Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is an African country bathed by the waters of the Gulf of Guinea that is defined in its constitution as an independent state, republican, unitary, social and democratic, and whose form of government is the presidential republic. Its territory is made up of eight provinces. Its capital is the city of Malabo, formerly known as Santa Isabel, although by the year 2022 it is planned the inauguration of Oyala-City of Peace, a city planned to be the future capital of the country.
With its 28,052 km² area, it is one of the smallest countries on the African continent, made up of a mainland and five inhabited islands. It borders Cameroon to the north, Gabon to the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) to the west, in whose waters the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe lie further to the southwest. Its population was estimated at 1,558,000 in 2022. The mainland of the territory is known as the Muni or Mbini river, and has an area of 26,000 km². Within the insular part, the most important islands are the island of Bioko (former Fernando Poo) with 2017 km², Annobón with 17 km², and Corisco with 15 km².
Equatorial Guinea was a colony known as "Spanish Guinea" until it gained independence from Spain on October 12, 1968, and maintains Spanish as its official language, being the main Spanish-African country. Later French was added as official, and as of 2010, Portuguese, being currently the only African country where Spanish is an official language without considering the case of Western Sahara. It is also the most widely spoken language (considerably more than the other two official languages), dominated by 87.7% of the population according to the Instituto Cervantes.
According to the 2016 United Nations Human Development Report, Equatorial Guinea had a per capita Gross Domestic Product of $21,517 in 2015, one of the highest in wealth rankings in Africa. However, it is one of the most unequal countries in the world according to the Gini index and 70% of Equatorial Guineans live on one dollar a day.
Toponymy
The name that the country adopted after obtaining its independence from Spain comes from the name it had received since 1963, when it obtained an autonomy regime from Spain under the name "Equatorial Guinea", whose first term is due to the fact of being said territory located in the Gulf of Guinea and the second refers to its proximity to the equator.
History
The current territory of Equatorial Guinea is based on medieval tribal kingdoms with little organization, undoubtedly arising from the influence of more advanced proto-state structures that developed in parallel in the area: the Oyo Kingdom, the Congo Kingdom, the Benga Kingdom of Mandj Island (later called Corisco), the Bubi Kingdom of Bioko Island, and the villa-states of the Fang clans on the mainland.
There is a possibility that the Gulf of Guinea area was visited by Hanno, a Carthaginian general who made a trip along the coast of Africa towards the end of the s. V a. C. or beginning of the s. IV a. c.
Prehistory
The study of the prehistory of Guinea follows a geographical subdivision, the island of Bioko on the one hand, and the littoral province between Cameroon and Gabon on the other.
The island of Bioko was connected to the mainland until 8000 BC. C. by a "bridge" which was slowly submerged by rising Atlantic waters, beginning around 11,000 BCE. C., at the end of the last Ice Age. Therefore, it is likely that this area was inhabited by nomadic populations of hunter-gatherers, similar to those known on the present continent.
In the excavations of the site of Mossumu (Litoral province) remains of human presence were discovered, dated to the year 30,000 BC. C. This is the so-called "sango industry", well known at that time throughout Central Africa. A few other deposits, both superficial and stratigraphic, indicate that the Middle Stone Age is well represented in this part of the country. Subsequently, the remains, still badly dated, illustrate around Bata and the Muni River the permanence of the presence of man, nomad, stonemason and hunter-gatherer, until the year 3000 to. C.
On the island of Bioko, reading is different; It will surely be modified in the coming years with the installation of archaeological research projects. Three "preneolithic" sites have been identified. Only the one in the Banapa sector, south of Malabo, was excavated in the 1960s by a Spanish anthropologist. The only thing that can be said is that it predates the "Timbabé Tradition" from Bioko, not yet dated, which in turn predates the "Carboneras Tradition", dated by radiocarbon to between the V and century X d. c.
Note that on the island of Elobey Grande, carved stones similar to those of the Late Stone Age have been found on the surface. These findings support the idea that there was a long history of human presence on all the Equatoguinean islands before they were definitively separated from the mainland.
Finally, the expansion of the village way of life in Central Africa implies in its modeling, and with the approximation of the linguistic data, the installation on the island of Bioko of villages already in the year 3500 BC. C. So far, nothing has been discovered to verify this hypothesis.
The archaeological sequence of the island, apart from the pre-Neolithic period already mentioned, begins with the "Timbabé Tradition" known in thirteen points of the coast. The continuity of the occupation of this island is well attested until the historical period. After the "Timbabé", we know the traditions "Carboneras", "Bolaopi", "Buela", and finally "Balombe". This last tradition is historical.
On the mainland, between Cameroon and Gabon, the data from the excavations are still incomplete, but they are sufficient to affirm that the complete sequence that remains to be discovered will be very similar to the one known in the south of Cameroon and in the Libreville region in Gabon.
Portuguese Rule (1472–1778)
The first Iberians and Europeans were the Portuguese to explore the Gulf of Guinea with certainty in 1471. That year, the Portuguese Fernando Poo (who was looking for a route to India) placed the island of Bioko on European maps. He named her Formosa (beautiful). However, it was soon known by the name of its discoverer. On January 1, 1472, the Portuguese discovered the island of Pagalú (present-day Annobón), which they called Ilha do Annobom or Ano Bom (good year).
Around 1493, Don Juan II of Portugal added Lord of Guinea and first Lord of Corisco to the series of his royal titles. The Portuguese colonized the islands of Bioko, Annobón and Corisco in 1494, which they converted into "factorías" or posts for the slave trade.
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In 1641 the Dutch East India Company established itself without Portuguese consent on the island of Bioko, temporarily centralizing the Gulf of Guinea slave trade. The Portuguese returned to make an appearance on the island in 1648, replacing the Dutch Company with one of their own, the Corisco Company, dedicated to the same type of trade. To this end, they built one of the first European buildings on the island, the Punta Joko fort.
From Corisco, Portugal sold slave labor under special contracts to France (to which it supplied up to 49,000 Guinean slaves), Spain, and England between 1713 and 1753. The main collaborators were the Bengas, a people dedicated to the razzias or human captures, a task in which they were helped by pamues and nvikos.
The islands remained in Portuguese hands until March 1778, after the treaty of San Ildefonso (1777) and that of El Pardo (1778), by which the islands were ceded to Spain, together with slave and free trade rights trade in a sector of the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, between the Niger and Ogooué rivers, as well as the disputed Colonia del Sacramento, in Uruguay, in exchange for the island of Santa Catalina (southern Brazil) held by the Spanish. From that moment on, the Spanish territory of Guinea was part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (founded in 1776), until its final dismemberment with the May Revolution (1810) in Buenos Aires.
Spanish rule (1778-1968)
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On April 17, 1778, the Spanish brigadier Felipe José de los Santos Toro y Freyre, VII Count of Argelejo, left Montevideo for Fernando Poo, to take possession of the territories of the Gulf of Guinea on behalf of Spain, but he died four months later; such territories would be part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata governed from Buenos Aires, the current capital of Argentina.
The second governor was Joaquín Primo de Rivera, who was circumstantially from November 14, 1778 to October 30, 1780, at which time the Spanish mission decided to return, refusing to act in the territory and abandoning the establishment of Concepción, first and provisional administrative center.
The British ruled the island of Bioko between 1827 and 1843 under the formal pretext of "fighting the slave trade" (even though the British position in previous decades had been prone to slave trade). Thus, the "Commission for the Suppression of Trafficking for the capture of slave ships and the persecution of traffickers" was established in Fernando Poo. In 1827 the establishment of Port Clarence was founded, later called Santa Isabel and today Malabo. In 1836 the Spanish navigator José de Moros visited the island of Annobón, governed by Pedro Pomba.
In 1841, Great Britain was still interested in dominating Fernando Poo, proposing the purchase of the island from Spain. The Spanish Congress and public opinion managed to stop this initiative. To strengthen the rights of Spain, the expedition of Juan José Lerena y Barry was sent, who in March 1843 raised the Spanish flag in Santa Isabel, receiving the submission of several local chiefs, such as Bonkoro I, king of the island's Bengas of Corisco.
On September 13, 1845, the Royal Order was made public by which Queen Elizabeth II authorized the transfer to the region of all free blacks and mulattoes from Cuba who "voluntarily" so desired.
Starting in 1855, there was a hectic period of internal struggles among the Bengas over the issue of local chiefdoms, struggles that ended in 1858 with the arrival of the first Spanish governor, Carlos de Chacón y Michelena, who, in 1858, appointed Munga I lieutenant governor of Corisco (facing Bonkoro II). From 1859 to 1875 he left a Spanish garrison on the island, which would later be transferred to the island of Elobey Chico. Within this policy of interventionism, in 1864 Governor Ayllón named the native Bodumba king of Elobey Grande.
On June 20, 1861, the Royal Order was published converting the island of Bioko into a Spanish prison; In October of the same year, the Royal Order was issued by which, since emancipated blacks from Cuba did not offer themselves voluntarily to immigrate to Guinea, it was provided that if they did not present themselves, 260 black Cubans would be shipped without their consent, to the who will later be joined by political reprisals.
