Equatorial Guinea
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Capital: Malabo
History
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, and 2008 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production, resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
No data
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
539
km
|
| Border Countries |
Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
| Coastline |
296
km
|
| Terrain |
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic |
| Minimum Elevation |
0
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
3,008
m
|
| Climate |
tropical; always hot, humid |
| Natural Resources |
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay |
| Arable Land |
4.63% |
| Permanent Crops |
2.5% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$18.31 billion |
| Export Items |
petroleum products, timber |
| Export Partners |
Spain 14.8%, China 13.1%, Italy 10.9%, Japan 10.5%, US 9.5%, Netherlands 7.6%, Canada 5.5%, Brazil 5%, France 4.7%, South Korea 4.1% (2011) |
| Imports |
$7.59 billion |
| Import Items |
petroleum sector equipment, other equipment, construction materials, vehicles |
| Import Partners |
Spain 17.1%, US 13.1%, France 12.4%, China 12.3%, Italy 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 6% (2011) |
People
Energy
