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Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea
General information
Common nameEquatorial Guinea
Local name República de Guinea Ecuatorial   
République de Guinée équatoriale   
Republica da Guiné Equatorial   
Name República de Guinea Ecuatorial   
République de Guinée équatoriale   
Republica da Guiné Equatorial   
MottoUnidad, Paz, Justicia  
Unité, Paix, Justice  
Unidade, Paz, Justiça  
Unity, Peace, Justice
AnthemCaminemos pisando las sendas de nuestra inmensa felicidad
Let us walk the path of our Immense Happiness
CapitalMalabo
Largest cityBata
Official languagesSpanish
French
Portuguese
Regional languagesFang, Bube, Annobonese
Ethnic groups85.7% Fang, 6.5% Bubi, 3.6% Mdowe, 1.6% Annobon, 1.1% Bujeba, 1.4% other (Spanish)
DemonymEquatoguinean, Equatorial Guinean
Government
GovernmentUnitary presidential republic
PresidentTeodoro Obiang
Prime MinisterIgnacio Milam
IndependenceIndependence (from Spain)
Spanish Guinea11 August 1926
Independence declared11 August 1968
Recognized12 October 1968
Geography
Total Area10830 sq mi (28049.7 km2) (144th)
Water %negligible
Demography
Population Est.676000 (166th)
Density (pop.)24.1/km2 (187th) (62.4/sq mi)
Economy
GDP PPP$24.146 billion (2010)
GDP (PPP) per capita$34,824 (22nd)
GDP (nominal)$14.006 billion (2010)
GDP (nominal) per capita$20,200
Other information
HDI(+) 0.538 (2010) (medium) (117th)
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (XAF)
Time zoneWAT (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)not observed (UTC+1)
Drives on theright
Internet TLD.gq
Calling code240

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Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( , -esreˈpuβlika ðe ɣiˈne.a ekwatoˈɾjalpron; , -frʁepyblik də ɡine ekwatoʁjalpron, ( , -ptʁeˈpublikɐ dɐ ɡiˈnɛ ekwatoˈɾjaɫpron; is a country located in Middle Africa. It comprises two parts: a Continental Region (Río Muni), including several small offshore islands like Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico; and an insular region containing Annobón island and Bioko island (formerly Fernando Po) where the capital Malabo is situated.

Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the east is the mainland region. Equatorial Guinea is bordered by Cameroon on the north, Gabon on the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea on the west, where the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is located between Bioko and Annobón. Formerly the colony of Spanish Guinea, its post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea. Besides the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla on the Mediterranean coast next to Morocco, it is the only territory in mainland Africa with Spanish as the official language.

With an area of 28000 km2 (28000000000 m2) Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It is also the richest per capita ; however, the wealth is distributed very unevenly, with 70% of the population living under the United Nations Poverty Threshold of $2/day. With a population of 650,702, Equatorial Guinea is the third smallest country in continental Africa. It is also the second smallest United Nations (UN) member from continental Africa.

The discovery of sizeable petroleum reserves in recent years is altering the economic and political status of the country. Its gross domestic product (GDP) per capita ranks 28th in the world; however, most of the country's considerable oil wealth actually lies in the hands of only a few people.

Equatorial Guinea has one of the worst human rights records in the world, consistently ranking among the "worst of the worst" in Freedom House's annual survey of political and civil rights and Reporters Without Borders ranks President Obiang among its "predators" of press freedom. Out of 44 sub-Saharan countries, Equatorial Guinea ranks 9th highest in the Human Development Index (HDI) and 115th overall, which is among the medium HDI countries.


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