EQUATORIAL GUINEA
National Flag and Emblem
Locator Map
TEXT HIGHLIGHTS: Diaries updates, key events, brief analysis and relating news articles in timeline
Overview
It is one of the tiniest countries in Africa with mainland and five Islands. At around 1472, Portuguese navigator Fernão do Pó arrived at the spot that has become Malabo area and surrounding coast mainly visited by Portuguese traders. Portugal assigned the rights to offer Spain a foothold to conduct slave trade. The Island of Bioko was then ceded to the Spanish in 1777 by its original Portuguese colonizers. Spain then went on to settle the mainland province of Rio Muni in 1844. In 1904 the 2 territories were united as the Western African Territories and later renamed Spanish Guinea. In the 1940s, Spain started to establish their presence in the colony. Interests for the Spanish are mainly the fertile land with the country’s Cocoa and Coffee plantations. Spanish Guinea achieved independence from Spain in March 1968 and became the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. Following multi-party elections, President Francisco Macías Nguema swiftly established absolute power. A third of the population fled the ensuing repression and the economy collapsed. Teodoro Obiang Nguema M'basogo, nephew of the President and commander of the National Guard, seized power in a coup in August 1979. Macias was arrested, tried and executed. Obiang has since remained in complete control despite several reported coup attempts and the formal acceptance of the principle of multi-party democracy in 1991. In March 2004, 14 people were arrested in Malabo and 67 in Harare, Zimbabwe for their alleged involvement in an attempted coup to overthrow the Government of Equatorial Guinea. All were tried and convicted in the country in which they were arrested. 62 of the men arrested in Zimbabwe and 6 Armenians in Malabo have since been released. In February 2008, the British national Simon Mann, an alleged coup plotter, was extradited from Zimbabwe to Malabo. However, in November 2009 he was released after receiving a presidential pardon.
In 1968 there was a constitution in place to formalize Republic status.
Equatorial-Guinea attained independence on October 12, 1968.
Headship since independence: Head of State
In 1972, first president Francisco Macías Nguema changed constitution to allow him rule for life.
In 1979 Francisco Macías Nguema was toppled in a military coup led by his nephew, the head of presidential guard (Aid-de-camp) Lt. Colonel Theodoro Obiang’ Nguema.
The country has gone through major growth, especially after discovery of oil- now sub- Saharan third largest oil exporter.
A Republic in West Africa.
The now prominent Fang & Bubi tribes reached the mainland region in the seventeenth century through the so called, Bantu migrations, consisting of Rio-Muni on the main land & the island of Macias Nguema in the gulf of Guinea with four smaller islands ceded by Portugal to Spain in 1778, it's former name until 1964, was "Spanish Guinea". A tiny country, is one of the smallest countries in the African continent. A national constitution was drafted and ratified by 63% majority of Guineans-Guineans by referendum on the 11th of August, 1968. It achieved official independence, in October, 1968 as a united country after 190 years of Spanish rule. During independence, on the 12th of October, 1968, a former civil servant under the Spanish rule, has having occupied several positions under Spanish colonial rule that increased in importance and influence through time, called, Francisco Macias Nguema Biogo Masie inaugurated as the country's first post-colony president through pre-organized election by the Spanish colonists. In 1973, he named himself "president for life". In October 1979, president Francisco Macias Nguema Biogo was overthrown and was arrested when fled to the wooded areas to save his life, but was eventually caught, tried and executed after few weeks on the 29th of September, 1979. The coup was led by his nearest cousin, in the name of Lt. Colonel Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbassogo, then commander (Aide-de- camp) of the presidential-bodyguard, who heads Equatorial Guinea since August, 1979. The country’s two presidents (one current the other former) changed their names at some point. President Theodoro Oiang Nguema Mbassogo has won more than 95% of the vote in the country's most recent elections of 1991, 1992, 2002, 2008. Notwithstanding that Mr. Theodoro Obiang Nguema won his recent national elections with 97% of the vote amid allegations of poll-rigging, that did not take long for his claim to be contradicted by a news black-out by the government controlled national broadcasting agency on protests in North African states of Tunisia & Egypt. Since early January, 2010. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large off-shore Oil reserves, and in the last decade has become sub-Saharan Africa's third largest Oil exporter.
Major Conflicts
Bloody Coup d'etat
When: August 3, 1979
Who: Francisco Macías Nguema Biogo
Why: Takeover of power
Outcome: Coup was successful
Politics
The government continues to battle opposition parties, most of which are operating from exile.
Presidential elections held on November 29, 2009, president Obiang’ Nguema Mbasogo garners 97 per cent of the total votes cast.
Economy
Majority in the population are sustained by agriculture supplemented by hunting and fishing
Bartering is the major aspect of the market
Country has no railway network Exile and imprisonment of working population have drained the country’s workforce
Government has been able to sustain itself due to rivalries of the countries benefiting from Equatorial Guinea resources.
Discovery of oil reserves has boosted country’s growth in the recent years
Social
A destination country for women and children traffickers for forced labor and sexual exploitation.
Non-violent street crime on the rise.
Widening income gap between the haves and the have nots.
Endnote: French authorities have seized the Paris mansion of the son of Equatorial Guinea's leader as part of a money-laundering probe, officials confirm. Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue is currently being sought on corruption charges. His Paris villa is thought to be worth between 100m (£79m: $124m) and 150m Euros, the AFP news agency reports. Mr. Obiang, the 43-year-old son of President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo, denies any wrongdoing. Authorities seized the six-storey property on July 19, a court official told the BBC. The luxury mansion is located on Avenue Foch in one the most prestigious neighborhoods of the French capital. A week earlier, Judge Roger Le Loire had issued an international search warrant after Mr Obiang refused to be interviewed by magistrates on charges of corruption. The allegations were brought forward by anti-corruption group Transparency International. The organization suspects Mr Obiang, as well his father and several other African leaders, of using state assets to acquire property in France. Mr Obiang's lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, told the AFP news agency in mid-July that he had not been informed that any mandate for his client's arrest had been issued. He added that any such warrant would be a "non-event" due to Mr Obiang's status. "Mr Obiang has judicial immunity as he is the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea and therefore could not attend the summons," Mr Marsigny said. Correspondents say Mr Obiang, who serves as agriculture minister, is known for his lavish lifestyle. He recently hit the headlines when he honored his promise to pay his national football team $1m (£641,000) for winning the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations which Equatorial Guinea co-hosted earlier this year. In October 2011, the US government said it would seek to recover assets worth more $70m from Mr Obiang. A month earlier, French police seized some fifteen luxury cars belonging to Mr Obiang, including a Maserati, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce. Equatorial Guinea is one of Africa's largest oil exporters, but most of its 720,000-strong population lives in poverty. President Obiang seized power from his uncle in 1979 and was re-elected last year with 95% of the vote. Accession to power of president Lt. Colonel Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbassogo - 4th August, 1979 by coup.
Tentative election calendar- Presidential/Parliamentary, December. Equatorial Guinea – Timeline Diaries updates, and related key notes:
1471 - Portuguese navigator Fernao do Po sights the island of Fernando Poo, which is now called Bioko.
1777 - Portuguese cedes islands of Annobon and Fernando Poo as well as rights on the mainland coast to Spain, giving it access to a source of slaves.
1844 - Spanish settle in what became the province of Rio Muni - mainland Equatorial Guinea.
1904 - Fernando Poo and Rio Muni become the Western African Territories, which later renamed Spanish Guinea.
1968 - Spanish Guinea granted independence and becomes the Republic of Equatorial Guinea with Francisco Macias Nguema as founder president.
1972 – Francisco Macias Nguema Biogo becomes president for life.
1979 – President Fransisco Macias Nguema Biogo ousted in military coup led by his nephew Aid de camp, Lt. Colonel Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Francisco Macias Nguema killed in a speedy court trial adjourned.
1993 - First multi-party elections are generally condemned as fraudulent and are boycotted by the opposition.
February 1996 - President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo wins 99% of votes in election amid reports of widespread irregularities.
March 1996 - Mobil oil corporation announces it has discovered sizeable new oil and gas reserves.
January 1998 - Amnesty International reports the arrest of scores of people - mostly from the Bubi minority - in the wake of attacks on military posts on Bioko island.
