulu) and Gabon. These dialects, while still intelligible, are more distinct. The Bubi, who constitute 15% of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island. The traditional demarcation line between Fang and ‘Beach’ (inland) ethnic groups was the village of Niefang (limit of the Fang), east of Bata.
Coastal ethnic groups, sometimes referred to as Ndowe or “Playeros” (Beach People in Spanish): Combes, Bujebas, Balengues, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and Fernandinos, a Krio community on Bioko Island together comprise 5% of the population. Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent, some with partial African ancestry) also live in the country, but most ethnic Spaniards left after independence. A growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon have immigrated to the country.
After becoming independent from Spain in 1968, Equatorial Guinea was ruled by Francisco Macías Nguema. He declared himself president for life in 1972, but was overthrown in a coup in 1979 by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has served as the country’s President since. Both presidents have been widely characterized as dictators by foreign observers. Since the mid-1990s, Equatorial Guinea has become one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest oil producers. It has subsequently become the richest country per capita in Africa, and its gross domestic product (GDP) adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita ranks 43rd in the world; however, the wealth is distributed extremely unevenly, with few people benefiting from the oil riches. The country ranked 144th on the 2019 Human Development Index, with less than half the population having access to clean drinking water and 7.9% of children dying before the age of five.
Since Equatorial Guinea is a former Spanish colony, Spanish is the main official language. French and Portuguese have also been made official but they are not as widely used.
Aside from the partially recognized Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, it is the only country situated in Mainland Africa where Spanish is an official language (Spanish is also spoken in the African parts of Spain: the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla). It is also the most widely spoken language (considerably more than the other two official languages); according to the Instituto Cervantes, 87.7% of the population has a good command of Spanish.
French was added as its second one in1998, as it had previously joined the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), whose founding members are French-speaking nations, two of them (Cameroon and Gabon) surrounding its continental region. Portuguese was adopted as the counry’s third official language in 2010. Spanish is still the language of education and administration. French was only made official in order to join the Francophonie, and it is not locally spoken, except in some border towns.
The principal religion in Equatorial Guinea is Christianity, the faith of 93% of the population. Roman Catholics make up the majority (88%), while a minority are Protestants (5%). Of the population, 2% follows Islam (mainly Sunni). The remaining 5% practice Animism, Baháʼí, and other beliefs, and traditional animist beliefs are often mixed with Catholicism.
Education is compulsory and free for all children ages 6 to 11. Efforts have been made to improve educational opportunities, and illiteracy has declined over the years; more than four-fifths of the population is literate. The National University of Equatorial Guinea (Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial) is located in Malabo.
GOVERNANCE
The Executive Branch
Under the constitution of 1991, since amended, Equatorial Guinea is a republic. Executive power is vested in the president. The president appoints the Vice President, the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers.
The President is elected through universal suffrage and can serve up to two seven-year terms, as per the 2011 amendments of the 1991 constitution.
The current President of Equatorial Guinea, as stated earlier, is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
In November 2022, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was re-elected for another seven-year term, extending his rule to almost half a century, if completed. Opposition party members, including the socialist Convergencia para la Democracia Social (CPDS) and the center-right Ciudadanos por la Innovación (CI), faced arrests and police violence in an oppressive environment. The electoral commission initially reported that 94.9% of the vote went to Obiang, later revising it to 99% when proclaiming him the elected candidate. This resulted in complete control of all parliamentary, senatorial and municipal council seats by the ruling Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial (PDGE). Behind these seemingly absurd figures lies a significant story of effective power transfer. Attention now turns to the Vice President and Obiang’s first-born son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, also known as Teodorín, who is heir apparent to the presidency.
The Legislative Branch
The legislature is bicameral, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies, members of which are directly elected to five-year terms, and the Senate, the majority of its members being directly elected and the rest appointed by the president and all of them serving five-year terms.
Although the legislature is deemed independent in theory, it is constrained both constitutionally and politically. Neither parliament nor the Senate possesses the constitutional authority to remove the President, while the President holds the power to dismiss Members of Parliament.
Additionally, the President has the authority to appoint additional senators as deemed necessary by national legislation and can dissolve parliament. In practice, the ruling party exerts complete control over the parliament.
The PDGE has maintained a decisive majority in the legislature. Many observers have criticized the country’s presidential and parliamentary elections as being irregular or fraudulent.
The legislature has no meaningful role in Equatorial Guinea, as the President, the PDGE and the ruling family work together to wield autocratic power. Decision-making authorities are concentrated in the ruling family, with family members and in-laws holding significant political influence in various areas, such as security and the economy. Presidential decrees frequently supersede legislation, and all crucial decisions are made by the President and his chief of staff, Teodoro Biyogo Nsue, who also oversees the Ministers.
Following the 2022 general elections, President Obiang’s party holds all of the 100 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and all of those in the Senate. The opposition is almost non-existent in the country and is organized from Spain mainly within the social-democratic Convergence for Social Democracy. The population’s main source of news is the government-controlled radio and TV broadcaster, RTVGE. The only privately owned television channel, Asonga, was founded and is owned by Teodorín.
The PDGE party exercises control over every branch of government and permeates all levels of the bureaucratic system.
The Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court of Justice in Malabo is the highest judicial authority. There are also subordinate courts. The Constitutional Court sits in Malabo
While the judiciary is theoretically independent and differentiated, it is ultimately dependent on the executive branch. President Obiang appoints all high-level judges, including those serving in the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Court. Parliament ratifies their appointments.
Administrative Provinces
Equatorial Guinea is divided into eight provinces. The newest province is Djibloho, created in 2017 with its headquarters at Ciudad de la Paz, the country’s future capital. The eight provinces are as follows; Annobón, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kié-Ntem, Litoral and Wele-Nzas. The provinces are further divided into 19 districts and 37 municipalities.
ECONOMY
The country’s economy relies entirely on the export of off-shore oil and gas. Hydrocarbons account for 97% of the state’s exports, and it is a member of the African Petroleum Producers Organization.
Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Subsistence farming predominates. Agriculture is the country’s main source of employment, providing income for 57% of rural households and employment for 52% of the workforce. While its proportion compared to the oil industry is lower, the sector plays a major role in local and foreign earnings.
Equatorial Guinea’s economy traditionally depended on three commodities— cocoa, coffee and timber but the discovery and exploitation of petroleum and natural gas changed the country’s economic profile virtually overnight in the 1980s.
Petroleum now accounts for the vast majority of Equatorial Guinea’s exports and contributes more than four-fifths of its gross domestic product (GDP). Nevertheless, the standard of living of most people has not significantly improved, and farming continues to be the predominant occupation.
The United States, China, Japan, Spain, and France, among others, are major trade partners of Equatorial Guinea.
On 1 January 1985, the country became the first non-Francophone African member of the franc zone, adopting the CFA franc as its currency.
AGRICULTURE
Before independence, the Spanish subsidized cocoa and coffee exports to Spain. The high-quality cocoa was the mainstay of the economy of Bioko, which possessed the right soil and climate for its intensive cultivation. Most of Equatorial Guinea’s cocoa is still produced on the island. As with other commodities, production suffered under the post-independence regime of Francisco Macías Nguema: Nigerians and local workers left the cocoa plantations; maintenance, output, and quality declined; and cocoa exports dropped to one-tenth of their former level. Exports of coffee almost ceased from island and mainland plantations, an exception being the small production of robusta coffee by Fang farmers in Río Muni.
Today, despite the changes in the economy wrought by the dramatic growth of the petroleum industry, the majority of people are still employed in agriculture. Many are subsistence farmers. Among the crops grown are cassava (manioc), sweet potatoes, oil palm fruit, plantains, bananas, coconuts, coffee and cocoa. Sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle are raised. Fishing contributes to the economy as well, and the timber industry remains significant.
INDUSTRY
The latest value of industry from 2023 is 51.23 percent of the GDP.
Manufacturing
The Manufacturing sector’s latest value from 2023 is 5.92 percent of the GDP.
Extractives
Oil and gas extraction dominates the economy of Equatorial Guinea. Despite the oil sector being the largest in the country, it only accounts for 4% of the total jobs. Deposits of gold, titanium, manganese, iron ore, and uranium exist but remain largely undeveloped.
Construction
A string of international construction companies have set up subsidiaries in the country, including Bouygues of France, Vinci Construction Group, Fayat and Veolia. They have undertaken property, road, water, airport and stadium projects with government funding.
SERVICES
The services sector includes wholesale and retail trade, transport, financial services, education, health care, and real estate. The latest value from 2023 is 44.91 percent of the GDP.
Approximately 50% of the population is employed, while the unemployment rate is 20%, notably higher among young people. Of the working population, roughly 20% are engaged in unskilled labor, 20% work in agriculture, another 20% in retail and commerce, and a significant 20% are employed in professional or administrative services, predominantly in or associated with the government. The hydrocarbon sector employs only 4% of the workforce, including technically and vocationally trained personnel.
The government directly employs at least 25,000 individuals, nearly a quarter of the employed population, and indirectly employs a significantly larger number. The proportion of women in the labor force remains low, with only 15% of civil servants being women. Approximately 5% of the workforce consists of “Directors and Managers” or individuals in the armed forces, which contributes to inequality, along with age and gender.
There are three airports in Equatorial Guinea— Malabo International Airport, Bata Airport and the Annobón Airport on the island of Annobón. Malabo International Airport is the only international airport.
Banking
The Bank of Central African States is a central bank that serves Equatorial Guinea, as well as five other central African countries which form the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa, namely Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo.
The banking sector in Equatorial Guinea has witnessed significant growth in recent years, with several banks playing a crucial role in the country’s economic development.
The top 10 banks in Equatorial Guinea, which include Banco Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (BANGE), Banco Nacional de Credito (BNC) and Banco de Finanzas e Inversiones (BFI), have established themselves as trusted institutions, offering a wide range of financial services to individuals, businesses, and government entities.
Tourism
As of 2020, Equatorial Guinea has no UNESCO World Heritage Site or tentative sites for the World Heritage List. The country also has no documented heritage listed in the Memory of the World Programme of UNESCO nor any intangible cultural heritage listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
Tourist attractions are the colonial quarter in Malabo, the southern part of the island Bioko where one can hike to the Iladyi cascades and to remote beaches to watch nesting turtles, Bata with its shoreline Paseo Maritimo and the tower of liberty, Mongomo with its basilica (the second largest Catholic church in Africa) and the new planned and built capital Ciudad de la Paz.
Other tourist attractions include the Monte Alen National Park, located in the continental portion of Equatorial Guinea. The park’s thick tropical rainforest is home to gorillas, chimpanzees and hundreds of species of birds.
CULTURE
Despite a veneer of Spanish culture and of Roman Catholic religion that is thicker in Bioko than on the mainland, many Equatoguineans live according to ancient customs, which have undergone a revival since independence.
Among the Fang of the mainland, witchcraft, traditional music (in which the Fang harp, the xylophone, the great drums, and the wooden trumpet are used), and storytelling survive. Among the Bubi farmers of Bioko, some ancient customs are still followed as well.
The various regions and communities of Equatorial Guinea each have their own typical cuisine. Spanish cuisine also has influenced the cooking of the country. Commonly used ingredients are similar to those used in neighbouring countries, i.e., fish, shrimp, crayfish, pumpkin seeds, peanuts (groundnuts) and vegetables. Chocolate is used in a variety of recipes as well. One popular method of preparing fish involves wrapping it in banana or plantain leaves before cooking it over an open fire.
Some popular dishes among local residents include rocky mountain oysters (deep fried bull testicles) and spicy peppersoup (made up of ingredients such as chili peppers, meat, and nutmeg).
Popular beverages in Equatorial Guinea include Osang tea, a sugar cane brew known as Malamba, palm wine, and beer.
The balélé is a popular style of dance. Pan-African music styles like soukous and makossa are popular, as are reggaeton, Latin trap, reggae and rock and roll.
SPORTS
Football remains the most popular sport in Equatorial Guinea. The national football team has participated in various international tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The country has also hosted several football events, such as the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012.
Apart from football, basketball has gained significant popularity in recent years. Equatorial Guinea has produced talented basketball players who have represented the country at regional and international levels. Other sports that have a growing following in the country include athletics, handball, and volleyball.
Athletes representing Equatorial Guinea first competed in the Olympic Games in 1984 in Los Angeles.
Equatorial Guinea is famous for the swimmers Eric Moussambani, nicknamed “Eric the Eel” and Paula Barila Bolopa, “Paula the Crawler”, who attended the 2000 Summer Olympics.