The region will be extensively explored by Manuel de Iradier and Bulfy, in charge of two expeditions (in 1875 and 1884) that will also have the mission of putting down the uprisings of several fang villa-states. During the period 1887-1897, various Spanish representatives established relations with King Moka of Bioko, who in the second half of the XIX century unified all the Bubi clans (it will be followed by Sas Ebuera between 1899-1904 and Malabo between 1904-1937, the latter year in which the king was imprisoned by the Spanish authorities). The continental portion, Río Muni, became a Protectorate in 1885 and a Colonia in 1900, the year in which a treaty signed in Paris determined the limits of the territory recognized by Spain.
At the outbreak of World War I in 1914 (in which Spain declared itself neutral), Río Muni was completely surrounded by the German colony of Cameroon and not far from French equatorial Africa, so when fighting began between the colonial troops, there was fear on the part of the Spanish authorities that these combats would move to Río Muni. To solve the problem, Governor Ángel Barrera had four very simple military posts (Mibonde, Mikomeseng, Mongomo and Ebibeyín) installed (without radio stations or machine guns and with very few soldiers), but which were enough to show the symbolic limits of the Spanish sovereignty and fulfilled their function, avoiding the extension of the war towards Continental Guinea. These bases later became centers of commercial growth and from there attacks were launched against the fang who resisted colonization.
On December 30, 1916, Spain sent an expeditionary company of marine infantry to take charge of German troops that, coming from Cameroon, had entered Spanish Guinea fleeing British pressure. The bulk returned in 1917, remaining officers with the internees until the end of the war. In 1918, and with the world conflict about to end, an indigenous rebellion occurred in the interior of Río Muni, which was suppressed by Spanish colonial troops. However, the armed conflicts that often exceeded the borders of the colony convinced the authorities to begin a true colonization of the territory. At the end of the Great War, missions, plantations and military posts would begin to be established throughout the interior of Guinean territory, while expeditions were launched to subdue the tribes.
Colony of Spanish Guinea
Both the insular and mainland territories were united in 1926 as the colony of Spanish Guinea. Around this time, the previous traditional structures of the local national kingdoms finished dissolving, consolidating the European court administration imported by the Spanish.
However, Spain lacked the wealth and interest to develop a significant economic infrastructure during the first half of the 20th century. However, Spain developed large cocoa plantations on the island of Bioko with thousands of laborers from neighboring Nigeria.
In the 1930s, Spanish Guinea remained faithful to the Second Spanish Republic until September 1936 when, after the Spanish civil war had already started, it joined the Uprising against the Republic, causing the ephemeral Taking of Guinea. In 1942, the so-called Operation Postmaster took place in Equatoguinean territory.
Spanish provinces
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Until 1956, the islands of Fernando Poo and Annobón were part of the Territory of Spanish Guinea. On August 21, 1956, these territories were organized under the name of Province of the Gulf of Guinea. During this period, the first independence movements began to emerge timidly in the country, such as the one led by Acacio Mañé Ela.
In 1959 the Spanish territories of the Gulf of Guinea acquired the status of overseas Spanish provinces, similar to that of the metropolitan provinces. By the law of July 30, 1959, they officially adopted the name of the Spanish Equatorial Region and was organized into two provinces: Fernando Poo and Río Muni. As such, the region was governed by a Governor-General exercising all civil and military powers. The first local elections were held in 1960, and the first attorneys in Equatoguinean courts were elected.
On December 15, 1963, the Spanish government submitted to a referendum between the population of these two provinces a draft Bases on Autonomy, which was approved by an overwhelming majority. Consequently, these territories were endowed with autonomy, officially adopting the name of Equatorial Guinea, with bodies common to the entire territory (General Assembly, Government Council and General Commissioner) and bodies belonging to each province. Although the general commissioner appointed by the Spanish government had broad powers, the General Assembly of Equatorial Guinea had considerable initiative in formulating laws and regulations. Its first and only president was Bonifacio Ondó Edu.
In November 1965, the IV Committee of the UN Assembly approved a draft resolution asking Spain to set the date for the independence of Equatorial Guinea as soon as possible. In December 1966 the Council of Ministers of the Spanish Government agreed to prepare the Constitutional Conference. Said Conference was inaugurated in October 1967, chaired by Fernando María Castiella, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs; At the head of the Guinean delegation was Federico Ngomo.
Independent State (1968-present)
Proclamation of Independence (1968)
In March 1968, under pressure from Equatorial Guinean nationalists and the United Nations, Spain announced that it would grant independence. A Constitutional Convention was formed which produced an electoral law and a draft constitution. After the second phase of the Constitutional Conference (April 17-June 22, 1968) the consultation was held. The referendum on the constitution took place on August 11, 1968, under the supervision of a United Nations observer team. Some 63% of the electorate voted in favor of the new constitution, which provided for a government with a General Assembly and a Supreme Court with judges appointed by the president.
On September 22, the first presidential elections were held and none of the four candidates obtained an absolute majority. A week later, Francisco Macías Nguema was elected president of Equatorial Guinea; His immediate follower in the election was Bonifacio Ondó Edu.
In September 1968, Francisco Macías Nguema was elected the first president of Equatorial Guinea with the support of nationalist movements such as the IPGE (Popular Idea of Equatorial Guinea), part of MONALIGE (National Movement for the Liberation of Equatorial Guinea) and the MUNGE (Movement of the National Union of Equatorial Guinea). The independence of Equatorial Guinea was proclaimed on October 12, 1968. The country adopted the name of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. She was admitted to the UN as the 126th member of the Organization.
Decree of independence of Equatorial Guinea, operative part:
Article one. The electoral results proclaimed by the Electoral Commission of Guinea, dated two October of the current year, are recognized, and by virtue, the most excellent Mr. Francisco Macías Nguema is the President-elect of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.Article 2 The territory of Equatorial Guinea is declared independent, from 12 hours on the 12th of October of this year, at which time the ceremonies of powers will take place to the elected president of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
This is what I have to do with this Decree, given in Madrid to October nine, nine hundred and sixty-eight.Decree 2467/1968 of 9 October granting independence to Equatorial Guinea
Francisco Franco, Official State Gazette11 October 1968
In January 1969, the leader of the opposition to Macías, Bonifacio Ondó Edu, who was under house arrest, was assassinated. Increased instability in the country.
In March 1969, Macías announced that he had mastered a coup attempt headed by the opposition Atanasio Ndongo (versions vary: although some authors claim that it had never existed, others affirm that the attempt actually took place). The Equatoguinean president took advantage of this pretext to put an end to all the opposition and establish a sinister dictatorship. Atanasio Ndongo's followers were arrested or killed. The failed coup or false coup generated a wave of anti-Spanish popular indignation (stimulated by the government), for which the Spanish community felt threatened. All this situation resulted in a diplomatic crisis between Spain and Equatorial Guinea.
On March 28, 1969, the Spanish troops stationed in Río Muni re-embarked. The same will happen on April 5, leaving the island of Fernando Poo. The Spanish presence in Equatorial Guinea had ended.
The Macías dictatorship (1968-1979)
Macías did not take long to concentrate in his person all the powers of the State: in July 1970 he created a single party regime, the PUNT (United National Workers Party); in May 1971 crucial parts of the Constitution were abrogated; and in July 1972 he declared himself president for life.
In July 1973, he promulgated a new Constitution (the second in the country), tailor-made for him, which created a unitary State, annulling the previous status of federation between Fernando Poo and Río Muni. He carried out a relentless repression against his political opponents, who were liquidated in prisons through simple and brutal beatings. Because of his dictatorial methods, more than 100,000 people fled to neighboring countries; at least 50,000 of those who remained in the country died, and another 40,000 were sentenced to forced labor.
The Macías regime was characterized by the abandonment of all government functions with the exception of internal security. Due to theft, ignorance, and negligence, the country's infrastructure—electricity, water supply, roads, transportation, and health—fell into ruin. The Catholic religion was repressed and the educational system closed. Nigerian indentured laborers, who carried out the bulk of the work on the Bioko cocoa plantations, were deported en masse in early 1976. The Equatoguinean economy collapsed and the most highly-skilled citizens and foreigners left the country.
Schools were closed in 1975, and Catholic worship and all forms of Christianity were outlawed in June 1978. Nguema implemented a toponymic Africanization campaign, superficially imitating the sociocultural movement of blackness, replacing Hispanic names with names natives: the capital Santa Isabel became Malabo, the island of Fernando Poo was renamed Masie Nguema Biyogo in memory of the dictator himself, and Annobón became Pagalu. As part of the same process, the entire population was ordered to change their European names to African names. The dictator's own name underwent several transformations, so that at the end of his government he was known as Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong.
The dictatorship of Teodoro Obiang (1979-present)
On August 3, 1979, Macías was overthrown in a coup led by his nephew, Lieutenant Colonel Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who had been warden of the sinister Playa Negra prison. Macías was tried and executed, while a Supreme Military Council chaired by Obiang himself was constituted. The islands were renamed Bioko and Annobón. The new regime had an enormous task before it: the state coffers were empty and the population was barely a third of what it was at the time of independence.