June 1998 - Military tribunal sentences 15 people to death for separatist attacks on Bioko island.
March 1999- Ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea wins majority of seats in parliamentary elections condemned as fraudulent. Dozens of members of main opposition Popular Union are arrested.
2001 - Economy emerges as one of world's fastest-growing because of oil exploitation. Opposition says trickle-down effect of growth is too slow, too small.
March 2001 - Eight exiled opposition parties form a coalition in Spain to overhaul politics at home, saying democracy under Obiang is a sham. July 2001 - Exiled politician Florentino Ecomo Nsogo, head of the Party of Reconstruction and Social Well-Being (PRBS), returns home as the first opposition figure to respond to an appeal by President Obiang Nguema, who wants opposition parties to register.
June 2002 - Court jails 68 people for up to 20 years for alleged coup plot against President Obiang Nguema. They include main opposition leader Placido Mico Abogo. EU is concerned that confessions were obtained under duress. Amnesty International says many defendants showed signs of torture.
December 2002 - President Obiang Nguema re-elected. Authorities say he won 100% of the vote. Opposition leaders had pulled out of the poll, citing fraud and irregularities.
August 2003 - Exiled opposition leaders form self-proclaimed government-in-exile in Madrid, Spain.
Opposition leader Placido Mico Abogo and 17 other political prisoners released.
March 2004 - Suspected mercenaries arrested over alleged coup attempt: group is linked to suspected mercenaries detained in Zimbabwe. Crackdown on immigrants ensues: hundreds of foreigners deported.
April 2004 - Parliamentary elections: President Obiang's party and its allies take 98 of 100 seats. Foreign observers criticize poll and result.
August 2004 -November- Foreigners accused of plotting coup to overthrow President Obiang are tried in Malabo. Their South African leader is sentenced to 34 years in jail.
Foreigners in coup plot: Dozens of alleged mercenaries were intercepted in Zimbabwe. Simon Mann, the British leader of a group of mercenaries accused of involvement in the alleged coup plot and arrested in Zimbabwe, is tried in Harare and sentenced to seven years in jail there. His sentence is later reduced to four years on appeal.
January 2005 - Sir Mark Thatcher, son of former British PM Margaret Thatcher, tells a South African court that he helped to finance the alleged 2004 coup plot, but did so unwittingly.
June 2005 - President amnesties six Armenians convicted of taking part in the alleged 2004 coup plot.
July 2005 - 55 people killed when passenger aircraft crashes shortly after take-off from Malabo.
September 2005 - Military court jails 23 defendants, most of them military officers, who are accused of plotting a coup in 2004. December 2005 - Spain withdraws the asylum status of exiled opposition leader Severo Moto saying he was involved in several coup attempts.
August 2006 - The government resigns en masse. The president had accused it of corruption and poor leadership. Key ministers are reappointed.
October 2006 - President Obiang says Equatorial Guinea plans to double its revenue share from oil production contracts.
May 2007 - New airline launched to replace the national carrier EGA which was forced to shut over safety concerns.
November 2007 - Four Equatorial Guineans sentenced for alleged role in 2004 coup plot.
February 2008 - British mercenary Simon Mann is extradited from Zimbabwe to Equatorial Guinea to stand trial for his alleged role in 2004 coup plot.
March 2008 - Spain restores exiled opposition leader Severo Moto's asylum status.
April 2008 - Spanish police arrest Mr Moto on suspicion of trying to ship weapons to Equatorial Guinea.
July 2008 - President Obiang accepts resignation of the entire government, accusing it of corruption and mismanagement: appoints Ignacio Milam Tang as new prime minister.
British mercenary Simon Mann and four South Africans sentenced to 34 years in prison for taking part in 2004 coup plot. They are pardoned and released in November 2009.
October 2008 - Cameroon charges two policemen with kidnapping rebel colonel Cipriano Nguema Mba and returning him to Equatorial Guinea, which denies all knowledge.
February 2009 - Presidential palace allegedly comes under attack. Seven Nigerians are later jailed over the incident.
November 2009 - Presidential elections. President Obiang wins again.
