Difference between revisions of "Equatorial Guinea" - New World Encyclopedia

From New World Encyclopedia
m
(30 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Claimed}}{{Contracted}}
+
{{Copyedited}}{{Approved}}{{Submitted}}{{Images OK}}{{Paid}}
 +
{{Infobox Country
 +
|native_name              = ''República de Guinea Ecuatorial'' {{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}</small><br/> ''République de Guinée équatoriale'' {{spaces|2}}<small>{{fr icon}}</small><br/> ''República da Guiné Equatorial'' {{spaces|2}}<small>{{pt icon}}</small><br/>
 +
|conventional_long_name  = Republic of Equatorial Guinea
 +
|common_name              = Equatorial Guinea
 +
|image_flag              = Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg
 +
|image_coat              = Equatorial Guinea coa.png
 +
|symbol_type              = Coat of arms
 +
|image_map                = LocationEquatorialGuinea.svg
 +
|image_map2              =
 +
|national_motto          = Unidad, Paz, Justicia{{spaces|2}}<small>{{es icon}}</small><br/> Unité, Paix, Justice{{spaces|2}}<small>{{fr icon}}</small><br/> Unidade, Paz, Justiça{{spaces|2}}<small>{{pt icon}}</small><br/> Unity, Peace, Justice
 +
|national_anthem          = [[Caminemos pisando las sendas de nuestra inmensa felicidad]]<br/>Let us walk the path of our Immense Happiness
 +
|official_languages      = <li> [[Spanish language|Spanish]] <li>[[French language|French]]<li>[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
 +
|regional_languages      = [[Fang language|Fang]], [[Bube language|Bube]], [[Annobonese language|Annobonese]]
 +
|ethnic_groups            = 85.7% [[Fang people|Fang]]<br/>6.5% [[Bubi people|Bubi]]<br/>3.6% Mdowe<br/>1.6% [[Annobon]]<br/>1.1% Bujeba<br/>1.4% other ([[Spanish Equatoguineans|Spanish]])<ref>Central Intelligence Agency, [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html Equatorial Guinea] ''The World Factbook''. Retrieved December 22, 2011.</ref>
 +
|demonym                  = Equatoguinean, Equatorial Guinean
 +
|capital                  = [[Malabo]]
 +
|latd  = 3 |latm  = 45 |lats  = 13.73 |latNS  = N
 +
|longd = 8 |longm = 47 |longs =  5.13 |longEW = E
 +
|largest_city            = [[Bata, Equatorial Guinea|Bata]]
 +
|government_type          = [[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[republic]]
 +
|leader_title1            = [[List of Presidents of Equatorial Guinea|President]]
 +
|leader_title2            = [[List of Prime Ministers of Equatorial Guinea|Prime Minister]]
 +
|leader_name1            = [[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo|Teodoro Obiang]]
 +
|leader_name2            = [[Ignacio Milam Tang|Ignacio Milam]]
 +
|area_rank                = 144<sup>th</sup>
 +
|area_magnitude          = 1 E10
 +
|area_km2                = 28,050
 +
|area_sq_mi              = 10,830 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
 +
|percent_water            = negligible
 +
|population_estimate      = 676,000<ref name=unpop>{{cite journal
 +
  | url        = http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/wpp2008/wpp2008_text_tables.pdf
 +
  | title      = World Population Prospects, Table A.1
 +
  | version    = 2008 revision
 +
  | format    = PDF
 +
  | publisher  = United Nations
 +
  | author    = Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division
 +
  | year      = 2009
 +
  | accessdate = 2009-03-12
 +
  }} Retrieved December 22, 2011.</ref>
 +
|population_estimate_rank = 166<sup>th</sup>
 +
|population_estimate_year = 2009
 +
|population_census        =
 +
|population_census_year  =
 +
|population_density_km2  = 24.1
 +
|population_density_sq_mi = 62.4 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
 +
|population_density_rank  = 187<sup>th</sup>
 +
|GDP_PPP_year            = 2010
 +
|GDP_PPP                  = $24.146 billion<ref name="wb2010">The World Bank, [http://data.worldbank.org/country/equatorial-guinea Equatorial Guinea] World Development Indicators database. Retrieved December 22, 2011.</ref><!--Do not edit!-->
 +
|GDP_PPP_per_capita      = $34,824<ref name="wb2010"/><!--Do not edit!-->
 +
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank      = 22<sup>nd</sup><!--Do not edit!-->
 +
|GDP_nominal              = $14.006 billion<ref name="wb2010"/><!--Do not edit!-->
 +
|GDP_nominal_year        = 2010
 +
|GDP_nominal_per_capita  = $20,200<ref name="wb2010"/><!--Do not edit!-->
 +
|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
 +
|sovereignty_note        = from [[Spain]]
 +
|established_event1      = Declared
 +
|established_date1        = 11 August 1968
 +
|established_event2      = Recognized
 +
|established_date2        = 12 October 1968
 +
|HDI                      = {{increase}} 0.538<ref name="UN">{{cite web
 +
  | url        = http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf
 +
  | format    = PDF
 +
  | title      = Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G
 +
  | publisher  = The United Nations
 +
  | accessdate = 2009-10-10
 +
  }}</ref>
 +
|HDI_rank                = 117<sup>th</sup>
 +
|HDI_year                = 2010
 +
|HDI_category            = <span style="color:#fc0;">medium</span>
 +
|currency                = [[Central African CFA franc]]
 +
|currency_code            = XAF
 +
|country_code            =
 +
|time_zone                = [[West Africa Time|WAT]]
 +
|utc_offset              = +1
 +
|time_zone_DST            = not observed
 +
|utc_offset_DST          = +1
 +
|drives_on                = right
 +
|cctld                    = [[.gq]]
 +
|calling_code            = 240
 +
}}
 +
 +
'''Equatorial Guinea''', officially the '''Republic of Equatorial Guinea''', is the smallest country, in terms of population, in continental [[Africa]], though [[Seychelles]] and [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] are smaller in terms of area. Formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Guinea, its post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the [[equator]] and the [[Gulf of Guinea]]. It is the only country in mainland Africa where [[Spanish language|Spanish]] is an official language (excluding the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the UN-recognized but Moroccan-occupied Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, otherwise known as Western Sahara).
 +
 +
President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup from an even more bloodthirsty dictator. Although nominally a constitutional [[democracy]] since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections&mdash;as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections&mdash;were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition.
 +
{{toc}}
 +
Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore [[petroleum]] 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, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
 +
 
 +
==Geography==
 +
Equatorial Guinea is comprised of a mainland territory known as Río Muni (including several offshore islands); the island of Bioko (formerly Fernando Pó), where the capital, Malabo (formerly Santa Isabel) is located; and the island of Annobón in the South [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It is bordered by [[Cameroon]] on the north, [[Gabon]] on the south and east, and the [[Gulf of Guinea]] on the west, where the island nation of [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] is located.
 +
 
 +
Bioko and Annobón are volcanic islands that are part of the chain starting with the Cameroon Highlands and outcropping into the Atlantic as far as St. Helena. Río Muni is a fluvial mainland plateau, except for the sandy shore and the ridges of the Sierra Cristal range that separate the coast from the interior plateau.
 +
 
 +
The Muni and Ntem rivers, on the south and north boundaries of Río Muni, are estuaries navigable for about 12 miles (20 km); the Mbini River, midway between them, is typical of the cascading streams that drain all of Río Muni. Bioko has short cascading streams; Annobón has only storm arroyos.
 +
 
 +
Most of the country, including the islands, is tropical [[rainforest]], home to giant [[frog]]s. On Annobón, [[volcano|volcanic]] deposits restrict [[agriculture]], and the Muni [[estuary|estuarial]] islands are sandy, but the rest of the country has tropical humus conducive to agriculture.
 +
 
 +
===Climate===
 +
Equatorial Guinea 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 is true. In between 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 61°F to 91°F (16°C to 33°C). In Río Muni, the average temperature is about 80°F (27°C). Annual rainfall varies from 76 in (193 cm) at Malabo to 430 in (1,092 cm) at Ureka, Bioko, but Río Muni is somewhat drier.
 +
 
 +
===Flora and fauna===
 +
Dense tropical [[rainforest]] vegetation prevails throughout Equatorial Guinea. There are 140 [[species]] of [[tree]]s, especially palms and hardwoods. [[Yam]]s and [[banana]]s were introduced by the early inhabitants and became staples. [[Monkey]]s, [[chimpanzee]]s, [[elephant]]s, and gray [[dove]]s are common. [[Gorilla]]s, [[leopard]]s, and [[crocodile]]s can also be found. However, the wildlife population has suffered greatly as a result of hunting.
  
