Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is made up of a small area on the mainland of Africa, called Río Muni, and five islands: Bioko, Annobón, Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico. Bioko is the largest of the islands and it is also home to the capital, Malabo.

Pygmies first inhabited Equatorial Guinea, followed by the Fang and Bubi ethnic groups, who displaced the original inhabitants.  Portuguese arrived and later gave up the territory to the Spanish until independence was achieved in 1968. Francisco Macías Nguema was Equatorial Guinea’s first leader and ruled with an iron fist. In 1979, his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo overthrew and executed his uncle. Although more mild than his predecessor, Nguema has presided over a single-party state that international observers say pays lip service to democracy and tolerates little dissent. Corruption remains a serious problem. Large offshore oil discoveries have failed to improve the lives of average Equatorial Guineans. Today, most Equitorial Guineans speak a form of Bantu. The country is the only African nation whose official language is Spanish, but Pidgin English, Bubi, Fang and Igbo are also spoken.

Equatorial Guinea is home to about 536,000 people. The continental slice of the country, Río Muni, is home to more than three-quarters of the country’s people, and it accounts for over 90 percent of the nation’s land area. Malabo is the most populated city in the country. The island of Bioko is actually made up of three extinct volcanoes. Despite its small size, Río Muni has three major rivers: the Campo to the north, the Benito in the middle and the Río Muni in the south. Along the rivers and coastal areas there are beautiful forests of mahogany, okume and walnut.