In July 1982, said Council appointed Obiang President of the Republic for a period of seven years, while a new constitution (the third in the country) was promulgated, approved in a referendum (August 15, 1982). The Supreme Military Council was dissolved in October 1982. Shortly after, on December 19, 1983, Equatorial Guinea joined the Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC), and a little later to the Economic Community and Monetary of Central Africa, for which in 1985 it adopted the CFA franc as its currency. In 1983 and 1988 parliamentary elections took place, to which a single list of candidates concurred. In 1987, Obiang had announced the formation of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) with a view to the presidential elections to be held in 1989. Obiang was re-elected as the only candidate. However, he did not manage to get the country out of the deep economic crisis in which it was plunged.
In 1991 a timid democratization began, essential for the continued economic aid from Spain, France and other countries. In November, a new constitution (the country's fourth) was approved in a referendum that established a system of parliamentary representation for legalized political parties. Given the announcement of this timid opening, many political opponents returned to the country, only to be imprisoned by Obiang (January-February 1992).
Although a few months later various opposition political formations were legalized. However, in the 1993 legislative elections, ten of the fourteen registered parties were banned, which resulted in around 80% abstaining from voting. The official results gave the PDGE the winner, with which Obiang continued in power as head of state and government. After these elections, not only was the regime not democratized, but in 1995 the opposition leader Severo Moto Nsá was imprisoned on charges of corruption and slander. The candidate of the Joint Opposition Platform (POC), Amancio Nsé, was also not allowed to participate in the presidential elections of February 1996, using an electoral law tailored to the president. Consequently, Obiang was re-elected with 98% of the vote.
The year 1996 was a crucial year for the future evolution of the country. That year, the American multinational Mobil began extracting oil in the Equatoguinean territory, which would result in a considerable increase in income for the country.
The 1996 elections were strongly questioned internationally. To counter the criticism, Obiang appointed a new government in which opposition figures held some minor positions. In 1998, a trial was carried out without any procedural guarantee against 117 members of the Bubi ethnic group (the Nguema family belongs to the fang, the majority in the country) close to the opposition group MAIB (Movement for Self-Determination of the Island of Bioko), allegedly implicated in an assassination attempt, the bubi revolt of 1998. The mock trial ended with fifteen death sentences.
The legislative elections of March 1999 saw a new landslide victory for the president's party, the PDGE (which went from 68 to 75 seats in a chamber of 80). The main opposition parties, the Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) and the Popular Union (UP), which won four and one seats respectively, refused to take possession of them.
- Decade of 2000
The local elections of May 2000 marked another overwhelming victory for the PDGE, which thus controlled all the important municipalities in the country. The main opposition parties described the elections as rigged and boycotted them.
In the presidential elections of December 2002, despite allegations of fraud by the opposition, Obiang was re-elected, revalidating his mandate for another seven years (until 2009).
In 2003, an Equatorial Guinean Government in Exile was formed, led by Severo Moto. Apparently, they hired a company based in the Channel Islands to overthrow the Obiang government. In March 2004, 64 suspected mercenaries were detained at Harare airport (Zimbabwe) after they withheld information about their cargo and crew. In 2004, the son of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Mark Thatcher, was arrested in South Africa on charges of aiding a failed coup attempt.
Thanks to oil revenues, whose production has increased tenfold in recent years, Equatorial Guinea has experienced growth rates of 33%. However, such an influx of wealth is not serving to improve the economic conditions of the population, but has served to grant a certain international "legitimacy" to the regime with visits from representatives of the US and Spanish governments, among others. Equatorial Guinea is the third largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa (after Angola and Nigeria).
In 2003, President George Walker Bush resumed diplomatic relations with the Equatorial Guinean government, which had been interrupted in 1995 when President Bill Clinton's ambassador, wanting to promote the cause of human rights, was threatened with death and ordered to leave the country.
The government of Teodoro Obiang Nguema is considered one of the most repressive in the world, according to international human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.[citation needed] Specifically, they have denounced the disappearances of activists, torture, the lack of freedom of the press, the lack of real legal guarantees, the manipulation of electoral processes and the extremely unequal distribution of the country's wealth.[citation required]
- Decade of 2010
In 2011 the government announced the creation of a new capital for the country, Ciudad de la Paz.
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In 2011, a constitutional referendum was held, in which reforms were approved, such as the reinstatement of the position of vice president, the creation of the Senate, and the limitation of the presidential term to two terms.
On July 20, 2012, the CPLP again rejected the request of Equatorial Guinea to be considered a full member.
In the 2013 legislative elections, the PDGE won 69 of 70 seats in the Senate and 99 of 100 parliamentarians in the Chamber of Deputies. The CPDS denounced the elections as fraudulent.
On April 24, 2016, new presidential elections took place, in which Obiang obtained 93.5%.
In 2017, the prominent cartoonist and opponent of Obiang Ramón Esono Ebalé was arrested and imprisoned in the Playa Negra Prison.
That same year, Vice President Teodorín Nguema Obiang was sentenced in Paris to a suspended sentence of three years in prison and a fine of 30 million euros for corruption. In addition, all of his palaces in France and 17 luxury cars were seized.
The 2017 legislative elections resulted in a new victory for the PDGE, which obtained all the senators and 99 of the 100 deputies, with the remaining seat corresponding to the Ciudadanos por la Innovación (CI) party. This party was accused shortly after organizing a coup and as a result 146 of its members were put on trial in February 2018. The verdict of the trial was announced on February 26. 36 defendants (including party deputy Jesús Mitogo Oyono) were sentenced to 26 years in prison (it was initially erroneously reported that the sentences were 44 years). Despite the fact that many of those accused were acquitted, they were also the sentence included the banning of CI. CI announced its intention to appeal the sentence, which it finally materialized by filing an appeal before the Supreme Court of Justice.
In an official statement from Spain, the Popular Party, the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, Unidos Podemos, En Comú Podem, Ciudadanos and the Basque Nationalist Party denounced the persecution of the opposition party and demanded respect for the rights human rights, public liberties and the elementary norms of democracy". The Spanish government contacted Gabriel Nsé Obiang (CI leader) and assured that they would maintain a constant dialogue with the Guinean opposition to promote democracy. In March 2018, the Spanish senator Carles Mulet García de Compromís drafted a question in the Spanish Senate, answered by the Spanish Government in May of the same year, alluding to the events related to CI that occurred in Equatorial Guinea. In In contrast, the PDGE justified the convictions, which was repudiated by CI.
Regarding the case of Ramón Esono Ebale, in the first session of the trial held on February 27, 2018, the prosecution withdrew all charges against Esono as it did not find enough evidence to incriminate him. The witness In charge, National Police Corporal Trifonio Nguema Owono Abang, was unable to sustain his accusations in court and acknowledged that he was "following orders" when accusing Esono Ebale. The artist was released on March 7.
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In April 2018, Equatorial Guinea organized the so-called "International Colloquium on Human Rights and Civil Society", in which ambassadors, international experts and heads of diplomatic missions participated. This event was criticized by opposition parties such as CI, given the political situation in the country. On May 2, 2018, the trial of the appeal filed by the party to revoke its illegalization began. Fabián Nsue and Ponciano Mbomio.
The final sentence was handed down on May 7, and confirmed both the banning of CI and the convictions of its militants. CI disagreed with the verdict and accused the Guinean judicial system of being manipulated by the government. CI's outlawing was also condemned by the Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS).
On May 17, the general secretary of CI María Jesús Mene Bopabote traveled to Brussels and was received by the institutions of the European Union, presenting a file on the human rights violations committed by the government.
On May 23, President Obiang met with a Spanish delegation led by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Ildefonso Castro López, who conveyed the desire of the Spanish Government to accompany the authorities and the people of Equatorial Guinea in the 50 anniversary of its independence. Castro also met with opponents Andrés Esono Ondó (leader of the Convergence for Social Democracy) and Avelino Mocache (leader of the Center Right Union), with whom he discussed the political situation in Equatorial Guinea.
In June 2018, the International Court of Justice agreed to determine whether the expropriations of several properties belonging to Vice President Nguema Obiang by the French authorities were correct, during his judicial process. On June 7, CI filed an an appeal for amparo before the Constitutional Court on the grounds that the sentence ratified against him violated the Fundamental Law of Equatorial Guinea.
On June 11, Obiang convened a National Dialogue Table (the sixth in the country's history) for the month of July and in which all legal and non-legalized political parties in the country could participate, as well as opposition formations in exile. This call was received with optimism by CI (although it criticized the government for not explaining the content of the project) and with skepticism by CPDS. The process was called by presidential decree on June 13. established the period between July 16 and 21 as the date for the event. CI and CPDS set the release of political prisoners, the participation of civil society and the presence of the international community as a condition for participating in the process.
The Obiang government agreed to this last point by inviting foreign personalities to the Dialogue, however it did not allow CI to participate, arguing that it had previously been banned. CI condemned the government's attitude in a statement. For its part, the Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea described the National Dialogue as a "hoax" of Obiang. The Union for Democracy and Social Development (UDDS) and the Republican Democratic Force (FDR) set a series of conditions to participate. The National Coordinator of Civil Society Organizations congratulated Obiang for the call, as did the United Nations, an organization that also announced that it would send an observer to the event. The CORED Coalition, a formation in exile, expressed its intention to participate by videoconference.
On July 4, the Obiang government announced a general amnesty for all political prisoners with a view to the Dialogue Table convened by the government weeks before. CI, the CPDS and the FDR welcomed the measure, but they denounced the arbitrariness of the regime. The Government of Spain and Amnesty International spoke similarly. The Guinean government criticized the Spanish government for an attitude that it described as "interference". Days after the amnesty decree was sanctioned, the opposition denounced that it had not yet been put into practice. CPDS also criticized the organization of the Dialogue Table, which in their opinion excluded opposition parties. The National Dialogue began on July 16 at the Sipopo Conference Center with the participation of 17 political parties (including CPDS) and the absence of CI, which regretted its exclusion.
On the eve of the start of the event, the European Union asked to participate as an observer. During the development of the event, the opposition parties again denounced the breach of the amnesty and the permanence in prison of several Supreme Court magistrates, one of whom died in prison. The CPDS even called for the resignation of the Government and the establishment of a transitional government, a proposal that was rejected by the Executive. The Dialogue Table was finally extended until July 23, waiting for the participants to close agreements. After the closing of the process, agreements were reached such as greater respect for human rights, projects on cultural issues and construction of public schools.
The Government positively assessed the Dialogue Table, and President Obiang declared that he was satisfied and encouraged with its result. However, opposition parties such as the CPDS and the Center Right Union (UCD) considered the process as unsuccessful and they refused to sign the final agreement document. Days later, a meeting was held between the government and political parties in which the authorities tried to convince the CPDS and UCD to sign the document without success. CI also valued the results of the Dialogue Table as a failure, as did the opposition in exile.
In October 2018, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Equatorial Guinea's independence, all CI prisoners were pardoned, including its elected deputy Jesús Mitogo. Its leader Gabriel Nsé declared that he hoped to regain the party's parliamentary seat. However, CI also denounced that the detainees were not immediately released. On October 22, they were finally released, an attitude that was congratulated by the Spanish government and the opposition both at home and in exile. However, the leadership of the formation noted that several released showed signs of torture. Likewise, the authorities prevented the party from recovering its parliamentary seat.
On October 12, 2018, Equatorial Guinea celebrated 50 years of independence. The government held a massive event that was even attended by several heads of state from the African continent. For its part, the opposition in exile held a rally protest in front of the Equatorial Guinean embassy in Spain and the government of this country congratulated Equatorial Guinea on its anniversary of independence, although it urged the Obiang government to stop the political repression.
In May 2019, following a controversial trial, more than 130 people were sentenced to prison for their role in the 2017 coup attempt.
- Decade 2020
On March 7, 2021, there were ammunition explosions at a military base near the city of Bata that caused 98 deaths and 600 people were injured and treated in hospital.
In November 2022, Obiang was re-elected in the 2022 Equatorial Guinean general elections with 99.7% of the vote amid accusations of fraud by the opposition.
Government and politics
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Nominally, Equatorial Guinea has been a constitutional democracy since 1991. The Constitution has been reformed several times, the last being the reform of November 2011. However, opposition forces point to the political reality of this country under the category of one-party dictatorship and personal to Teodoro Obiang Nguema, in power since August 3, 1979, when he led a coup against his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema, and which has been perpetuated in the presidency by falsifying the electoral results and assassinating serious opponents. The political system of Equatorial Guinea has been defined as "democratic" by Professor Max Liniger-Goumaz, while other analysts agree that it is a de facto dynasty. Its critics claim that in practice the country functions as a plutocracy.
A group of exiles, mainly based in Spain and led by Armengol Engonga Ondo, leader of the center-right Progress Party (PPGE), are calling for the democratization of the country. The Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS) party, with a socialist tendency and led by Plácido Micó Abogo, is the second largest opposition force, followed by the Movement for the Self-Determination of the Island of Bioko (MAIB) led by Weja Chicampo Puye, a Bubi party with an ethnic nationalist character; and, finally, the Republican Democratic Force (FDR), a party led by Guillermo Nguema Elá, which has not been recognized by the government.
Presidential elections are held every seven years (the last ones took place in December 2009 and April 2016) and all people over 18 years of age vote. The president, in turn, appoints the prime minister (currently Manuela Roka Botey). There is only one legislative chamber, practically decorative and without real power (the Chamber of Deputies), made up of 100 representatives elected on paper, by direct popular vote for a five-year legislature. Of the 100 seats, 99 correspond in the current legislature to the single party of the dictatorship, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) and the other to the opposition Citizens for Innovation (CI), which accused the voting process as fraudulent.
Since Teodoro Obiang took power, there have been reports of political assassinations and disappearances, as well as trials considered parodies that stand out for the lack of procedural guarantees. The reports of Amnesty International and other independent organizations have collected and reported, for years, a shocking reality in terms of arbitrary arrests, torture, beatings and deaths in detention.
Currently, oil also guides relations with the old European colonizing powers. Despite the fact that the country is ruled by an authoritarian regime (in the decade from 2000 to 2010 it has been among the ten countries with the most repressive regimes several times). Successive governments of Spain have made declarations of support for "democracy" in Equatorial Guinea, since Repsol has important economic interests in the country. Similarly, Equatorial Guinea's relations with France are good despite its dismal performance in terms of human rights.
In November 2011, a reform of the Constitution was approved that limited the presidency of the Republic to two legislatures, created the Council of the Republic, created a Senate, the figure of the ombudsman and the introduction of the figure of a Vice President of the Republic. The head of state also became head of government. This new reform of the Constitution was submitted to a popular referendum before the text on which they were going to vote was published. Surprisingly, during the post-referendum reshuffle of the government, President Teodoro Obiang appointed two vice presidents, flagrantly violating the reform that he himself had just introduced. The Senate would be composed of 70 members, of which 55 would be elected by the people, while the remaining 15 would be appointed by the President of the Republic. The Council of the Republic would always be chaired by a former head of state.
Human rights
Equatorial Guinea has one of the worst human rights records in the world according to Freedom House's annual report on civil and political rights. Reporters Without Borders ranks President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo among the "predators" of press freedom. The 2012 United States report on human trafficking says that "Equatorial Guinea is a source and destination for women and children subjected to forced labor and trafficking sexual". The report places Equatorial Guinea as a Tier 3 country, the lowest ranking, where the countries "whose governments do not meet the minimum standards and are not making efforts significant to fulfill them". Equatorial Guinea is currently under what many sources consider a military dictatorship that has been in power for 40 years. In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Rights Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), Equatorial Guinea has signed or ratified:
 Equatorial Guinea | International treaties | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESCR | CCPR | CERD | CED | CEDAW | CAT | CRC | MWC | CRPD | |||||||||
| CESCR | CESCR-OP | CCPR | CCPR-OP1 | CCPR-OP2-DP | CEDAW | CEDAW-OP | CAT | CAT-OP | CRC | CRC-OP-AC | CRC-OP-SC | CRPD | CRPD-OP | ||||
| Pertenence |   |  | | | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | |
 Signed and ratified,  signed, but not ratified,  neither signed nor ratified,  without information,  it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies. | |||||||||||||||||
Status of major international human rights instruments
Foreign Relations
Equatorial Guinea is a member of the United Nations (UN), the African Union, the Central African Economic Committee and the Monetary Union (CEMAC), which includes Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville) and Gabon. It is also a member of the franc zone.
It maintains some international disputes, for example, with the exclusive economic zone on the maritime border with Cameroon and which is currently before the International Court of Justice. Another maritime boundary dispute exists with Gabon over sovereignty over the islands in Corisco Bay, in addition to the maritime border dispute with Nigeria and Cameroon over competition for oil-rich areas in the Gulf of Guinea.
Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea are made up of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and a National Guard. Together they represent the Equatoguinean institution which, according to the 1995 Constitution, is in charge of guaranteeing national defense and sovereignty, and maintaining order and territorial integrity of this Central African nation.
Its supreme head, according to article 39 of the constitution, is the president of the Republic. The third title, sole chapter of the Constitution of this country refers to the functions and organization of said military institution.