{{Infobox Country or territory
 
|native_name = ''República de Guinea Ecuatorial''<br/>''République de Guinea Équatoriale''<br/>''República da Guiné Equatorial''<br/>Republic of Equatorial Guinea
 
|common_name = Equatorial Guinea
 
|image_flag = Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg
 
|image_coat = Equatorial Guinea coa.png
 
|image_map = LocationEquatorialGuinea.svg
 
|national_motto = ''"Unidad, Paz, Justicia"''{{spaces|2}}<small>(Spanish)<br/>"Unity, Peace, Justice"</small>
 
|national_anthem = ''Caminemos pisando la senda''
 
|official_languages = Spanish, French, Portuguese<sup>1</sup>
 
|capital = Malabo
 
latd=3 |latm=21 |latNS=N |longd=8 |longm=40 |longEW=E
 
|largest_city = capital
 
|government_type = Republic
 
|leader_title1 = President
 
|leader_title2 = Prime Minister
 
|leader_name1 = Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
 
|leader_name2 = Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea
 
|area_rank = 144th
 
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
 
|area = 28,051
 
|areami² = 10,828 <!--Do not remove per WP:MOSNUM—>
 
|percent_water = negligible
 
|population_estimate = 504,000
 
|population_estimate_rank = 166th
 
|population_estimate_year = July 2005 <!--UN WPP—>
 
|population_census =
 
|population_census_year =
 
|population_density = 18
 
|population_densitymi² = 47 <!--Do not remove per WP:MOSNUM—>
 
|population_density_rank = 187th
 
|GDP_PPP_year = 2005
 
|GDP_PPP = $25.69 billion <!--List of countries by GDP (PPP)—>
 
|GDP_PPP_rank = 112th
 
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $50,200 <!--List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita—>
 
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 2nd
 
|sovereignty_type = Independence
 
|established_event1 = from Spain
 
|established_date1 = October 12 1968
 
|HDI = {{decrease}}0.653
 
|HDI_rank = 120th
 
|HDI_year = 2004
 
|HDI_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
 
|currency = CFA franc
 
|currency_code = XAF
 
|country_code =
 
|time_zone = WAT
 
|utc_offset = +1
 
|time_zone_DST = not observed
 
|utc_offset_DST = +1
 
|cctld = .gq
 
|calling_code = 240
 
|footnote1 = http://www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf <!--las lenguas oficiales de la República de Guinea Ecuatorial son el español y el francés(modified 4 article of the Constitution in 1998), in English :Constitutional Law which amends article 4 of the Fundamental Law of the State, establishing that "the official languages of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea are Spanish and French. The aboriginal languages are recognized as integral parts of the national culture" (Constitutional Law No. 1/1998 of 21 January)—>
 
}}
 
'''Equatorial Guinea''', officially the '''Republic of Equatorial Guinea''', is a country in [[Central Africa]]. One of the smallest countries in continental [[Africa]], Equatorial Guinea is comprised of a mainland territory known as Río Muni (including several offshore islands); the island of Bioko (formerly Fernando Pó), where the capital, Malabo (formerly Santa Isabel) is located; and the island of Annobón in the South [[Atlantic Ocean]]. It is bordered by [[Cameroon]] on the north, [[Gabon]] on the south and east, and the [[Gulf of Guinea]] on the west, where the island nation of [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] is located. Formerly the [[Spain|Spanish]] [[colony]] of Spanish Guinea, its post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the [[equator]] and the Gulf of Guinea. It is the only country in mainland Africa where Spanish is an official language, excluding the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and the UN recognized but Moroccan occupied Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara).
 
 
Equatorial Guinea is the smallest country, in terms of population, in continental Africa, though [[Seychelles]] and [[São Tomé and Príncipe]] are smaller in terms of area. It is also the smallest [[United Nations]] member from continental Africa. The discovery of sizable [[petroleum|oil]] reserves in recent years is altering the economic and political status of the country.
 
 
 
==History==  
 
==History==  
The first inhabitants of the continental region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been [[Pygmies]], of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Río Muni. Bantu migrations between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang. Elements of the latter may have generated the Bubi, who emigrated to Bioko from Cameroon and Rio Muni in several waves and succeeded former Neolithic populations. The Bubi were the very first human inhabitants of Bioko Island. The Annobon population, native to Angola, was introduced by the Portuguese via São Tomé Island ([[São Tomé and Príncipe]]).
+
The first inhabitants of the continental region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been [[Pygmy|Pygmies]], of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Río Muni. [[Bantu]] migrations between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang. Elements of the latter may have generated the Bubi, who emigrated to Bioko from Cameroon and Rio Muni in several waves and succeeded former [[Neolithic]] populations. The Bubi were the first human inhabitants of Bioko Island. The Annobon population, native to [[Angola]], was introduced by the Portuguese via São Tomé Island ([[São Tomé and Príncipe]]).  
 
The Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it ''Formosa'' ("Beautiful"), but it quickly took on the name of its European discoverer. The islands of Fernando Pó and Annobón were colonized by Portugal in 1474. The Portuguese retained control until 1778, when the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the Niger and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to Spain in exchange for territory in the American continent (Treaty of El Pardo, between Queen Maria I of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain). From 1827 to 1843, [[United Kingdom|Britain]] established a base on the island to combat the [slave trade]]. The mainland portion, Rio Muni, became a protectorate in 1885 and a colony in 1900. Conflicting claims to the mainland were settled in 1900 by the Treaty of Paris, and periodically, the mainland territories were united administratively under Spanish rule. Between 1926 and 1959 they were united as the colony of Spanish Guinea.  
 
 
 
 
 
 +
The Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to [[India]], is credited with being the first European to discover the island now known as Bioko in 1472. The islands of Fernando Pó and Annobón were colonized by [[Portugal]] in 1474. The Portuguese retained control until 1778, when the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the [[Niger River|Niger]] and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to [[Spain]] in exchange for territory in the Americas (Treaty of El Pardo, between Queen Maria I of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain).
 +
 +
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the [[slave trade]] by the British, French, and Dutch pushed the Fang inland, away from the coast. From 1827 to 1843, [[United Kingdom|Britain]] established a base on the island of Bioko to combat the slave trade.
 +
 +
Conflicting claims to the mainland were settled in 1900 by the [[Treaty of Paris]]. Between 1926 and 1959 the area was united as the colony of Spanish Guinea. Spanish rule of the mainland did not begin officially until 1926, despite that nation's long-standing claim to the area. It was only at this time that they began to expand into the interior of Río Muni, territory previously unexplored by Europeans. When the [[Spanish Civil War]] ended in 1939, the Spanish began to invest more in the development of Equatorial Guinea. The country experienced increasing prosperity with the aid of the Spanish government and the Catholic Church. Industry grew, and [[cocoa]] and [[timber]] contributed to a strong economy. Self-government was granted in 1963 and independence in 1968.
 +
 +
===Independence===
 +
 +
The mainland Fang candidate, Francisco Macías Nguema, was elected the first president and proceeded to turn the country into what one observer described as a [[concentration camp]]. He is believed to have murdered fifty thousand of his countrymen, especially the educated. One-third of the population fled as refugees, mostly to neighboring [[Cameroon]] and [[Gabon]]. A militant [[atheism|atheist]], Macías Nguema also targeted [[Christian]]s and closed all mission schools, effectively ending all education. In the heavily [[Roman Catholic]] country, Catholic services were banned.
 +
 +
In 1979 [[Macias Nguema]] was overthrown by his nephew, one of the architects of his reign of terror. Although multiparty elections were instituted in 1993, fraud and intimidation remain the instruments by which Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo remains in power.
 +
 
==Politics==  
 
==Politics==  
 
[[Image:Equatorialguineamap.png|thumb|left|300px|Map of Equatorial Guinea]]  
 
[[Image:Equatorialguineamap.png|thumb|left|300px|Map of Equatorial Guinea]]  
The current president of Equatorial Guinea is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections. Obiang retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces and minister of defense, and he maintains close supervision of the military activity. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and operates under powers designated by the President. The Prime Minister coordinates government activities in areas other than foreign affairs, national defense and security.  
+
The current president is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties, and calling legislative elections. Obiang retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces and minister of defense, and he maintains close supervision of military activity.
 +
 
 +
The prime minister is appointed by the president and operates under powers designated by the president. The prime minister coordinates government activities in areas other than foreign affairs, national defense, and security.  
 
 
 
 
On December 15, 2002,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200212160112.html |title=Equatorial Guinea: Obiang Sure to Win As Opposition Quits Poll |publisher=allAfrica |date=2002-12-16}}</ref> Equatorial Guinea's four main opposition parties withdrew from the country's presidential election. Obiang won an election widely considered fraudulent by members of the Western press.
+
On December 15, 2002, Equatorial Guinea's four main opposition parties withdrew from the country's presidential election. Obiang won an election widely considered fraudulent by members of the Western press. There is no limit on the number of terms he may serve.
 +
 
 +
The legal system is based on a combination of Spanish law and the tribal system. Violent crime (and even petty theft) is rare compared to rates in other African nations. The government greatly restricts the rights of its citizens. The judicial system does not ensure due process, and prisoners are often tortured. The government has a record of arbitrary arrest, interference with privacy and family, restriction of movement, and lack of freedom of speech, press, and religion, among other abuses.
 
 
 
 
Diplomats and even ministers have been caught smuggling drugs, sometimes using diplomatic bags and even the president's baggage on state trips. The incumbent president has never equaled the bloodthirsty reputation of his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema whom he overthrew. On Christmas of 1975, Macías had 150 alleged coup plotters executed to the sound of a band playing Mary Hopkin's tune ''Those Were the Days'' in a national stadium.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/35/238.html |title=Oil Gives African Nation a Chance for Change |publisher=The Washington Post |date=2001-05-13}}</ref>
+
A huge proportion of the country's revenue is confiscated by the president, while most of the 500,000 subjects subsist on less than a dollar a day, sewage runs through the streets of the capital Malabo, and there is no public transport and little running water or electricity.<ref> R.W. Johnson, September 3, 2006, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2340345,00.html Playboy waits for his African throne], ''The Sunday Times''. Retrieved August 16, 2007. </ref>  
 
A huge proportion of the £370 million revenue is confiscated by the president while most of the 500,000 subjects subsist on less than a dollar a day, sewage runs through the streets of the capital Malabo, and there is no public transport and little running water or electricity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2340345,00.html |title=Playboy waits for his African throne |publisher=The Sunday Times |date=2006-09-03}}</ref>
 
 
According to a March 2004 [[BBC]] profile,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3516588.stm |title=Profile: Equatorial Guinea's great survivor |publisher=BBC News |date=2004-03-17}}</ref> politics within the country are currently dominated by tensions between Obiang's son, Teodorin, and other close relatives with powerful positions in the security forces. The tension may be rooted in power shift arising from the dramatic increase in oil production which has occurred since 1997.
 
 
A November 2004 report<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/26/1093518010003.html |title=Thatcher faces 15 years in prison |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2004-08-27}}</ref> named [[Mark Thatcher]] as a financial backer of a March 2004 attempt to topple Obiang organized by [[Simon Mann]]. Various accounts also name Britain's [[MI6]], the [[CIA]], and Spain as having been tacit supporters of the coup attempt.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sundayherald.com/print44412 |title=The US knew, Spain knew, Britain knew. Whose coup was it? |publisher=Sunday Herald |date=2004-08-29}}</ref> Nevertheless, the [[Amnesty International]] report released in June 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR240052005?open&of=ENG-GNQ |title=Equatorial Guinea, A trial with too many flaws |publisher=Amnesty International |date=2005-06-07}}</ref>
 
on the ensuing trial of those allegedly involved highlights the prosecution's failure to produce conclusive evidence that a coup attempt had actually taken place.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
===Administrative divisions===  
 
===Administrative divisions===  
Line 88: Line 141:
 
#Kié-Ntem Province (Ebebiyín)  
 
#Kié-Ntem Province (Ebebiyín)  
 
#Litoral Province (Bata)  
 
#Litoral Province (Bata)  
#Wele-Nzas Province (Mongomo)
+
#Wele-Nzas Province (Mongomo)
  
 
==Economy==
 
==Economy==
Pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on [[cocoa]] production for hard currency earnings. It had the highest per capita income of Africa in 1959.
+
Though pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on [[cocoa]] and [[coffee]] production for hard currency earnings, the discovery of large offshore [[petroleum]] reserves in 1996 and its subsequent exploitation have contributed to a dramatic increase in government revenue. Equatorial Guinea has become the third-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, with oil production at 360,000 barrels/day. The cocoa and coffee plantations were nationalized and destroyed during Macias Nguema's years in power.
  
The discovery of large oil reserves in 1996 and its subsequent exploitation have contributed to a dramatic increase in government revenue. [[As of 2004]],<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1101-2004Sep6.html</ref> Equatorial Guinea is the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its oil production has risen to 360,000 barrels/day, up from 220,000 only two years earlier.
+
[[Timber]] exploitation, farming, and [[fishing]] are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. The deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished any potential for agriculture-led growth.  
  
Forestry, farming, and [[fishing]] are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. The deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished any potential for agriculture-led growth.  
+
In July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently. The Senate report showed that at least $35 million was siphoned off by Obiang, his family, and senior officials of his regime. The president denied any wrongdoing.<ref> ''Inner City Press'', [http://www.innercitypress.org/finwatch.html Fair Finance Watch ] Retrieved August 16, 2007. </ref>
  
Despite a per capita GDP (PPP) of more than US$30,000<ref>[http://imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2005/02/data/dbcoutm.cfm?SD=2004&ED=2004&R1=1&R2=1&CS=3&SS=2&OS=C&DD=0&OUT=1&C=512-941-914-446-612-666-614-672-311-946-213-137-911-962-193-674-122-676-912-548-313-556-419-678-513-181-316-682-913-684-124-273-339-921-638-948-514-686-218-688-963-518-616-728-223-558-516-138-918-353-748-196-618-278-522-692-622-694-156-142-624-449-626-564-628-283-228-853-924-288-233-293-632-566-636-964-634-182-238-453-662-968-960-922-423-714-935-862-128-716-611-456-321-722-243-965-248-718-469-724-253-576-642-936-643-961-939-813-644-199-819-184-172-524-132-361-646-362-648-364-915-732-134-366-652-734-174-144-328-146-258-463-656-528-654-923-336-738-263-578-268-537-532-742-944-866-176-369-534-744-536-186-429-925-178-746-436-926-136-466-343-112-158-111-439-298-916-927-664-846-826-299-542-582-443-474-917-754-544-698&S=PPPPC&CMP=0&x=18&y=9IMF World Economic Outlook IMF Database, September 2005]) which is as of 2006 the second highest in the world (after [[Luxembourg]]), Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st out of 177 countries on the [[United Nations]] [[Human Development Index]].
+
Despite a per capita GDP (PPP) of more than $50,200 (2005 est.), Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st out of 177 countries on the UN Human Development Index. Few improvements have been made to the living conditions of the people, and most people live in [[poverty]]. Good-paying jobs in the oil industry are reserved for the ruling party's faithful.
  
In July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into [[Riggs Bank]], a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently, and which also banked for [[Chile]]'s [[Augusto Pinochet]]. The Senate report, as to Equatorial Guinea, showed that at least $35 million were siphoned off by Obiang, his family and senior officials of his regime. The president has denied any wrongdoing. While Riggs Bank in February 2005 paid $9 million as restitution for its banking for Chile's Augusto Pinochet, no restitution was made with regard to Equatorial Guinea, as reported in detail in an Anti-Money Laundering Report from [[Inner City Press]].<ref>http://www.innercitypress.org/finwatch.html</ref>
+
While there is a legal working age of eighteen, this is not enforced, and many children are engaged in farm work and street vending. A significant amount of work is performed by prisoners, who are forced to labor both inside and outside the prisons.
  
On August 9, 2006, ''Harper's Magazine'' published an article by Ken Silverstein highlighting Obiang's recent connections with the [[U.S. State Department]] and Independence Federal Savings Bank.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.harpers.org/sb-obiangs-banking-again-1155053056.html |title=Obiang's Banking Again: State Department and Washington insiders help a dictator get what he wants |date=2006-08-09 |publisher=Harper's Magazine}}</ref>
+
It is rare to see women employed outside the home in typically male jobs. They are responsible for domestic labor and child care, although rural women also work in [[agriculture]]. The lack of women in professional jobs is perpetuated by inequalities in [[education]].
 
 
While Equatorial Guinea is currently one of the largest producers of oil in Africa, few improvements have been made to the living conditions of the people and most people live in poverty.
 
  
 
==Demographics==
 
==Demographics==
 
[[Image:bubi_children.jpg|thumb|left|Equatorial Guinean children of Bubi descent.]]
 
[[Image:bubi_children.jpg|thumb|left|Equatorial Guinean children of Bubi descent.]]
  
{{main|Demographics of Equatorial Guinea}}
+
The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of [[Bantu]] origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80 percent of the population and are themselves divided into sixty-seven clans. Those in the northern part of Rio 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 Bulu Fang of Cameroon were traditional rivals of Fang in Rio Muni. (The Bubi, who constitute 15 percent of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island.  
The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of [[Bantu]] origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80 percent of the population and are themselves divided into 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Rio 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 neigboring Cameroon (Bulu)and Gabon. These dialects, while still intelligible, are more distinct. The Bulu Fang of Cameroon were traditional rivals of Fang in Rio Muni. (The [[Bubi]], who constitute 15 percent of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island. The traditional demarcation line between Fang and beach tribes was the village of Niefang (limit of the fang) inland from Bata.
+
 
 +
The Bubis had migrated to Bioko from the [[Western Africa|West African]] mainland some three thousand to five thousand years before Portuguese explorer Fernao do Po discovered the island in 1472. They had formed their own society, distinct and unique among Bantu tribes.
 +
 
 +
The Bubis still live on Bioko, oppressed as a minority tribe under the president from the larger Fang tribe. Their numbers were seriously depleted under previous dictator Francisco Macias Nguema's systematic slaughter, which began shortly after the country's independence from Spain in 1968. Tens of thousands of Bubi, an estimated two-thirds of the population, were tortured, executed, beaten to death in labor camps, or managed to escape the island.
 +
 
 +
Many Bubi today who fled Macias Nguema's murderous regime live in exile in [[Spain]]. Returning home to Bioko to the abject [[poverty]] and unstable [[politics]] still wrought by President Obiang's corrupt regime is an unattractive option.  
  
 
[[Image:Fang in Equatorial Guinea.jpg|thumb|right|Equatorial Guinean children of Fang descent.]]
 
[[Image:Fang in Equatorial Guinea.jpg|thumb|right|Equatorial Guinean children of Fang descent.]]
In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as "Playeros" (''Beach People'' in Spanish): Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, (Kombi)s, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and "Fernandinos," a [[Creole]] community, on Bioko. Together, these groups compose 5 percent of the population. Some Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent) among them mixed with African ethnicity also live in the nation. Most Spaniards left after independence. There is a growing number of foreigners from neighboring [[Cameroon]], [[Nigeria]], and [[Gabon]]. Equatorial Guinea received [[Asians]] and black Africans from other countries as workers on [[cocoa]] and [[coffee]] plantations. Other black Africans came from [[Liberia]], [[Angola]], and [[Mozambique]], and Asians are mostly [[Han Chinese|Chinese]]. Equatorial Guinea also allowed many fortune-seeking European settlers of other nationalities, including British, French and Germans. After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans went to Spain. Another 100,000 Equatorial Guineans went to Cameroon, Gabon, and Nigeria because of the dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema. Some of its communities also live in [[Brazil]], some Spanish-speaking [[Latin America|Latin American]] nations, the [[United States]], Portugal, and [[France]].
+
In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as "Playeros" (''Beach People'' in Spanish): Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, Kombis, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and "Fernandinos," a [[Creole]] community, on Bioko. Together, these groups compose five percent of the population. Some Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent)&mdash;among them those mixed with African ethnicity&mdash;also live in the nation. Most Spaniards left after independence.
 +
 
 +
There is a growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, [[Nigeria]], and Gabon. Equatorial Guinea received [[Asia]]ns and black Africans from other countries as workers on the [[cocoa]] and [[coffee]] plantations. Other black Africans came from [[Liberia]], [[Angola]], and [[Mozambique]], and Asians are mostly [[Han Chinese|Chinese]]. Equatorial Guinea also allowed many fortune-seeking European settlers of other nationalities, including British, French and Germans. After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans went to Spain. Another 100,000 Equatorial Guineans went to Cameroon, Gabon, and Nigeria because of the dictatorship of Macías Nguema. Some of its communities also live in [[Brazil]], Spanish-speaking [[Latin America|Latin American]] nations, the [[United States]], [[Portugal]], and [[France]].
  
 
[[Petroleum|Oil]] extraction has contributed to a doubling of the population in Malabo.
 
[[Petroleum|Oil]] extraction has contributed to a doubling of the population in Malabo.
  
=== Languages ===
+
Life expectancy at birth is around 49 years. Major infectious [[disease]]s include bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, [[typhoid fever]], and [[malaria]].
The official languages are Spanish and French. The aboriginal languages are recognized as integral parts of the national culture." The great majority of Equatorial Guineans speak Spanish<ref name=obi>[http://actualidad.terra.es/internacional/articulo/obiang_comunidad_naciones_1710388.htm "Obiang convierte al portugués en tercer idioma oficial para entrar en la Comunidad lusófona de Naciones"], ''Terra''. 13-07-2007</ref>, especially those living in the capital, Malabo. Spanish has been an official language since 1844. In July 2007, President Teodoro Obiang Ngumema announced his government's decision for Portuguese to become Equatorial Guinea's third official language, in order to meet the requirements to apply for full membership of the [[Community of Portuguese Language Countries]] (CPLP). This upgrading from its current Associate Observer condition would result in Equatorial Guinea being able to access several professional and academic exchange programs and the facilitation of cross-border circulation of citizens. Its application is currently being assessed by other CPLP members.<ref name=obi/>
 
  
==Culture==
+
Though a large proportion of the population is nominally [[Christian]], predominantly [[Roman Catholic]], [[Paganism|pagan]] practices persist.
  
Several cultural dispersion and literacy organizations are located in the country, founded chiefly with the financial support of the Spanish government. The country has one university, the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (UNGE) with a campus in Malabo and a Faculty of Medicine located in Bata on the mainland. The Bata Medical School is supported principally by the government of [[Cuba]] and staffed by Cuban medical educators and physicians.
+
Total adult [[literacy]] is 85.7 percent (males 93.3 percent and females 78.4 percent).
  
===Media===
+
=== Languages ===
The most dominant form of mass media in the country is the three state-operated [[FM radio]] stations. There are also five shortwave radio stations.  
+
The official languages are Spanish and French, though the aboriginal languages, such as Fang and Bubi, are recognized as "integral parts of the national culture." The great majority of Equatorial Guineans speak Spanish, especially those living in the capital, Malabo. Spanish has been an official language since 1844.
  
A July 2003 article from the BBC<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3098007.stm |title=Equatorial Guinea's "God" |publisher=BBC News |date=2003-07-26}}</ref> points out there are no daily newspapers in the country and described how a Fang program called "Bidze-Nduan" ("Bury the Fire") on a widely listened-to state radio station declared that Obiang was "in permanent contact with the Almighty"; a presidential aide on the show also said:
+
In July 2007, President Teodoro Obiang Ngumema announced his government's decision that Portuguese would become Equatorial Guinea's third official language, in order to apply for full membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). An upgrade from its current associate observer condition would result in Equatorial Guinea being able to access several professional and academic exchange programs and the facilitation of cross-border circulation of citizens. Its application is currently being assessed by other CPLP members.
: "He [Obiang] can decide to kill without anyone calling him to account and without going to hell because it is God himself, with whom he is in permanent contact, and who gives him this strength."
 
  
Most of the media companies practice heavy self-censorship and are banned by law from criticizing public figures. The state-owned media and the main private radio station are under the directorship of Teodorin Nguema Obiang, the president's son.
+
==Culture==
 +
The literary tradition in Equatorial Guinea is oral rather than written. There is a wide range of [[myth]]s and [[legend]]s that are passed on from one generation to the next, some meant to preserve the history of the tribes, others to explain natural phenomena. [[Sorcery|Sorcerers]] and [[witch]]es often figure prominently.
  
===Sports===
+
Equatorial Guinea has a tradition of [[sculpture]] and [[mask]]-making. Many of the masks depict [[crocodile]]s, [[lizard]]s, and other animals. Fang [[art]] is known for its abstract, conceptual qualities.
  
The county has been chosen to co-host the 2012 African Nations Cup in partnership with neighboring [[Gabon]].
+
[[Music]] and [[dance]] are central elements of Equatorial Guinean culture, both Fang and Bubi. Many of the songs and dances have religious significance. [[Drum]]s are a common instrument, as are wooden [[xylophone]]s; bow harps; zithers; and the sanza, a small thumb [[piano]] fashioned from [[bamboo]]. The accompaniment to a dance usually consists of three or four musicians. The ''balélé'' dance is usually performed on [[Christmas]] and other holidays. The [[ibanga]], the Fang national dance, is popular along the coast. Its movements are highly sexual. The men and women who perform it cover their bodies in white powder.
  
<div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
+
Several cultural dispersion and literacy organizations are located in the country, founded chiefly with the financial support of the Spanish government. The country has one university, the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (UNGE) with a campus in Malabo and a Faculty of Medicine located in Bata on the mainland. The Bata Medical School is supported principally by the government of [[Cuba]] and staffed by Cuban medical educators and physicians.
  
*[[Equatorial Guinea national football team]]
+
===Family life===
 +
[[Polygyny]] is common among the Fang. Traditionally, upon [[marriage]] the husband gives a [[dowry]] to the family of the bride. Women generally become part of their husband's family upon marriage. Men often beat their wives, and while public beating is illegal, abuse in the home is not, and there is no mechanism for prosecuting [[domestic violence]]. According to the custom of most tribes, if the marriage breaks up, the wife is obligated to return the dowry. Additionally, the husband receives custody of all children born in wedlock. Extended families often live together. When a couple marries, it is traditional for them to move in with the husband's family.
  
</div>
+
===Media===
 +
The most dominant form of mass [[media]] in the country is the three state-operated FM radio stations. There are also five shortwave radio stations.
  
==Equatorial Guinea in fiction==
+
There are no daily newspapers. Most of the media companies practice heavy self-[[censorship]] and are banned by law from criticizing public figures. The state-owned media and the main private radio station are run by Teodorin Nguema Obiang, the president's son.
See Frederick Forsyth's ''The Dogs of War'' article "Trivia."
 
  
Fernando Póo (now Bioko) is featured prominently in the 1975 [[science fiction]] work ''[[The Illuminatus! Trilogy]]'' by [[Robert Shea]] and [[Robert Anton Wilson]]. The island (and, in turn, the country) experience a series of coups in the story which lead the world to the verge of nuclear war. The trilogy also establishes that Fernando Póo is the last remaining piece of the sunken continent of [[Atlantis]].
+
===Cuisine===
 +
The main foods are [[cassava]] root, [[banana]]s, [[rice]], and [[yam]]s. People supplement their primarily plant-based diet through [[hunting]] and [[fishing]]. Palm wine and ''malamba'' (an alcoholic drink made from sugarcane) are both popular. [[Chicken]] and [[duck]] are usually served at special occasions.  
  
Most of the action in [[Robin Cook (novelist)|Robin Cook]]'s book, ''[[Chromosome 6 (novel)|Chromosome 6]]'', takes place in Equatorial Guinea, where an international biochemical corporation, "GenSys," established a primate research facility due to the permissive laws of the country. The book  indicates something of the geography, history and people of Equatorial Guinea.
+
===Equatorial Guinea in fiction===
  
==See also==
+
Fernando Po (now Bioko) is featured prominently in the 1975 [[science fiction]] work ''The Illuminatus! Trilogy'' by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. In the story, the island (and, in turn, the country) experience a series of coups that lead the world to the verge of nuclear war.
<div style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;">
 
  
*[[:Category:Equatoguinean people]]
+
Most of the action in Robin Cook's book ''Chromosome 6'' takes place in Equatorial Guinea, where an international biochemical corporation, "GenSys," has established a primate research facility due to the permissive laws of the country. The book indicates something of the geography, history, and people of Equatorial Guinea.
*[[Communications in Equatorial Guinea]]
 
*[[Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea]]
 
*[[List of Equatorial Guinea-related topics]]
 
*[[Military of Equatorial Guinea]]
 
*[[Scouting in Equatorial Guinea]]
 
*[[Transport in Equatorial Guinea]]
 
