Travel to Equatorial Guinea |
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Last Minute Tips Before you Travel to Equatorial Guinea
- Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
- Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz (bring an adapter/transformer for your hair drier, laptop, cellullar phone etc.)
- Currency: Central African CFA Franc (CFA)
- Country Dialing Code: 240
Equatorial Guinea
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Capital
Malabo
Population
535,881 (July 2005 est.)
Regions
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
Climate
tropical; always hot, humid
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
Government type
republic
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 OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 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 also 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, there have been few improvements in the population's living standards.
Visitor's Impressions
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