Economic 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 neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). a number of aid programs sponsored by the world bank and the imf have been cut off since 1993, because of corruption and mismanagement. no longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the world bank and imf. government officials and their family members own most businesses. undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. growth remained strong in 2007, led by oil.
Environmental Issues
Tap water is not potable; deforestation
Government Type
Republic
Population
616,459 (july 2008 est.)
Location
Western africa, bordering the bight of biafra, between cameroon and gabon
Area
Total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Slightly smaller than maryland
Country Aliases
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
Capital
Name: malabo
geographic coordinates: 3 45 n, 8 47 e
time difference: utc+1 (6 hours ahead of washington, dc during standard time)
Military Service
18 years of age (est.) for compulsory military service (2008)
International Disputes
In 2002, icj ruled on an equidistance settlement of cameroon-equatorial guinea-nigeria maritime boundary in the gulf of guinea, but a dispute between equatorial guinea and cameroon over an island at the mouth of the ntem river and imprecisely defined maritime coordinates in the icj decision delay final delimitation; un urges equatorial guinea and gabon to resolve the sovereignty dispute over gabon-occupied mbane and lesser islands and to create a maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich corisco bay
Sources: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)