  
</div>
+
==Notes==
 
 
==Notes and references==
 
{{factbook}}
 
 
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
 
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
*[[Max Liniger-Goumaz]], ''Small is not Always Beautiful: The Story of Equatorial Guinea'' (French 1986, translated 1989) ISBN 0-389-20861-2
+
* Claret, D.L. 1983. ''Cien años de evangelización en Guinea Ecuatorial (1883-1983)/ One Hundred Years of Evangelism in Equatorial Guinea''. Barcelona: Claretian Missionaries.
*[[Ibrahim K. Sundiata]], ''Equatorial Guinea: Colonialism, State Terror, and the Search for Stability'' (1990, Boulder: Westview Press) ISBN 0-8133-0429-6
+
* ''Countries and their cultures''. [http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/Equatorial-Guinea.html Culture of Equatorial Guinea] Retrieved August 11, 2007.
* [[Robert Klitgaard]]. 1990. ''Tropical Gangsters''. New York: Basic Books. (World Bank economist tries to assist pre-oil Equatorial Guinea -clever book, factual account)
+
* Cutter, Charles Hickman. 2006. ''Africa, 2006''. World Today series. Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 1887985727 and ISBN 9781887985727
* [[D.L. Claret ]]. ''Cien años de evangelización en Guinea Ecuatorial (1883-1983)/ One Hundred Years of Evangelism in Equatorial Guinea'' (1983, Barcelona: Claretian Missionaries)
+
* Klitgaard, Robert. 1990. ''Tropical Gangsters''. New York: Basic Books.  
* [[Adam Roberts]], ''The Wonga Coup: Guns, Thugs and a Ruthless Determination to Create Mayhem in an Oil-Rich Corner of Africa'' (2006, PublicAffairs) ISBN 1-58648-371-4
+
* Liniger-Goumaz, Max. ''Small is not Always Beautiful: The Story of Equatorial Guinea'' (French 1986, translated 1989). ISBN 0389208612
 +
* Meredith, Martin. 1984. ''The First Dance of Freedom''. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 0064356582
 +
* Roberts, Adam. 2006. ''The Wonga Coup: Guns, Thugs and a Ruthless Determination to Create Mayhem in an Oil-Rich Corner of Africa''. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN 1586483714 and ISBN 9781586483715
 +
* Sundiata, Ibrahim K. 1990. ''Equatorial Guinea: Colonialism, State Terror, and the Search for Stability''. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0429-6
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Equatorial Guinea}}
+
All links retrieved October 1, 2013.
* [http://guinea-equatorial.com/ Official Government of Equatorial Guinea website] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[English language|English]])
 
* [http://www.ceiba-guinea-ecuatorial.org/ Institutional web site of Equatorial Guinea] (Spanish, [[French language|French]], English)
 
* [http://www.guinea-ecuatorial.org/index.php Opposition Website] ("Government in Exile" - Evolved party from ruling government prior to the coup d'état that lead to the Independence of 1968) (Spanish)
 
* [http://www.ecaligiuri.com/index2.php Honorary Consulate of Equatorial Guinea in Romania] (Spanish) (Romanian) (English)
 
  
===News===
+
* ''ICEX''. [http://www.icex.es/staticFiles/GuineaEcuatorial_6814_.pdf Guia Pias Guinea Equatorial] (Spanish)  
*[http://allafrica.com/equatorialguinea/ allAfrica - ''Equatorial Guinea''] news headline links (English, French)
+
* ''British Broadcasting Corporation''. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1023151.stm Country profile: Equatorial Guinea]
*[http://www.guinea-ecuatorial.net/ms/main.asp  Guinea-Ecuatorial.net] (Spanish, some French)
+
* ''World Factbook''. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html Equatorial Guinea]  
* http://www.icex.es/staticFiles/GuineaEcuatorial_6814_.pdf (Spanish)
+
* ''Open Directory Project''. [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Africa/Equatorial_Guinea/ Equatorial Guinea]  
 
+
* ''Fair Finance Watch''. [http://www.fairfinancewatch.org/africa.html#obiang Equatorial Guinea]  
===Overviews and directories===
+
* ''Guinea Ecuatorial''. [http://www.ecaligiuri.com/inversionenguinea.pdf# HAY NEGOCIO PARA TODOS] (Spanish)  
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1023151.stm BBC News Country Profile - ''Equatorial Guinea'']
+
* Puppim de Oliveira, Jose A. [http://www.uvm.edu/~shali/OliveraAli.pdf "Can Corporate Power Transform Equatorial Guinea and Angola?"] ''The University of Vermont''.
*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html CIA World Factbook - ''Equatorial Guinea'']
+
*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Africa/Equatorial_Guinea/ Open Directory Project - ''Equatorial Guinea''] directory category
+
{{credit|147559435}}
*[http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/eqg.html Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: ''Equatorial Guinea''] directory category
 
*[http://www.afrika.no/index/Countries/Equatorial_Guinea/ The Index on Africa - ''Equatorial Guinea'']
 
*[http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Country_Specific/Eq_Guinea.html University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: ''Equatorial Guinea''] directory category
 
*[http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Equatorial_Guinea/ Yahoo! - ''Equatorial Guinea''] directory category
 
* http://www.iradier.org/colaboracion5.htm (Spanish)
 
 
 
==="Ethnic" groups===
 
* [http://www.thebubis.com/ The Bubis of Fernando Po] The history of first inhabitants of Bioko Island, now an endangered people
 
* [http://www.culturabubi.org/ Cultura Bubi]
 
* [http://www.thebubis.com/ Cultures de Mon: Los Bubis]
 
* [http://www.pygmies.info/ African Pygmies] Culture and music of the first inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea, with photos and ethnographic notes
 
  
===Economy===
 
*[http://www.fairfinancewatch.org/africa.html#obiang Equatorial Guinea Banking Issues, from the Fair Finance Watch]
 
*[http://www.ecaligiuri.com/inversionenguinea.pdf# Equatorial Guinea Investment Opportunities] in Spanish
 
*[http://www.uvm.edu/~shali/OliveraAli.pdf Can Corporate Power Transform Equatorial Guinea and Angola?]
 
 
===Spain and Africa===
 
*[http://www.mae.es/es/Home/planafrica.htm Spanish Embassy's Plan for African 2006-2008]
 
 
[[Category:African nations]]
 
 
[[Category:Africa]]
 
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Nations and places]]
+
[[Category:Geography]]
 
+
[[Category:Countries]]
{{credit|147559435}}
 

Revision as of 14:08, 1 October 2013

República de Guinea Ecuatorial  (Spanish)
République de Guinée équatoriale  (French)
República da Guiné Equatorial  (Portuguese)
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Flag of Equatorial Guinea Coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea
MottoUnidad, Paz, Justicia (Spanish)
Unité, Paix, Justice (French)
Unidade, Paz, Justiça (Portuguese)
Unity, Peace, Justice
Anthem: Caminemos pisando las sendas de nuestra inmensa felicidad
Let us walk the path of our Immense Happiness
Location of Equatorial Guinea
CapitalMalabo
3°45′N 8°47′E / 3.75, 8.783
Largest city Bata
Official languages
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Portuguese
  • Recognized regional languages Fang, Bube, Annobonese
    Ethnic groups  85.7% Fang
    6.5% Bubi
    3.6% Mdowe
    1.6% Annobon
    1.1% Bujeba
    1.4% other (Spanish)[1]
    Demonym Equatoguinean, Equatorial Guinean
    Government Unitary presidential republic
     -  President Teodoro Obiang
     -  Prime Minister Ignacio Milam
    Independence from Spain 
     -  Declared 11 August 1968 
     -  Recognized 12 October 1968 
    Area
     -  Total 28,050 km² (144th)
    10,830 sq mi 
     -  Water (%) negligible
    Population
     -  2009 estimate 676,000[2] (166th)
     -  Density 24.1/km² (187th)
    62.4/sq mi
    GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate
     -  Total $24.146 billion[3] 
     -  Per capita $34,824[3] (22nd)
    GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate
     -  Total $14.006 billion[3] 
     -  Per capita $20,200[3] 
    Currency Central African CFA franc (XAF)
    Time zone WAT (UTC+1)
     -  Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+1)
    Internet TLD .gq
    Calling code +240

    Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is the smallest country, in terms of population, in continental Africa, though Seychelles and São Tomé and Príncipe are smaller in terms of area. Formerly the Spanish colony of Spanish Guinea, its post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea. It is the only country in mainland Africa where Spanish is an official language (excluding the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and the UN-recognized but Moroccan-occupied Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, otherwise known as Western Sahara).

