Equatorial Guinea 
Facts
Background: Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent. President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections - as well as the 1999, 2004, and 2008 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. Despite the country's economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, improvements in the population's living standards have been slow to develop.
Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Area land: 28,051 sq km
Area water: 0 sq km
Coastline: 296 km
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Country name conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
Country name former: Spanish Guinea
Population: 668,225 (July 2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.5% (male 140,946/female 136,294); 15-64 years: 54.4% (male 179,141/female 184,358); 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 11,880/female 15,606) (2011 est.);
Population growth rate: 2.641% (2011 est.)
Birth rate: 35.43 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death rate: 9.03 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female; total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.);
Infant mortality rate: total: 77.3 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 78.37 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 76.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 62.37 years; male: 61.4 years; female: 63.36 years (2011 est.);
Total fertility rate: 4.91 children born/woman (2011 est.);
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 5% (2009 est.);
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 20,000 (2009 est.);
HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.);
Nationality: noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s); adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean;
Ethnic groups: Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census);
Religions: nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices;
Languages: Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official), Fang, Bubi) (1994 census);
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 87%; male: 93.4%; female: 80.5% (2000 est.);
GDP (purchasing power parity): $24.4 billion (2010 est.); $24.18 billion (2009 est.); $22.96 billion (2008 est.);
GDP (official exchange rate): $14.55 billion (2010 est.);
GDP - real growth rate: 0.9% (2010 est.); 5.3% (2009 est.); 11.3% (2008 est.);
GDP - per capita (PPP): $37,900 (2010 est.); $38,200 (2009 est.); $37,200 (2008 est.);
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2%; industry: 93.9%; services: 3.8% (2010 est.);
Population below poverty line: NA%;
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%; highest 10%: NA%;
Labor force: 195,200 (2007);
Labor force - by occupation:
Unemployment rate: 22.3% (2009 est.);
Budget: revenues: $6.739 billion; expenditures: $6.984 billion (2010 est.);
Industries: petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling;
Industrial production growth rate: 1.8% (2010 est.);
Electricity - production: 28 million kWh (2007 est.);
Electricity - consumption: 26.04 million kWh (2007 est.);
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.);
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.);
Statistics: CIA World Factbook.
