The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
FAX: [1] (202) 528–5252
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
John M. YATES; note - the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial
Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US relations with Equatorial
Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon; the
US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in
Malabo
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)
Equatorial Guinea Economy
Economy - overview: The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. The country responded favorably to the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994. Boosts in production and high world oil prices stimulated growth in 2000, with oil accounting for 90% of greatly increased exports.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $960 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 12% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20%
industry: 60%
services: 20% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1999 est.)
Labor force: NA
Unemployment rate: 30% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7 million (1996 est.)
Industries: petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas
Industrial production growth rate: 7.4% (1994 est.)
Electricity - production: 21 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.71%
hydro: 14.29%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption: 19.5 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber
Exports: $860 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: petroleum, timber, cocoa
Exports - partners: US 62%, Spain 17%, China 9%, France 3%, Japan 3%, (1997)
Imports: $300 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: manufactured goods and equipment
Imports - partners: US 35%, France 15%, Spain 10%, Cameroon 10%, UK 6% (1997)
Debt - external: $290 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $33.8 million (1995)
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Currency code: XAF
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Equatorial Guinea Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 4,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
domestic: NA
international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios: 180,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .gq
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 500 (2000)
Equatorial Guinea Transportation
Railways: total: 0 km
Highways: total: 2,880 km
paved: 0 km
unpaved: 2,880 km (1996)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Bata, Luba, Malabo
Merchant marine: total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,035 GRT/27,927 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, combination bulk 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Airports: 3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Equatorial Guinea Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force,
National Police
Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 108,973 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15–49: 55,347 (2001 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY97/98)
Equatorial Guinea Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Cameroon and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay
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@Eritrea
Eritrea Introduction
Background: Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia