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A Republic of Equatorial Guinea occurs as united states within central Africa, and one of a little countries around continental Africa. It borders Cameroon on the north, Gabon on a south & east, and the Gulf of Guinea on a west, where the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe lie to its southwest. Erstwhile a Spanish colony of Spanish Guinea, the united states's territory (continentally called Río Muni) includes a total of islands, including a sizable island of Bioko where the capital, Malabo (formerly Santa Isabel), is located. Its post-independence title is suggestive of its existence placed touching each a equator and the Gulf of Guinea. These are a sole united states inside Africa in which a offical language is Spanish.
History
Independent article: History of Equatorial Guinea
A 1st habitant of the region that is okay, Equatorial Guinea come believed to stand been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remawithin in northern Rio Muni. Bantu migrations between a Seventeenth & Nineteenth centuries brought a coastal tribes & late the Fang. Elements of a latter could use generated the Bubi, who emigrated to Bioko from Cameroon & Rio Muni in many waves and succeeded previous neolithic populations. A Annobon population, native to Angola, was introduced by the Portuguese via São Tomé Island (São Tomé and Príncipe).
A Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, seeking the route to India, is credited with getting found a island of Bioko within 1472. He known as it Formosa ("Beautiful"), however it quickly took on the title of its European discoverer. A islands of Fernando Póo & Annobón were colonized by Portugal in 1474. A Portuguese retained control until 1778, when a isl&, adjacent isle, & commercial rights to a mainland between the Niger and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to Spain in exchange for territory in the American continent (Treaty of El Pardo, between Queen Maria II of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain). From either 1827 to 1843, Britain established a base on a island to combat the slave trade. the mainland part, Rio Muni, became a associated state inside 1885 and a colony inside 1900. Conflicting claims to the mainland were settled inside 1900 per Treaty of Paris, and sporadically, a mainland territories were united administratively under Spanish rule. Between 1926 and 1959 they were united as a colony of Spanish Guinea.
Politics
Independent article: Politics of Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea became officially independent from either Spain in October 12, 1968. Since so, a united states has got two leaders: Francisco Macías Nguema, the previous city manager of Mongomo under the Spanish compound government, & his nephew Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who staged the military coup d'état, executed his uncle, and has ruled since 1979.
A 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives Obiang extensive powers, including naming & dismissing members of a cabinet, making laws by rescript, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating & ratifying pact & calling legislative elections. Obiang retains his role when commander within chief of the armed forces & minister of defense, & he maintains close supervising of the military activity. A Prime Minister is appointed per President & operates under powers intended per President. A Prime Minister coordinates governance inside areas differently foreign affairs, national defense & security.
In December 15, 2002 [http://allafrica.com/stories/200212160112.html], Equatorial Guinea's four independent opposition parties withdrew from either a united states's presidential election. Obiang won an election widely considered deceitful by members of the american click.
Based on datthe from a March 2004 BBC profile [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3516588.stm], politics within a united states come presently dominated by tensions between Obiang's boy Teodorin, & more close relatives by using right positions in the private security force. A tension can be rooted inside power shift arising from either a striking increase since 1997 in oil production.
The November 2004 report [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11431299%255E2703,00.html] known as Mark Thatcher as the fiscal angel of the March 2004 attempt to topple Obiang organized by Simon Mann. Various accounts besides title Britain's MI6, the CIA, and Spain when with been silent supporters of the coup attempt. [http://www.sundayherald.com/print44412]
Economy
Independent article: Economy of Equatorial Guinea
Pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted in cocoa production for hard currency earnings. Inside 1959 it had a greatest per capita income of Africa.
A discovery of big oil reserves within 1996 and its subsequent exploitation have contributed to the spectacular increase within government income. As of 2004 [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A1101-2004Sep6.html], Equatorial Guinea is the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its drilling has risen to 360,000 barrels/day, higher from either 220,000 just deuce years earliest.
Forestry, farming, & camping come likewise major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. A deterioration of the rural economy under sequent brutal regimes has diminished any expected for agriculture-led incubation.
Despite the by the capita GDP (PPP) of to a higher degree Me$30,000, Equatorial Guinea ranks 121st away from 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index.
Around July 2004, the U.S. Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Wash.-depending bank into which virtually all of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently, & which as well banked for Chile's Augusto Pinochet. A Senate report, when to Equatorial Guinea, showed that at least $35 million were siphon by Obiang, his personal & senior officials of his regime. A president has denied any wrongdoing. When Riggs Bank around February 2005 paid $9 million when damages for its banking for Chile's Augusto Pinochet, there are no damages wevery bit processed by having regard to Equatorial Guinea, as reported withwithin detail in [http://www.innercitypress.org/finwatch.html this Anti-Money Laundering Report from Inner City Press].
Provinces
Independent article: Provinces of Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is divided into heptad provinces:
Annobón Province (provincial capital: Palé)
Bioko Norte Province (Malabo)
Bioko Sur Province (Luba)
Centro Sur Province (Evinayong)
Kié-Ntem Province (Ebebiyín)
Litoral Province (Bata)
Wele-Nzas Province (Mongomo)
Geography
Independent article: Geography of Equatorial Guinea
A Republic of Equatorial Guinea is located in west central Africa. Bioko Island lie around Forty kilometers (Xxv mi.) from either Cameroon. Annobón Island lie around 595 kilometers (370 mi.) southwest of Bioko Island. A big continental region of Rio Muni lies between Cameroon & Gabon on a mainl&; it includes the islands of Corisco, Elobey Grande, Elobey Chico, and adjacent isle.
Demographics
Independent article: Demographics of Equatorial Guinea
A majority of the humans of Equatorial Guinea come of Bantu origin. A big tribe, a Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, however material migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance all over a earliest Bantu dweller. A Fang be 80 percent of the people & come themselves divided into 67 kinship group. Victims in the northern a shcome of Rio Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, when victims south speak Fang-Okah; them accent are reciprocally opaque. A Bubi, who be 15 percent of the people, come autochthonal to Bioko Island.
Additionally, there are coastal tribes, occasionally known as "Playeros" (Beach Population around Spanish): Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, and Bengas on the mainl& and little islands, and "Fernandinos", the Creole community, on Bioko. Together, these groups compose 5 percent of the people. There is a growing total of foreigners from either neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon.
Petroleum has contributed to a doubling of the people inside Malabo.
Culture
Independent article: Culture of Equatorial Guinea
List of writers from Equatorial Guinea
Mass media
A virtually all dominant form of mass media in a country come the tercet state-operated FM radio stations. There are too 5 shortwave radio stations.
a July 2003 article from either the BBC [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3098007.stm] points out no newspapers in the united states & described how else the Fang program called "Bidze-Nduan" ("Bury the Fire") within the widely listened-to state radio station declared that Obiang was "in permanent contact with the Almighty"; the presidential aide on the indicate as well said:
A bit of media-related savings comparisons from either The World Factbook are summarized in the divisiin on communications in Equatorial Guinea.
Miscellaneous topics
Communications in Equatorial Guinea
Eric Moussambani
Foreign relations of Equatorial Guinea
Notable Equatorial Guinea nationals
Military of Equatorial Guinea
Transportation in Equatorial Guinea
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