August 2010 - Four alleged coup plotters are executed within hours of being found guilty.
October 2010 - United Nations agency UNESCO drops plans to grant a prize sponsored by President Obiang Nguema
November 2010 - French appeal court authorizes probe of corruption charges against three African heads of state, including President Obiang.
June 2010 - Amnesty International alleges wave of arrests targeting political opponents, migrants and students ahead of African Union summit in Malabo. November 2011 - Referendum on constitutional changes, which critics describe as a power grab.
January 2012 - Equatorial Guinea co-hosts Africa Cup of Nations with Gabon, the continent's biggest football tournament.
President's son, Teodorin, asks US court to dismiss a US bid to seize $71 million worth of his assets, denying they were obtained through corruption.
May 2012 - Teodorin is promoted to vice president.
January 17, 2015: Equatorial Guinea hosts the final of the African Cup of Nations.
The Cup of African Nations (CAN) as co-founded by the Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt in 1957 (SUDAN) to 2015 (EQUATORIAL GUINEA)
List of winners:
In 1957 – Egypt (Sudan)
In 1959 – Egypt (Egypt)
In 1962 – Ethiopia (Ethiopia)
In 1963 – Ghana (Ghana)
In 1965 – Ghana (Tunisia)
In 1968 – Congo-Kinshasa (Ethiopia)
In 1970 – Sudan (Sudan)
In 1972 – Congo Brazaville (Cameroon)
In 1974 – Zaire (Egypt)
In 1976 – Morocco (Ethiopia)
In 1978 – Ghana (Ghana)
In 1980 – Nigeria (Nigeria)
In 1982 – Ghana (Libya)
In 1984 – Cameroon (Ivory Coast)
In 1986 – Egypt (Egypt) In 1988 – Cameroon (Morocco)
In 1990 – Algeria (Algeria)
In 1992 – Cote D’ Ivoire (Senegal)
In 1994 – Nigeria (Tunisia)
In 1996 – South Africa (South Africa)
In 1998 – Egypt (Burkina Faso)
In 2000 – Cameroon (Ghana and Nigeria)
In 2002 – Cameroon (Mali)
In 2004 – Tunisia (Tunisia)
In 2006 – Egypt (Egypt)
In 2008 – Egypt (Ghana)
In 2010 – Egypt (Angola)
In 2012 – Zambia (Equatorial Guinea and Gabon)
In 2013 – Nigeria (South Africa)
In 2015 – Cote D’ Ivoire (Equatorial Guinea) claimed the 2015 title with a 9-8 shootout win against Ghana following a 0-0 draw after extra time on Sunday the 8th of February, 2015
Note well! Host countries in brackets:
Formerly Zaire/Congo-Kinshasa:now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Formerly Ivory Coast: now known as Cote D’Ivoire COUNTRY FACT FILE
Location
Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) is off-West African coast in gulf of Guinea, and Rio-muni, the mainland enclave.
Official title of the state
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (English)
Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial: a country located in the middle of Africa.
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band: the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice): green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence.
Neighbours
Gabone on S, Cameroon on E & N.
Land boundaries: total 539 km. Border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabone 350 km.
Local division
7 provinces (Provincias)
Government type
Republic – presidential
Legislation chamber
Unicameral - House of People's Representatives (HPR)
Form of State
Republic
Multiparty system President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term, not term limits.
A republic with one legislative house. The House of People's Representatives (HPR) 100 seats, members directly elected by popular vote to serve for five-year terms.
Executive branch
President, Prime Minister, Unicameral parliament. Separated by chief of State and head of Government. President elected by popular vote to serve for seven-year terms without presidential term limits. Head of Government to be appointed by the president.
Former Rulers
12th October, 1968 to 3rd August 1979 Francisco Macías Nguema Byogo
Note: Hitherto the late President Francisco Macías Nguema Biyogo changed his name to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong.
On 3rd August, 1979 – Current Colonel Theodoro Obiang’ Nguema Mbasogo former head of Presidential guard (Aide de Camp) cam to power by deposing his distant cousin.