Political-administrative organization
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Equatorial Guinea, the country is administratively divided into 2 regions, 8 provinces, and these in turn into 19 districts and 37 municipalities. The eighth province was created by Law 4/2017 dated June 20 from the province of Wele-Nzas. Population data is not available for the new province since the last census was carried out in 2014.
| Shield and abbreviation | Province | Creation | Capital | Population (2015) | Surface (km2) | Densidad | Districts (2018) | Municipalities (2018) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AN | Annobón | 1968 | San Antonio de Palé | 5 314 | 17.0 | 307 | 1 | 1 |
| BN | Northern Bioko | 1968 | Malabo | 300 374 | 776,0 | 386 | 2 | 3 |
| BS | Bioko South | 1968 | Luba | 34 674 | 1 241.0 | 28 | 2 | 4 |
| CS | South Centre | 1968 | Evinayong | 141 903 | 9 930.8 | 14 | 3 | 7 |
| DJ | Djibloho | 2017 | Oyala | n/d | 452,5 | n/d | 1 | 1 |
| KN | Kié-Ntem | 1968 | Ebebiyín | 183 331 | 3 942,9 | 46 | 3 | 6 |
| LT | Litoral | 1968 | Bata | 366 130 | 6 665,7 | 55 | 3 | 8 |
| WZ | Wele-Nzas | 1968 | Mongomo | 191 383 | 5 025.6 | 35 | 4 | 7 |
| GQ
| Equatorial Guinea | 1968 | Malabo | 1 222 442 | 28 051 | 44 | 19 | 37 |
Geography
Equatorial Guinea is a small country located in the equatorial part of Africa. It consists of a continental territory of 26,017 km², called the Continental Region or Mbini (formerly Río Muni), which borders Cameroon to the north, Gabon to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; and another called the Insular Region of 2034 km², formed by the islands of Bioko (formerly Fernando Poo) where the capital Malabo is located, Annobón (south of São Tomé and Príncipe, called Pagalú during the Macías dictatorship), and the islands located in the bay of Corisco: Corisco, Elobey Grande, Elobey Chico and some others.
Mbini includes a flat coastal strip, which gradually becomes more rugged towards the interior, where there is a series of mountain ranges called «of the Seven Mountains». The terrain is gently undulating and covered by jungle vegetation. About 60% of the area belongs to the Mbini river basin (formerly called Benito).
The largest island is Bioko (2017 km²), and it is located north of the mainland, 40 kilometers off the coast of Cameroon in the Gulf of Biafra (Bonny Bay), a section of the Gulf of Guinea. The island, of volcanic origin, is mountainous and heavily forested, with a steep and rocky coastline (195 km) where when the tide rises it hides its beaches. Excellent ports in Malabo and Luba. Its maximum elevation is the peak of Santa Isabel, also known as the Basilé peak, 3008 meters high.
The island has fertile volcanic soils (where cocoa is grown) and several rivers; the lakes are located in the mountains. Technically, and until its new capital (Oyala) is inaugurated, Equatorial Guinea is the only country in the world along with Denmark that, having a continental part, has its capital located on an island (ignoring the case of Gibraltar and London, being territory British Overseas).
Annobon Island (18 km²), so named due to its discovery on New Year's Day 1472, is located about 640 kilometers southwest of the Gabonese coast and 595 kilometers southwest of Bioko.
The islands of Corisco Bay are part of the Corisco Municipality, which is located 25 km from the Muni River estuary, while the Elobeyes are located less than 10 km from Gabon.
More than 45% of the territory is forested (46.2%) and is made up of tropical forests, in which its biodiversity stands out. Despite the benefits produced by oil, the agricultural area is increasing with the consequent deforestation (8.2%).
Islands
| Number | Island | Surface (km2) | Population | Province(s) | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bioko | 2017 | 592 066 | Bioko North Bioko Sur | 3°30′N 8°42′E / 3.500, 8.700 |
| 2 | Annobón | 17 | 20 741 | Annobón | 126′S 5°38′E / -1.433, 5.633 |
| 3 | Corisco | 15 | 1004 | Litoral | 0°55′N 9°19′E / 0.917, 9.317 |
| 4 | Elobey Grande | 2.27 | Uninhabited | Litoral | 0°59′N 9°30′E / 0.983, 9.500 |
| 5 | Elobey Chico | 0.19 | Uninhabited | Litoral | 100′N 9°31′E / 1,000, 9.517 |
Climate
Equatorial Guinea has an equatorial climate. The average annual temperature is around 25 °C and average annual rainfall is over 2,000 mm in most of the country. On the island of Bioko, the rainy season covers the period from April to October, while on the mainland, the rains are a little lighter and take place from April to May and from October to December.
In the capital called Malabo and its surroundings located on the island of Bioko, 2,000 millimeters of rainfall or less per year have been recorded, but on the other hand there are data that indicate about 3,000 millimeters of rain per year in other regions of the referred island. Malabo is considered one of the capitals with the least sun in Africa with a constantly cloudy landscape. In general in this part of the country there is a period called the dry season that runs from December to February, although this is usually more noticeable in the northern part where the national capital city is, you can also identify a season with more rain that regularly begins in May and extends until October.
Equatorial Guinea's highest peak, Pico Basilé, at 3,011 meters high, can be found not far from there. The slopes that this volcano presents are usually very rainy, but they work as a protection for the capital, which can be found in the province of Bioko Norte, in the period from July to October, when there are usually heavier rainfall than in the capital.
In the continental portion of Equatorial Guinea, the situation does not vary much with quite abundant rains almost all year round (an average of 2,000 millimeters) with a small dry period that usually begins in June and lasts until August.
Flora and fauna
They highlight typical species of African equatorial ecosystems. Among them we must mention the drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), mandrill, picathartes, lowland gorilla, sitatunga, leopard, monkeys, chimpanzee, elephant and the rare Zenker's squirrel (Idiurus zenkeri). The number of cases of endemism on the island of Bioko is very high.
In their territory they have identified at least:
- 140 species of trees
- 3.250 plant species
- 418 bird species
- 91 species of reptiles
- 194 mammal species
- Flora and fauna of Equatorial Guinea
Dissotid
Soja
Pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon spectrum)
Turkish piquigualdo (Tauraco macrorhynchus)
Western Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla)
Ecology
The biomes present in Equatorial Guinea are the shady forest and the mangrove swamp. The forest area occupies more than 90% of the territory.
According to the WWF, the continental region of Equatorial Guinea belongs entirely to the Atlantic Equatorial Coastal Forest ecoregion, with the exception of the Muni River estuary, on the border with Gabon, which is included in the Central African Mangrove, al the same as the islands of Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico. The island of Annobón is part of the lowland forest of São Tomé, Príncipe and Annobón, while Bioko is divided between the coastal forest of Cross-Sanaga and Bioko and the montane forest of Bioko and Mount Cameroon, the latter above of the 800 m s. no. m..
- Landscapes of Equatorial Guinea
Island of Annobon
Islote Horacio
Forests in Oyala-City of Peace
Monte Alén National Park
Pico Basilé
Borders
The limits of Equatorial Guinea correspond to those of the Old Spanish Guinea, (1926-1968) however since the mid-70s of the century XX Equatorial Guinea and Gabon dispute 3 islets in the Bay of Corisco, called in Spanish Mbañé, Cocotero and Conga (and alternatively in French îles Mbanié, Cocotiers et Conga) that are They are in the middle of waters yet to be delimited and that contain oil and gas blocks.
In 1912, referring to the Spanish colonies in the Gulf of Guinea, Luis Ramos-Izquierdo y Vivar wrote:
"A half a mile from the island of Corisco, and the S. of it, there is the islet Leva, and the S.O., more than six miles away, the islet M'bañe; the first of them depopulated, and the second occupied only by a planton of the colonial Guard, in order to make our sovereignty effective"
The diplomatic conflict between the two nations allegedly began in 1972, when the government of Equatorial Guinea, chaired at that time by Francisco Macías, declared that according to the Treaty of Paris of 1900 signed between the former colonial potentials of France (which colonized Gabon) and Spain (which colonized Equatorial Guinea) the islands were in Spanish waters and were therefore now part of Equatorial Guinea (which gained its independence in 1968).
The waters off these islands are believed to contain significant oil deposits. Actually, according to Gabon, Equatorial Guinea's interest in Mbañé is linked to the control of the maritime zones between the coast of Gabon and the island of São Tomé, for which Gabon and Guinea have granted oil permits in the same zones.
The conflict resurfaced in 2003, when the Gabonese Minister of National Defense, Ali Bongo Ondimba, made a high-level visit to the island of Mbañé, an event that caused the protest of the Equatorial Guinean government, which considered it an invasion of its territory.
The UN mediation in 2003 was unsuccessful and both parties now seem determined to submit the conflict to an international court. In April 2021, a statement from the Gabon Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague had initiated proceedings. The territorial dispute has been in process in The Hague since March 2021. In April 2021, the court announced that, taking into account the agreement of the Parties, October 5, 2021 was set as the deadline for the presentation of the arguments of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and May 5, 2022 for the response of the Gabonese Republic. In the future, the court must decide on the sovereignty of the 3 islets and the maritime borders between the two states.
Exclusive Economic Zone
Because the territory of Equatorial Guinea is divided between a continental area and another insular area (one to the north with Bioko as the main island and another to the south of São Tomé and Príncipe with Annobon as the most important island), Its approximate exclusive economic zone is also divided into 2 separate parts from each other. Bioko Island and the mainland form the northern part, bordering the waters of Nigeria and Cameroon at its northern tip, Gabon and São Tomé. and Príncipe to the south and with the latter country again also to the west. The second part of the Zone around Annobon Island borders with São Tomé and Príncipe to the north, Gabon to the east and international waters to the west and to the south. south. These waters are believed to contain rich oil and gas resources, as well as abundant fishing opportunities, although their exact delimitation is still pending. The government of Equatorial Guinea, however, has already divided the waters into Blocks for exploitation, especially around the Island of Bioko and the continental part of the country.
Economy
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Equatorial Guinea's economy depends mainly on oil production, which represents 60% of the gross domestic product and 86% of the country's exports. Other economic resources are the exploitation of hardwoods, agriculture, with products such as cocoa, cotton, coffee, sugar cane, tropical fruits, etc. Cattle farming is practiced in the highlands, and there is an informal trade in minerals, particularly precious metals. The issuance of postage stamps, mainly for philatelic collecting, is also a source of income for the state.
Since the end of the XX century, thanks to the exploitation of oil fields, Equatorial Guinea has been the country of Africa with the highest per capita income, with around $29,000 at purchasing power parity, a value similar to that of Portugal or Greece. However, this wealth has been hoarded by a small elite around President Obiang while a large part of the population has remained in poverty. Equatorial Guinea has become one of the most unequal countries in the world, with a coefficient Gini of 0.65. This inequity is reflected in the low human development index, lower than many North African countries that have a per capita income almost 10 times lower than that of Equatorial Guinea.
The country has been in recession since 2013, which worsened after the fall in oil prices in 2015. In 2017 the International Monetary Fund predicted that the Guinean economy would remain in recession until at least 2022. The government has carried out spending cuts that have not prevented the public deficit from increasing to 16% of GDP. The central bank exhausted its foreign currency reserves in 2016. However, in 2018 the country again had positive figures, reaching self-financing capacity for the first time in 2019.
Equatorial Guinea is a member state of CEMAC. The legal tender is the CFA franc.
Tourism
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Because Equatorial Guinea has suffered many years of international isolation, its tourism industry is very underdeveloped, with a limited hotel offer in the cities of Malabo (Bioko Island) and Bata on the mainland. The attractions are the Spanish colonial architecture of Malabo, the beaches and the tropical forests. A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required. A valid passport is required; there are no visa requirements for US passport holders.
In 2004, the US State Department estimated the cost of staying in Equatorial Guinea to be $218 per day. In recent years, however, a series of public and private ventures have been developed to take advantage of the country's natural beauties, stimulated by the oil boom.
Among the most visited places are Malabo, Alén National Park, Moca, San Antonio de Ureca, Bata, Evinayong, Luba, Mbini, Annobón Island, Altos de Nsork National Park, Mount Temelón Nature Reserve, the island of Corisco, Cogo and Utonde.
Oil and Gas
After a slow start, Equatorial Guinea has in recent decades become a major oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea, one of the most promising hydrocarbon regions in the world. The main deposits, Zafiro and Alba, are located off the island of Bioko. In 1999, oil production was approximately five times higher than in 1996; the Zafiro field, operated by Exxon Mobil and Ocean Energy, produced about 100,000 barrels per day (16,000 m3/d), and CMS Nomeco extracted about 6,700 barrels per day (1,070 m3/d). In 2002, production was nearly 200,000 barrels per day.
In 1995, Mobil (now Exxon Mobil) discovered the large Zafiro field, with estimated reserves of 400 million barrels (64,000,000 m³). Production began in 1996. The company announced a $1 billion, 3-year rapid development program to increase production to 130,000 barrels per day (21 000 m3/d) in early 2001. Progress was delayed due to a contract dispute with the government and unexpectedly difficult geology. The difference with the government was finally resolved.
In 1998, a more liberal regulation and profit-sharing agreement was introduced for hydrocarbon exploration and production activities. The production sharing contract, which until then had greatly favored Western operators, was reviewed and updated. As a result, national oil revenue increased from 13% to 20% of oil export revenue. However, government involvement remains relatively poor by international standards.
In 1997, CMS Nomeco expanded its operations with a $300 million methanol plant. The plant went into production in 2000 and contributed to increasing the production of natural gas condensate from the Alba field.
In August 1999, the government closed bidding for a new round of oil licenses for 53 unexplored deep-water blocks and seven shallow-water blocks. The response was poor due to a combination of factors, including falling oil prices, restructuring of the oil industry, and uncertainty over an undemarcated maritime border with Nigeria (not resolved until 2000).
In late 1999, Triton Energy, an independent US company, discovered La Ceiba in block G, in a brand new area off the country's coast. Triton expects a $200 million development program to enable La Ceiba and associated fields to produce 100,000 barrels per day (16,000 m3/d ) in late 2001, despite disappointments and technical problems earlier in the year.
With the rise in oil prices, exploration intensified in 2000. In April 2000, the US company Vanco Energy signed a production sharing contract for the Corisco Deep offshore block. In May 2000, Chevron was awarded block L, facing Río Muni, and three other production sharing contracts (for blocks J, I and H) were signed with Atlas Petroleum, a Nigerian company.
In early 2001, the government announced plans to create a national oil company, to allow Equatorial Guinea greater participation in the sector and facilitate a faster transfer of powers. However, critics fear that the company could become a vehicle for opaque bookkeeping and inertia of the kind that has hampered development in neighboring countries such as Angola, Cameroon and Nigeria.
Since 2001, the government has run GEPetrol, a national oil company, and Sonagas, a national natural gas company. The company EG LNG has been created to build and operate the Bioko Island LNG plant and terminal. The plant started operating in May 2007 and a second plant is currently under development.
Equatorial Guinea became a member of OPEC in May 2017.
Infrastructure
Transportation
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There are virtually no railways in Equatorial Guinea. There are 2,880 kilometers (1,790 miles) of roads and highways in Equatorial Guinea. Investment in roads and highways has been constant in recent years. The main ports are those of Bata and Mbini in Río Muni and those of Malabo and Luba in Bioko. There are nine ports and five airports (3 international) in Equatorial Guinea, the main one being Malabo Airport, in Punta Europa, Bioko Island. CEIBA Intercontinental is the country's flag airline, which makes 2 weekly flights between Malabo and Madrid.
Equatorial Guinea boasts two of the deepest Atlantic seaports in the region, including the main commercial and business port city, Bata. The ports of Malabo and Bata are heavily overloaded and require extensive rehabilitation and reconditioning. The British company Incat has a project underway with the government to renovate and expand Luba, the country's third port, located on the island of Bioko.
The government expects Luba to become a major transportation hub for oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Guinea. Luba is located about 50 kilometers from Malabo and has been partially inactive, except for minor fishing activities and occasional use to relieve congestion in Malabo. A new jetty is also being built at kilometer 5, on the road from Malabo to the airport.
This is a project mainly intended to serve the oil industry, but it can also alleviate the congested port of Malabo due to its proximity. The oil dock at km 5 was due to open at the end of March 2003. Riaba is the other port of some size in Bioko, but it is less active. The mainland ports of Mbini and Cogo have also fallen into disrepair and are now used mainly for logging activities.
There are air and sea connections between the two cities of Malabo and Bata. Most of the Soviet-built planes have been replaced, above all, by ATR and Boeing, operated by several small companies, one of them state-owned and the other private, which make up the national air fleet.
The Malabo runway (3,200 m) is equipped with lights and can serve aircraft similar to the B777 and IL-76. The one in Bata (2,400 m) does not operate at night, but it can accommodate planes the size of a B737. Its main users are the national airline (EGA) and a private company (GEASA). Two minor airstrips (800 m) are located at Mongomo and Annobón. From Malabo there are international connections with Madrid and Zurich in Europe and with Cotonou, Douala and Libreville in West Africa.
Electricity
Equatorial Guinea's largest cities have electricity thanks to three overloaded small hydroelectric facilities and several aging generators. In 1999, the national production was about 13 MWh. In Malabo, the US company CMS-Nomeco built a government-financed 10-megawatt power plant, which came online in mid-2000, and plans to double capacity are advancing. This plant provides a better service to the capital, although there are still occasional outages. On the mainland, the largest city, Bata, continues to experience regular blackouts.
SEGESA (acronym for Sociedad de Electricidad de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the national electricity company of Equatorial Guinea, with headquarters in Malabo, it is the sole operator of the electricity sector in Equatorial Guinea.
The company was created in November 2001 through the merger of the national rural electrification company SONER and the national electricity corporation ENERGE. In 2013 the company was reorganized into three units: SEGESA Comercial for distribution and sale, SEGESA Generation for generation activities and SEGESA Transmission for transmission. The three units are supervised by SEGESA Holding.
Water
Water is only available in major cities and is not always reliable due to poor maintenance and mismanagement. Some villages and rural areas are equipped with generators and water pumps, usually owned by private individuals.
Telephony
The parastatal company Getesa, with a minority stake in a French subsidiary of Orange, provides telephone service in the main cities. The regular system is overloaded, but Orange has introduced a popular GSM system, which is usually reliable in Malabo and Bata.
Demographics
Equatorial Guinea has a young population (45% under 15 years of age) with a birth rate of around 42 per thousand and a mortality rate of 16 per thousand (in comparison, infant mortality in Cuba is 5.3). Life expectancy is 49 years for men and 53 for women (the worst averages within Hispanidad). Only 4% of the population is over 65 years of age. The adult literacy rate was 52% in 1992, but would have risen to 87% by 2009. Most of the population lives in rural areas. According to the Equatorial Guinea Statistical Yearbook 2018 for 2015 Equatorial Guinea has 1,225,377 inhabitants in contrast to the 1,014,999 that were counted in 2001.
Most populated locations
Health
There are 47 medical facilities in Equatorial Guinea, including seven regional hospitals, eleven district hospitals and 29 health centers.
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The main hospitals are the La Paz de Bata Medical Center located on the mainland of the country, the Nuevo Inseso Hospital in the same town, the La Paz Medical Center in Malabo, on Bioko Island, and the Hospital General or Malabo Regional on the same island. The Peace Medical Center is a private institution that was commissioned by the government of Equatorial Guinea and built by an Israeli architecture studio. For the award of the 2012 African Football Championship, FIFA had required the construction of a hospital.
The government pays for all emergency cases and patients referred to the public Bata General Hospital or other hospitals. A heliport with night signaling allows the transport of patients from other hospitals (especially in Malabo), the Guinean islands and, finally, from the drilling platforms in the Gulf of Guinea.
Climate, location and tropical diseases, African logistics and European export require a lot of improvisation and independence. For example, in La Paz neither morphine nor opioids are used. On the other hand, the consumption of ketamine is ten times higher than in European countries.
Systematic vaccination against tetanus at Centro La Paz for all accident victims is very successful. With 1,200 vaccinations per month, the number of infected patients (previously one per week) has been reduced considerably. Infant mortality is ten times lower than in the rest of the country. Doctors from all over the world with experience in the tropics have made possible a differentiated treatment of endemic malaria according to their own protocols, taking into account resistance and age groups. Tropical pyomyositis is more common than leprosy or rabies. The polyclinic treats about a thousand patients a month. The most common reasons for admission are malaria and bone fractures.
The average life expectancy estimated by the CIA for 2018 in Equatorial Guinea was 63.8 years for men and 66.2 years for women, for a total life expectancy of the population of 65 years.
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS was 6.50 per 100 adults in 2017. In 2017, there were approximately 53,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. It is estimated that in 2018 there were 1,800 deaths from AIDS.
Education
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The country has one university, the National University of Equatorial Guinea (UNGE) with a campus in Malabo and a School of Medicine in Bata. The Bata School of Medicine is supported mainly by Cuba, whose government cedes the center's professors and doctors.[citation required] The Spanish National Distance Education University has also with an office in Malabo and another in Bata.
Several cultural organizations are active in the country (the Equatorial Guinean Cultural Center, the Spanish Cultural Center of Malabo and others) whose main purpose is the literacy and cultural promotion of the population. Most of the financial support in this regard comes from the Spanish government.
During the colonization period, the educational system in Equatorial Guinea was largely controlled by Catholic missionary groups, particularly the Claretians. Schools run by the Spanish government encouraged the use of the Spanish language to communicate. During this period, school attendance exceeded 90%, which was one of the highest attendance rates on the continent.
After independence, Equatorial Guinea also had one of the highest literacy rates on the continent. However, the education system quickly deteriorated because fewer funds were available. In addition to the lack of funds, the education system suffered because President Macías considered the Catholic Church a rival for power and a symbol of "Spanish imperialism". He outlawed Catholic activities and closed Catholic schools in 1978. When Teodoro Obiang Nguema became president, the educational system stabilized.
He put more emphasis on the system by creating new schools and rehabilitating old ones. Although the country's income increased after the discovery of oil fields in the 1990s, Equatorial Guinea's budget still allocates only 2–3% to health and education. This figure is well below the average. sub-Saharan average, which is 16% of the government budget. The current education system is still fairly new, as a 2007 law deemed education essential for all citizens and the country began to follow international standards.
Currently, Spanish is the regular language at all levels of the educational system and its teaching is a compulsory subject in the country. The educational system does not contemplate the use of local autochthonous languages as vehicular languages, although in practice teachers can alternatively use other national languages even if the textbooks are in Spanish.
Culture
Ethnography
It is the only Spanish-speaking country in the world with a majority black population, and practically all the inhabitants have Spanish names.
The national population, which represents 99% of the population, is essentially Bantu: fang in Río Muni and bubi in Bioko. The main ethnic groups are distributed as follows: Fang (72% of the population, in Río Muni), Bubi (15%, in Bioko), Fernandinos (in Bioko), Bisios and Ndowé on the coast of the Continental Region, former province of Río Muni and Annobonese on the Island of Annobón, the country's only territory in the Southern Hemisphere.
The predominant minority of another race is white Europeans of Spanish descent. Equatorial Guinea received Asians and black-Africans from other countries to work on the cocoa and coffee plantations. Other black-Africans come from Liberia, Angola and Mozambique, and Asians who are mostly Chinese. Likewise, British, French and German communities have arrived in the country. Of all these arrivals, the only ones who did not adopt the Spanish language were the French, since their language is co-official.
After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans left for Spain, since all the inhabitants of the country born before independence retained Spanish nationality. Around 100,000 Equatorial Guineans went to Cameroon, Gabon and Nigeria because of the dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema. Many of its communities live in Spain, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Languages
Spanish
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The official languages are Spanish (Equatorial Guinean Spanish), as reflected in the country's Constitution, French and Portuguese. The vast majority of Equatorial Guineans speak Spanish (although often as a second language). The region with the greatest knowledge of Spanish is Malabo. Spanish has been an official language since 1844, although for a brief period in the 1970s, Castilian was declared an "imported" language and its use was prohibited (being replaced by fang).
As of August 3, 1979, after the abolition of the 1973 Constitution, it was again declared an official language. Currently, in Equatorial Guinea there has been a commitment to founding an Equatorial Guinean Academy of the Spanish Language in the country, which was finally created in October 2013; the establishment of a program that reinforces the dissemination of Spanish in the media and the reinforcement of Spanish courses for foreigners already established by the National University of Equatorial Guinea.
Other European languages
A 1998 constitutional law, which modifies article 4 of the Fundamental Law of the State, establishes that the official languages of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea are Spanish and French. French was adopted as an official language, although in practice its use is very minor, in order to belong to the International Organization of la Francophonie, with the benefits of market openings that this means, including the adoption of the CFA franc.
Similarly, in July 2007 the government announced the decision that Portuguese would become the co-official language of Equatorial Guinea in order to satisfy the requirements to apply for full membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), despite the fact that its use is practically non-existent except on the island of Annobón, where Annobonense, derived from Portuguese, is spoken. The CPLA rejected Equatorial Guinea's application in July 2012, less because of insufficient progress in the introduction of Portuguese, and more because of ongoing human rights violations in the country. It was finally admitted in 2014.
Native languages
Indigenous languages are recognized as part of the national culture (Constitutional Law no. 1/1998 of January 21): Fang spoken by almost 300,000 people as their mother tongue and is also spoken in parts of Cameroon, Gabon and Democratic Republic of the Congo (the total number of speakers exceeds one million); Bubi (Bioko) (50,000 speakers); Annobonense on the Island of Annobón (9,000 speakers); balengue in the Continental Region (thousand speakers); Ibo and Creole English (pichi), also in Bioko. The Ndowé language (also called kombe, ngumbi or "playero") belongs to the Ndowé group located in the coastal zone of the continental part of the country and is spoken by 4,000 people. Other important languages are Kwasio (also called Bisio or Bujeba) with almost 9,000 speakers, Seki with 11,000 speakers.
Fang is a Central African language spoken by about a million people, most of them in Equatorial Guinea and northern Gabon, where it is the dominant Bantu language; Fang is also spoken in southern Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, and small parts of the islands of Sao Tome and Principe. It is related to the Bulu and Ewondo languages of southern Cameroon.
Under President Macías Nguema, Fang was the sole official language of Equatorial Guinea for a brief period, but this was reversed after his overthrow. Many variants of the fang exist in northern Gabon and southern Cameroon. Maho (2009) lists Southwestern Fang as a distinct language. The other dialects are Ntoumou, Okak, Mekê, Atsi (Batsi), Nzaman (Zaman), Mveni and Mvaïe.
Bubi is a Bantu language spoken by the Bubis, a Bantu people native to the island of Bioko, and once the main inhabitant of the island. The language came to Bioko from continental Africa more than three thousand years ago, when the bubis began to arrive on the island.
It has about 50,000 speakers, with three variants: North, South, and Center-East. It stands out for its tonal character and the divergence of words by gender. The language is also spoken by the Bubi of Gabon and Cameroon.
Religion
The vast majority of the population belongs to the Christian religion in its Catholic form (80.1%), this is a legacy of Spanish colonization, although other Christian denominations are professed (6.8%), mostly from Protestant groups, as well as certain rites of the religions of the ancient animist inhabitants are practiced to varying degrees, and there is a small Islamic minority (4%).
The Jesuit missionaries were in charge of evangelization beginning on the Island of Bioko, followed later by the Claretian missionaries. During the Dictatorship of Francisco Macias there was an anti-European sentiment and Christianity was attacked, but these measures were reversed after his overthrow. Historically, Baptists and Anglicans tried to establish themselves on the Island of Bioko, before Spain paid more attention to the territory and established prohibitions for other religious groups than the Catholic Church.
Currently there are no restrictions on the activity of religious groups in the country and the Catholic Church and other Protestant minority groups can carry out their celebrations normally.
The Catholic Church in the country is organized under the direction of the Archdiocese of Malabo, its origins date back to October 1855, when Pope Pius IX created the Apostolic Vicariate of Annobón, Corisco and Fernando Poo Island (Bioko)., dividing the territory that was previously administered by the Apostolic Vicariate of the two Guineas and Senegambia. In May 1902, Pope Leo XIII decided to give it the name of the Apostolic Vicariate of Fernando Poo. In 1966, Paul VI made it the Vicariate of the Diocese of Santa Isabel. In 1982, Pope John Paul II gave it its current status and made the first visit to that African nation.
Music
Music in this country is characterized by a mixture of native African influences and Spanish culture. Each group contributes different musical styles. The largest ethnic group are the Fang, although there are also numerous Bubi and smaller populations of Bisio, Bujeba, Ndowe, Combe, Annobonese, and Spanish. The former Spanish colony and province of Equatorial Guinea has enormous wealth in the musical manifestations of its ethnic groups and social groups. As for modern rhythms, the genres of this country are reggaeton, hip hop and the mixture of native African music with pop (afropop).
Literature
Among the main authors of the country are:
- Leoncio Evita Enoy (1929-1996)
- Juan Balboa Boneke (1938-2014)
- Raquel Ilonbé (1938?-1992)
- María Nsué Angüe (1945-2017)
- Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo (n. 1950)
- Just Bolekia Boleká (n. 1954)
- Joaquín Mbomío Bacheng (n.1956)
- Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel (n. 1966)
- Guillermina Mekuy (n. 1982)
- Melibea Obono (n. 1982)
- Constantine Ocha'a Mve Bengobesama (19?-1991)
- César Brandon Ndjocu (Malabo, 1993)
- Silvestre Nsue Nsue Nchama (Ebibeyin, 1998)
Gastronomy
The Equatorial Guinean diet is based on tubers such as cassava, malanga or yams, which are prepared in a multitude of ways. Boiled or fried they accompany almost all meals. The male plantain is also cooked like this. Most of the dishes in this country are hearty soups that include vegetables, meat or fish and a spicy sauce (chili) and other seasonings. Some of these soups are peanut sauce, tomato sauce or chocolate sauce. The name creates confusion since it does not speak of cocoa chocolate, but of modika, a tree whose beans are roasted and pulverized. Another famous soup is pepesup, which is traditionally consumed after a night out. The palm or palm kernel dates are crushed to obtain an oil in which meat or fish are stewed. Abala is a cassava dough that is wrapped in a banana leaf, similar to the American tamale.
In Equatorial Guinea there is a long fishing tradition; Snapper, mackerel and many types of shellfish such as crabs or bilolá snails are caught. Chicken and goat meats are also common, although wild meats, with a stronger smell, such as antelope, are also notable., porcupine, monkey, pangolin or snake. The meat and fish dishes stand out, abundant in spices and fruits such as bananas or vegetables such as cassava and yams. Due to colonization, Spanish cuisine influenced Equatoguinean cuisine by contributing dishes such as paella, wine or potato omelette. A popular drink is palm wine (topé), another is malamba de cane.
Cinema
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The country has no movie theaters and suffers from one of the highest levels of censorship in the world, even on its government television. The most successful film about Equatorial Guinea is Palm Trees in the Snow, based on the novel by the Spanish writer Luz Gabás, who has never been to the country. The film was shot in Spain and evokes Spanish colonial nostalgia. The documentary One day I saw 10,000 elephants (2015) vindicates the work of filmmaker Manuel Hernández Sanjuán who worked at the service of the Franco dictatorship.
The Equatorial Guinean filmmaker Rubén Monsuy directed Feguibox (2015) and has opened a school to train young people from the country.
In 2019, a feature-length documentary critical of his dictatorship was shot for the first time, The writer of a country without bookstores, with the presence of its most translated writer, Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel. Winner of various international awards, it finally premiered in 2021 on Portuguese and Spanish television. In 2020 the experimental documentary They announced a storm was released.
Within the Spanish-Guinean community there are several prominent actors, such as Emilio Buale and Vicenta Ndongo.
Theater
One of the main companies in the country is Bocamandja, founded in 2008. Its director, Recaredo Silebo Boturu, co-directed the play Annnobón with the Catalan Andrea Bel, premiered at the Festival Grec of Barcelona 2021.
Media
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The main media outlets in the country are three FM radio stations with state participation. There are also two shortwave stations. In a July 2003 BBC article, it notes that there are no daily newspapers in the country and describes that a Fang-language program called Bidze-Nduan ('buried by fire') stated, on a widely listened to state station, that Teodoro Obiang was "in permanent contact with the Most High."
Most media outlets practice strict self-censorship, and criticizing public figures is prohibited by law. The state controls the public media and the main private radio station is run by Teodorín Nguema Obiang, the president's son.
Some data on communication in Guinea, according to The World Factbook:
- Phone system (considered by poor but with adequate government services):
- Telephone lines in use: 10 000 (2005)
- Mobile telephones (cellulars): 346 000 (2008)
- International voice communications:
- From Bata and Malabo with African and European countries
- Satellite Earth Station: 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
- Radio:
- AM Emissors: 0, FM: 2, Shortwave: 5 (2001) (National Radio of Equatorial Guinea)
- Radio equipment: 180 000 (1997)
- Television:
- TV broadcasters: 2 Television Equatorial Guinea (TVGE) (2001) and Asonga Television
- TV sets: 4000 (1997)
- Internet
- Internet Domains: 81 (2007)
- Internet users: 12 000 (2008)
Philately
The region was under Spanish rule until 1968. The stamps from this period reflect the evolution in the nomenclature of the colony and later province.
- Between 1868 and 1902 the name was used Fernando Poo all over the territory.
- Between 1903 and 1908 denominations were used Fernando Poo in Bioko, Elobey, Annobón and Corisco other islands and Spanish Continental Guineaa in the continental sector.
- Between 1908 and 1951 the name was used Spanish Territories of the Gulf of Guinea all over the territory.
- Between 1951 and 1959 the name was used Guinea all over the territory.
- Between 1960 and 1968 denominations were used Fernando Poo on the islands and Rio Muni in the continental sector.
- Since 1968, the name is Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
In 1968 it declared itself independent. The issuance of stamps continued to be the responsibility of the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre, of Spain. But in 1971 a contract was made with various companies and hundreds of stamps began to be issued exclusively for philatelic purposes.
This mania for compulsory issuance continued until 1979, when a coup d'état overthrew the government and annulled the postal issuance contracts. Control of them was returned to the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre, which limited the number of issues.
The number of issues in the period 1972-1979 is so large that international catalogs do not show them, they only mention them quickly. And the Spanish catalogs jump from the year 1972 to 1980 directly (ignoring all the issues not made in the FNMT).
Sports
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In soccer, Equatorial Guinea has been chosen to host the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations jointly with neighboring Gabon, and the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.[citation needed] In the first he reached the quarterfinals, and in the second he reached fourth place, becoming the surprise of the tournament.
He has also organized the women's version on two occasions (2008 and 2013), and was the champion of those two tournaments, in addition to having been runner-up in the 2010 edition, becoming the second best team in the tournament, only surpassed by Nigeria. Apart from that, Equatorial Guinea qualified for the 2011 World Cup in Germany, and several lower categories have also reached international tournaments, and therefore the Equatorial Guinea Women's team is among the strongest on the African continent, although it is one of the weakest at the world.
In addition to soccer, basketball is also popular in Equatorial Guinea.
Holidays
| Date | Name in Spanish | Local name |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year | New Year's Day and Old Night |
| 1 May | Labour Day | Labor Day and holidays |
| 5 June | Birthdays of Teodoro Obiang Nguema | Birthday of the Great Obiang Nguema |
| 3 August | Freedom Golpe Day | Freedom and Guilty Day |
| 15 August | Constitutional Day | Law and Constitution Day |
| 12 October | Independence Day | Independence Day of Equatorial Guinea |
| 8 December | Feast of the Immaculate Conception | Day of the Holy Conception |
| 10 December | Human Rights Day | Day of Human Duties, Rights and Obligations |
| 25 December | Christmas | Good Night Day |
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