Background: 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. Definition: This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends. Source: CIA World Factbook - Unless otherwise noted, information in this page is accurate as of April 17, 2002 |
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