dominantly Roman Catholic,
pagan practices

Languages: Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang,
Bubi, Ibo

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local short form: Guinea
Ecuatorial local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial former:
Spanish Guinea

Government type: republic

Capital: Malabo

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence: 12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution: approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended
January 1995

Legal system: partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch: chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro
OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in
a military coup) elections: president elected by popular vote for a
seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held
NA February 2003); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed
by the president election results: President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
MBASOGO reelected with 98% of the popular vote in elections marred
by widespread fraud cabinet: Prime Minister Candido Muatetema RIVAS
(since 26 February 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Miguel OYONO NDONG
(since NA January 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Demetrio Elo NDONG NZE FUMU
(since NA January 1998)

Legislative branch: unicameral House of People's Representatives or
Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 March 1999
(next to be held NA March 2004) election results: percent of vote by party
- PDGE 80%, UP 6%, CPDS 5%; seats by party - PDGE 75, UP 4 and CPDS 1
note: opposition parties have refused to take up their seats in the House
to protest widespread irregularities in the 1999 legislative elections

Judicial branch: Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders: Convergence Party for Social Democracy
or CPDS [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or
PDGE (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG