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Equatorial Guinea:
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Other pages in this profile of Equatorial Guinea:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
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 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 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, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards. |
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Location |
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon |
Geographic coordinates |
2 00 N, 10 00 E |
Map references |
Africa |
Area |
total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative |
slightly smaller than Maryland |
Land boundaries |
total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
Coastline |
296 km |
Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Climate |
tropical; always hot, humid |
Terrain |
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic |
Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
Natural resources |
petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay |
Land use |
arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
NA |
Natural hazards |
violent windstorms, flash floods |
Environment - current issues |
tap water is not potable; deforestation |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note |
insular and continental regions widely separated |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |