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Equatorial Guinea
AFRICA
FACTFILE
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Equatorial
Equatorial Guinea
DATE OF FORMATION: 1968
CAPITAL: Malabo
POPULATION: 676,300
TOTAL AREA: 10,830 sq. miles
(28,051 sq. km)
DENSITY: 62 people per sq. mile
LANGUAGES: Spanish*, Fang, Bubi,
French*
RELIGIONS: Roman Catholic 90%,
other 10%
ETHNIC MIX: Fang 85%, other 11%, Bubi 4%
GOVERNMENT: Presidential system
CURRENCY: CFA franc = 100 centimes
Comprising the mainland territory of Río Muni and five
islands on the west coast of central Africa, Equatorial Guinea,
despite its name, lies just north of the equator.
GEOGRAPHY
The islands are mountainous and
volcanic. The mainland is lower, with
mangrove swamps along the coast.
CLIMATE
The island of Bioko is extremely
wet and humid. The mainland is only
marginally drier and cooler.
PEOPLE & SOCIETY
Equatorial Guinea is the only
Spanish-speaking country in Africa. Río
Muni is sparsely populated and most
people there are Fang, an ethnic group
also found in Cameroon and northern
Gabon. Bioko is populated by Bubi and
a minority of Creoles known as
Fernandinos. Tensions between the two
territories have been reignited by the
discovery of oil off Bioko. Wealth is
concentrated in the ruling clan; oil
revenue in the last decade has made
little impact on most people.
THE ECONOMY
Oil and gas now account for 97% of
exports; the government has promised to
reinvest the new funds in development.
Timber, cocoa, coffee.
INSIGHT: In 2003, state radio
declared President Obiang Nguema
to be “like God in Heaven”
40 km
40 miles
0
0
2000m/6562ft
1000m/3281ft
500m/1640ft
200m/656ft
Sea Level
CAMEROON
G A B O N
Gulf
of
Guinea
Cabo
San
Juan
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Río
Muni
Uolo
Isla de
Corisco
Bata
Mongomo
Niefang
Mbini
Etembue
Cogo Nsoc
Micomeseng
Bight of Biafra
Isla
da
Bioco
MALABO