Independence Year : 1968
Population : 453000
Life Expectancy : 53.6
Capital : 2972
GNP : 283.00
GNP Old : 542.00
Local Name : Guinea Ecuatorial
Government Form : Republic
Location : West central Africa bordering the Bight of Biafra.
Terrain : Varies. Annobón and Bioko Island are of volcanic origin, Río Muni the mainland stretches from coastal plain to hilly.
Climate : Tropical; always hot and humid
Ethnic Group : The mainland ethnic group of the Fang constitutes the great majority of the population and dominates political life and business. The Bubi people (50 000) of Bioko Island; other--Annobonese, Ndowe, Kombe, and Bujebas.
Religions : Christianity; pagan practices.
Official Website :
www.guinea-equatorial.com
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General Information - Equatorial Guinea
Background
President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. 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 also 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.
(Source: CIA - The World Factbook -- Equatorial Guinea)
Despite rapid growth in real GDP, there is strong evidence of government misappropriation of oil revenues, in particular, for lavish personal expenditures. Furthermore, the failure of the government to inject oil revenues into the country's economy, especially to fund much-needed improvements in the country's infrastructure, has meant little improvement in the economic and social welfare of most Equatoguineans.
(Source: US Department of Energy Information)
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