on one part of the bolsones; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a
tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca
with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned by the ICJ, off
Honduras in the Gulf de Fonseca
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana
produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Equatorial Guinea
Introduction Equatorial Guinea
Background:
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of
Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus
five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African
continent. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has ruled the country for
over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President
MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional
democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as
well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being
flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the
judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's economic windfall
from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government
revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the
country's living standards.
Geography Equatorial Guinea
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
Gabon
Geographic coordinates:
2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline:
296 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources:
oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold,
manganese, uranium, titanium, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2001)
Irrigated land:
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