| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee Equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee Equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea etymology: the country is named for the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the "equatorial" refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the Equator |
| Government type | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Malabo; note - a new capital of Cuidad de la Paz (formerly referred to as Oyala) is being built on the mainland near Djibloho; Malabo is on the island of Bioko geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after Malabo Lopelo Melaka (1837–1937), the last king of the Bubi, the ethnic group indigenous to the island of Bioko; the name of the new capital, Cuidad de la Paz, translates to "City of Peace" in Spanish |
| Administrative divisions | 8 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas |
| Independence | 12 October 1968 (from Spain) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 12 October (1968) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1968, 1973, 1982; approved by referendum 17 November 1991 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by three fourths of the membership in either house of the National Assembly; passage requires three-fourths majority vote by both houses of the Assembly and approval in a referendum if requested by the president; amended several times, last in 2012 |
| Legal system | mixed system of civil and customary law |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); Vice President Teodoro Nguema OBIANG Mangue(since 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Eyegue OBAMA Asue (since 23 June 2016); First Deputy Prime Minister Clemente Engonga NGUEMA Onguene (since 23 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Angel MESIE Mibuy (since 5 February 2018); Third Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso Nsue MOKUY (since 23 June 2016) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and overseen by the prime minister elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 April 2016 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (70 seats; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 15 appointed by the president) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed paryt-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE and aligned coalition 70; composition - men 60, women 10, percent of women 14.3% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 99, CI 1; composition - men 78, women 22, percent of women 22%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 18.8% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the chief justice - who is also chief of state - and 9 judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor, administrative, and customary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 4 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president, 2 of whom are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies; note - judges subject to dismissal by the president at any time subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals |
| Political parties and leaders | Citizens for Innovation or CI [Gabriel Nse Obiang OBONO] Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO] Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO] Electoral Coalition or EC Juntos Podemos (coalition includes CPDS, FDR, UDC) National Congress of Equatorial Guinea [Agustin MASOKO ABEGUE] National Democratic Party [Benedicto OBIANG MANGUE] National Union for Democracy [Thomas MBA MONABANG] Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Carmelo MBA BACALE] Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ AYECABA] Union for the Center right or UDC [Avelino MOCACHE MEHENGA] not officially registered parties: Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA] Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Ntutumu EVUNA ANDEME (since 23 February 2015) chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252 email address and website: info@egembassydc.com https://www.egembassydc.com/ consulate(s) general: Houston |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Susan N. STEVENSON (since 11 April 2019) embassy: Malabo II Highway (between the Headquarters of Sonagas and the offices of the United Nations), Malabo mailing address: 2320 Malabo Place, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [240] 333 09-57-41 email address and website: Malaboconsular@state.gov https://gq.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence |
| National symbol(s) | silk cotton tree; national colors: green, white, red, blue |
| National anthem | name: "Caminemos pisando la senda" (Let Us Tread the Path) lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed) note: adopted 1968 |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