Judicial chamber
Supreme Tribunal
Capital city
Malabo Altitude 55 meters
Geographic coordinates 3.45N , 8.47E. The sea port capital of Equatrial Guinea. Located on the northern coast of Bioko island. Founded in 1827 as "Santo-Isabel", and while under British rule in the 1820s was named Port-Clarence or Clarence town. It was renamed Malabo in 1973.
Names of main towns: Bata, Luba, Ela-Nguema.
Date of independence: 12th October, 1968.
Religions (Major): Christianity 93%, Muslim 4.5% %, ethnic-religions 2%, others Baha I faith, Hinduism
Main spoken languages: Spanish/French (official). Locals Fang, Bubi, Pidgin widely spoken. English also used.
Currency unit: African Franc (CFA)=100 Centimes Area in Km
28,051.00
Country area comparison in Africa
45 out of 55 states
Demographic terms:
Average annual population growth rate 2.674 %
Birth rate 36 births per 1,000 population
Death rate 9.26 deaths per 1,000 population
Average life expectancy: 61.98 years
Male 61.05 years: Female 62.94 years
Illiteracy rate (%): Male: 6, Female: 18
Average per capita income: USD 36, 600
Population density: 19.3/km
Urban population (%): 40
Contributor groups: Farming, Fishing: 3, Indutry: 92, Social service:5
Main Export Items: Crude-oil, Methanol, Cocoa, Coffee, Timber-wood.
Economy is based on: Petrol & Agriculture
Climate: Tropical
Extremes: Lowest point: The Atlantic coast 0 mtr.
Highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 meters.
Weather of the Capital city (Malabo) average annual temperature 17.2.
Altitude: 55 mtrs/180 ft
Hottest month: January - April 23-32oc.
Coldest month: July-August, February-March 75mm average Rf. Wettest month: October-November 350mm average Rf.
Measures: Metric system
Time zone: 1 hour ahead of GMT/UTC
Public holidays: January 1 (New year), May 1 (Labor Day), June 10, August 3, 15, October 12 (Independence Day), December 8, 25 (Christmas)
Ethnic groups: Fang 85.7%, several other ethnic-Bantu tribes Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4%
Topography & Environmental concern: Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) is consists of two volcanic mountains and a connecting valley Rio-muni with over 90% of the area has a coastal plain and low-hills beyond. Insufficient good quality water, deforestation, violent windstorms, flash floods. Environment: tap water is not potable: deforestation. Economic Overview
Industry: Petroleum, natural gas, fishing, lumbering
Chief crops: Cocoa, coffee, rice, yams, cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, palm nuts, livestock, timber
Natural resources: Timber wood, Natural gas, Alluvial-gold, Petroleum crude, Bauxite, Diamonds, Tantalum, Sand, Gravel, Clay
Land in use (%): Arable land: 4.63
Grassland: 4
Forest woods: 46
Others: 45
Marine: Coastline 296 km.
Commercial Sea port: Bata (main port), Luba
Development prospect:
Whether the country's oil and gas will last another 10 or 30 years, the IMF and other donors are pressuring the government to diversify the economy. Priorities for economic diversification include agriculture, fisheries and tourism. World Bank officials say that institutional reforms are needed to launch the economy into another league. Togo-based Ecobank said that Equatorial Guinea offers an attractive operating environment, and it is seeking approval for a banking license there. There is still progress to be made in the provision of electricity, and the administration plans to inaugurate the Djibloho dam built by China's Sinohydro and financed by the government's own funds in 2012. To improve its performance, the Sociedad de Electricidad de Guinea Ecuatorial is in the process of being restructured and privatized.
Despite best intentions, oil and gas remain the mainstays of the economy. The energy ministry predicts that oil production will rise to about 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2012 thanks to new production from the Aseng field operated by Noble Energy. Meanwhile, most companies there have plans to drill on gas prospects in the year to come. China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Noble, PetroSA, Repsol and the state were in discussions at the end of 2011 on plans for a second liquefied natural gas plant, which would cost an estimated $2.2bn. Equatorial Guinea has dropped plans to source gas for the plant from Nigeria or Cameroon but the necessary capacity of the plant will only be known when more drilling is completed in 2012. In October, Ophir Energy increased the size of its acreage on Block R in order to encompass more than 3bn ft3 of indicated gas reserves.