Mother Earth Travel > Country Index > Equatorial Guinea > Map Economy History

Geography of Equatorial Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline: 296 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources: oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium
Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 41% (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable; desertification
Environment - international agreements:
party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People of Equatorial Guinea

The majority of the Equatoguinean people are of Bantu origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80% of the population and are themselves divided into 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Rio Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, while those in the south speak Fang-Okah; the two dialects are mutually unintelligible. The Bubi, who constitute 15% of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island. In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as "Playeros": Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and "Fernandinos", a Creole community, on Bioko. Together, these groups comprise 5% of the population. There is a growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, and Nigeria. In 2001, there were about 280 Americans residing in Equatorial Guinea.

Spanish is the official language. The Roman Catholic Church has greatly influenced both religion and education.

Equatoguineans tend to have both a Spanish first name and an African first and last name. When written, the Spanish and African first names are followed by the father's first name (which becomes the principal surname) and the mother's first name. Thus people may have up to four names, with a different surname for each generation.

Population: 535,881 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:  42.56%
15-64 years:  53.68% 
65 years and over:  3.76%
Population growth rate: 2.46% 
Birth rate: 37.72 births/1,000 population 
Death rate: 13.11 deaths/1,000 population 
Net migration rate: NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population 
Infant mortality rate: 92.9 deaths/1,000 live births 
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:  53.95 years
male:  51.89 years
female:  56.07 years
Total fertility rate: 4.88 children born/woman 
Nationality:
noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Ethnic groups: Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish
Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices
Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.5%
male: 89.6%
female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

SOURCES: The World Factbook, U.S. Department of State