NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
former: Spanish Guinea
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. The tiny country, one of the smallest on the African continent, has been ruled by President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon |
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Geographic coordinates:
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2 00 N, 10 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 28,051 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
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Coastline:
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296 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; always hot, humid |
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Terrain:
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coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium |
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Land use:
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arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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violent windstorms, flash floods |
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Environment - current issues:
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tap water is not potable; deforestation |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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insular and continental regions rather widely separated |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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498,144 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.4% (male 106,061; female 105,071)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 128,489; female 139,732) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,385; female 10,406) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.45% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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37.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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12.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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90.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 54.35 years
female: 56.5 years (2002 est.) male: 52.26 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.51% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1,100 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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120 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish |
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Religions:
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nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices |
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Languages:
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Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.) |