    President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup from an even more bloodthirsty dictator. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections—as well as the 1999 and 2004 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 petroleum 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, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.

    Geography

    Equatorial Guinea is comprised of a mainland territory known as Río Muni (including several offshore islands); the island of Bioko (formerly Fernando Pó), where the capital, Malabo (formerly Santa Isabel) is located; and the island of Annobón in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered by Cameroon on the north, Gabon on the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea on the west, where the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is located.

    Bioko and Annobón are volcanic islands that are part of the chain starting with the Cameroon Highlands and outcropping into the Atlantic as far as St. Helena. Río Muni is a fluvial mainland plateau, except for the sandy shore and the ridges of the Sierra Cristal range that separate the coast from the interior plateau.

    The Muni and Ntem rivers, on the south and north boundaries of Río Muni, are estuaries navigable for about 12 miles (20 km); the Mbini River, midway between them, is typical of the cascading streams that drain all of Río Muni. Bioko has short cascading streams; Annobón has only storm arroyos.

    Most of the country, including the islands, is tropical rainforest, home to giant frogs. On Annobón, volcanic deposits restrict agriculture, and the Muni estuarial islands are sandy, but the rest of the country has tropical humus conducive to agriculture.

    Climate

    Equatorial Guinea 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 is true. In between 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 61°F to 91°F (16°C to 33°C). In Río Muni, the average temperature is about 80°F (27°C). Annual rainfall varies from 76 in (193 cm) at Malabo to 430 in (1,092 cm) at Ureka, Bioko, but Río Muni is somewhat drier.

    Flora and fauna

    Dense tropical rainforest vegetation prevails throughout Equatorial Guinea. There are 140 species of trees, especially palms and hardwoods. Yams and bananas were introduced by the early inhabitants and became staples. Monkeys, chimpanzees, elephants, and gray doves are common. Gorillas, leopards, and crocodiles can also be found. However, the wildlife population has suffered greatly as a result of hunting.

    History

    The first inhabitants of the continental region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Río Muni. Bantu migrations between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang. Elements of the latter may have generated the Bubi, who emigrated to Bioko from Cameroon and Rio Muni in several waves and succeeded former Neolithic populations. The Bubi were the first human inhabitants of Bioko Island. The Annobon population, native to Angola, was introduced by the Portuguese via São Tomé Island (São Tomé and Príncipe).

    The Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with being the first European to discover the island now known as Bioko in 1472. The islands of Fernando Pó and Annobón were colonized by Portugal in 1474. The Portuguese retained control until 1778, when the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the Niger and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to Spain in exchange for territory in the Americas (Treaty of El Pardo, between Queen Maria I of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain).

    In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the slave trade by the British, French, and Dutch pushed the Fang inland, away from the coast. From 1827 to 1843, Britain established a base on the island of Bioko to combat the slave trade.

    Conflicting claims to the mainland were settled in 1900 by the Treaty of Paris. Between 1926 and 1959 the area was united as the colony of Spanish Guinea. Spanish rule of the mainland did not begin officially until 1926, despite that nation's long-standing claim to the area. It was only at this time that they began to expand into the interior of Río Muni, territory previously unexplored by Europeans. When the Spanish Civil War ended in 1939, the Spanish began to invest more in the development of Equatorial Guinea. The country experienced increasing prosperity with the aid of the Spanish government and the Catholic Church. Industry grew, and cocoa and timber contributed to a strong economy. Self-government was granted in 1963 and independence in 1968.

    Independence

    The mainland Fang candidate, Francisco Macías Nguema, was elected the first president and proceeded to turn the country into what one observer described as a concentration camp. He is believed to have murdered fifty thousand of his countrymen, especially the educated. One-third of the population fled as refugees, mostly to neighboring Cameroon and Gabon. A militant atheist, Macías Nguema also targeted Christians and closed all mission schools, effectively ending all education. In the heavily Roman Catholic country, Catholic services were banned.

    In 1979 Macias Nguema was overthrown by his nephew, one of the architects of his reign of terror. Although multiparty elections were instituted in 1993, fraud and intimidation remain the instruments by which Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo remains in power.

    Politics

    Map of Equatorial Guinea

    The current president is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. The 1982 constitution gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties, and calling legislative elections. Obiang retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces and minister of defense, and he maintains close supervision of military activity.

    The prime minister is appointed by the president and operates under powers designated by the president. The prime minister coordinates government activities in areas other than foreign affairs, national defense, and security.

    On December 15, 2002, Equatorial Guinea's four main opposition parties withdrew from the country's presidential election. Obiang won an election widely considered fraudulent by members of the Western press. There is no limit on the number of terms he may serve.

    The legal system is based on a combination of Spanish law and the tribal system. Violent crime (and even petty theft) is rare compared to rates in other African nations. The government greatly restricts the rights of its citizens. The judicial system does not ensure due process, and prisoners are often tortured. The government has a record of arbitrary arrest, interference with privacy and family, restriction of movement, and lack of freedom of speech, press, and religion, among other abuses.

    A huge proportion of the country's revenue is confiscated by the president, while most of the 500,000 subjects subsist on less than a dollar a day, sewage runs through the streets of the capital Malabo, and there is no public transport and little running water or electricity.[4]

    Administrative divisions

    File:Equatorial Guinea provinces numbered.png
    Provinces of Equatorial Guinea

    Equatorial Guinea is divided into seven provinces (capitals appear in parentheses):

    1. Annobón Province (San Antonio de Palé)
    2. Bioko Norte Province (Malabo)
    3. Bioko Sur Province (Luba)
    4. Centro Sur Province (Evinayong)
    5. Kié-Ntem Province (Ebebiyín)
    6. Litoral Province (Bata)
    7. Wele-Nzas Province (Mongomo)

    Economy

    Though pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa and coffee production for hard currency earnings, the discovery of large offshore petroleum reserves in 1996 and its subsequent exploitation have contributed to a dramatic increase in government revenue. Equatorial Guinea has become the third-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, with oil production at 360,000 barrels/day. The cocoa and coffee plantations were nationalized and destroyed during Macias Nguema's years in power.

    Timber exploitation, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. The deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished any potential for agriculture-led growth.

    In July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently. The Senate report showed that at least $35 million was siphoned off by Obiang, his family, and senior officials of his regime. The president denied any wrongdoing.[5]

    Despite a per capita GDP (PPP) of more than $50,200 (2005 est.), Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st out of 177 countries on the UN Human Development Index. Few improvements have been made to the living conditions of the people, and most people live in poverty. Good-paying jobs in the oil industry are reserved for the ruling party's faithful.

    While there is a legal working age of eighteen, this is not enforced, and many children are engaged in farm work and street vending. A significant amount of work is performed by prisoners, who are forced to labor both inside and outside the prisons.

    It is rare to see women employed outside the home in typically male jobs. They are responsible for domestic labor and child care, although rural women also work in agriculture. The lack of women in professional jobs is perpetuated by inequalities in education.

    Demographics

    Equatorial Guinean children of Bubi descent.

    The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of Bantu origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80 percent of the population and are themselves divided into sixty-seven clans. Those in the northern part of Rio 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 Bulu Fang of Cameroon were traditional rivals of Fang in Rio Muni. (The Bubi, who constitute 15 percent of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island.

    The Bubis had migrated to Bioko from the West African mainland some three thousand to five thousand years before Portuguese explorer Fernao do Po discovered the island in 1472. They had formed their own society, distinct and unique among Bantu tribes.

    The Bubis still live on Bioko, oppressed as a minority tribe under the president from the larger Fang tribe. Their numbers were seriously depleted under previous dictator Francisco Macias Nguema's systematic slaughter, which began shortly after the country's independence from Spain in 1968. Tens of thousands of Bubi, an estimated two-thirds of the population, were tortured, executed, beaten to death in labor camps, or managed to escape the island.

    Many Bubi today who fled Macias Nguema's murderous regime live in exile in Spain. Returning home to Bioko to the abject poverty and unstable politics still wrought by President Obiang's corrupt regime is an unattractive option.

    File:Fang in Equatorial Guinea.jpg
    Equatorial Guinean children of Fang descent.

    In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as "Playeros" (Beach People in Spanish): Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, Kombis, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and "Fernandinos," a Creole community, on Bioko. Together, these groups compose five percent of the population. Some Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent)—among them those mixed with African ethnicity—also live in the nation. Most Spaniards left after independence.

    There is a growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon. Equatorial Guinea received Asians and black Africans from other countries as workers on the cocoa and coffee plantations. Other black Africans came from Liberia, Angola, and Mozambique, and Asians are mostly Chinese. Equatorial Guinea also allowed many fortune-seeking European settlers of other nationalities, including British, French and Germans. After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans went to Spain. Another 100,000 Equatorial Guineans went to Cameroon, Gabon, and Nigeria because of the dictatorship of Macías Nguema. Some of its communities also live in Brazil, Spanish-speaking Latin American nations, the United States, Portugal, and France.

    Oil extraction has contributed to a doubling of the population in Malabo.

    Life expectancy at birth is around 49 years. Major infectious diseases include bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and malaria.

    Though a large proportion of the population is nominally Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices persist.

    Total adult literacy is 85.7 percent (males 93.3 percent and females 78.4 percent).

    Languages

    The official languages are Spanish and French, though the aboriginal languages, such as Fang and Bubi, are recognized as "integral parts of the national culture." The great majority of Equatorial Guineans speak Spanish, especially those living in the capital, Malabo. Spanish has been an official language since 1844.

    In July 2007, President Teodoro Obiang Ngumema announced his government's decision that Portuguese would become Equatorial Guinea's third official language, in order to apply for full membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). An upgrade from its current associate observer condition would result in Equatorial Guinea being able to access several professional and academic exchange programs and the facilitation of cross-border circulation of citizens. Its application is currently being assessed by other CPLP members.

    Culture

    The literary tradition in Equatorial Guinea is oral rather than written. There is a wide range of myths and legends that are passed on from one generation to the next, some meant to preserve the history of the tribes, others to explain natural phenomena. Sorcerers and witches often figure prominently.

    Equatorial Guinea has a tradition of sculpture and mask-making. Many of the masks depict crocodiles, lizards, and other animals. Fang art is known for its abstract, conceptual qualities.

    Music and dance are central elements of Equatorial Guinean culture, both Fang and Bubi. Many of the songs and dances have religious significance. Drums are a common instrument, as are wooden xylophones; bow harps; zithers; and the sanza, a small thumb piano fashioned from bamboo. The accompaniment to a dance usually consists of three or four musicians. The balélé dance is usually performed on Christmas and other holidays. The ibanga, the Fang national dance, is popular along the coast. Its movements are highly sexual. The men and women who perform it cover their bodies in white powder.

    Several cultural dispersion and literacy organizations are located in the country, founded chiefly with the financial support of the Spanish government. The country has one university, the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (UNGE) with a campus in Malabo and a Faculty of Medicine located in Bata on the mainland. The Bata Medical School is supported principally by the government of Cuba and staffed by Cuban medical educators and physicians.

    Family life

    Polygyny is common among the Fang. Traditionally, upon marriage the husband gives a dowry to the family of the bride. Women generally become part of their husband's family upon marriage. Men often beat their wives, and while public beating is illegal, abuse in the home is not, and there is no mechanism for prosecuting domestic violence. According to the custom of most tribes, if the marriage breaks up, the wife is obligated to return the dowry. Additionally, the husband receives custody of all children born in wedlock. Extended families often live together. When a couple marries, it is traditional for them to move in with the husband's family.

    Media

    The most dominant form of mass media in the country is the three state-operated FM radio stations. There are also five shortwave radio stations.

    There are no daily newspapers. Most of the media companies practice heavy self-censorship and are banned by law from criticizing public figures. The state-owned media and the main private radio station are run by Teodorin Nguema Obiang, the president's son.

    Cuisine

    The main foods are cassava root, bananas, rice, and yams. People supplement their primarily plant-based diet through hunting and fishing. Palm wine and malamba (an alcoholic drink made from sugarcane) are both popular. Chicken and duck are usually served at special occasions.

    Equatorial Guinea in fiction

    Fernando Po (now Bioko) is featured prominently in the 1975 science fiction work The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson. In the story, the island (and, in turn, the country) experience a series of coups that lead the world to the verge of nuclear war.

    Most of the action in Robin Cook's book Chromosome 6 takes place in Equatorial Guinea, where an international biochemical corporation, "GenSys," has established a primate research facility due to the permissive laws of the country. The book indicates something of the geography, history, and people of Equatorial Guinea.

    Notes

    1. Central Intelligence Agency, Equatorial Guinea The World Factbook. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
    2. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2009). World Population Prospects, Table A.1. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
    3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 The World Bank, Equatorial Guinea World Development Indicators database. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
    4. R.W. Johnson, September 3, 2006, Playboy waits for his African throne, The Sunday Times. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
    5. Inner City Press, Fair Finance Watch Retrieved August 16, 2007.

    References
    ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

    • Claret, D.L. 1983. Cien años de evangelización en Guinea Ecuatorial (1883-1983)/ One Hundred Years of Evangelism in Equatorial Guinea. Barcelona: Claretian Missionaries.
    • Countries and their cultures. Culture of Equatorial Guinea Retrieved August 11, 2007.
    • Cutter, Charles Hickman. 2006. Africa, 2006. World Today series. Harpers Ferry, WV: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 1887985727 and ISBN 9781887985727
    • Klitgaard, Robert. 1990. Tropical Gangsters. New York: Basic Books.
    • Liniger-Goumaz, Max. Small is not Always Beautiful: The Story of Equatorial Guinea (French 1986, translated 1989). ISBN 0389208612
    • Meredith, Martin. 1984. The First Dance of Freedom. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 0064356582
    • Roberts, Adam. 2006. The Wonga Coup: Guns, Thugs and a Ruthless Determination to Create Mayhem in an Oil-Rich Corner of Africa. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN 1586483714 and ISBN 9781586483715
    • Sundiata, Ibrahim K. 1990. Equatorial Guinea: Colonialism, State Terror, and the Search for Stability. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0429-6

    External links

    All links retrieved October 1, 2013.

    Credits

    New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

    The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

    Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.