11 Interesting Equatorial Guinea Facts We Bet You Didn't Know

Equatorial Guinea is a small country that is located on the west coast of Central Africa.

The name Equatorial Guinea elicits the picture of its location near the Equator as well as the Gulf of Guinea, but it was not always named the same. Prior to independence, this former Spanish colony was known as Spanish Guinea.

With a total area of 11,000 sq mi (28,489.8 sq km), Equatorial Guinea is composed of two parts. One part consists of five islands, namely, Bioko, Corisco, Great Elobey, Little Elobey and Annabón. The other part is the mainland region, or the continental region, which comprises Río Muni.

Equatorial Guinea finally gained independence from almost 190 years of Spanish rule in the year 1968 (also when it became a member of the United Nations) after which it was ruled by Equatorial Guinea President for life Macias Nguema, however, his nephew and current President Obiang then seized power from him.

Macias has in fact failed after more than a dozen attempts to overpower President Obiang. Its Government officials include Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue and Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.

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Equatorial Guinea Capital

The capital city of Equatorial Guinea is Malabo.

The capital city of Equatorial Guinea is Malabo, which is a port city in Bioko. It is filled with striking sights of Spanish architecture which includes neo-gothic, twin-towered Santa Isabel Cathedral.

Malabo has a total area of 8 sq mi (20.7 sq km). The discovery of oil has had a significant effect on Malabo’s economy. Equatorial Guinea is one of Africa’s richest countries.

Post discovery of oil and natural gas reserves back in the '90s this country became the richest country among all sub-Saharan countries. It also is one of the third largest oil exporters in sub-Saharan Africa with a majority of crude petroleum and petroleum gas being exported at a rate of $5.92 billion.

However, the vast majority of the Equatorial Guinea population still remains poor.

This has mostly to do with the human rights abuses in the country along with records of public funds mismanagement. According to the yearly Freedom House's world survey, Equatorial Guinea is amongst the worst in terms of its political and civil rights.

For security purposes, however, the new capital city is being decided to shift to Ciudad de la Paz. This new capital, expected to be completely constructed soon, is a fully planned city.

Equatorial Guinea Language

The national language of this small country in West Africa is Spanish.

Spanish has remained an important language in Equatorial Guinea even years after it has gained independence. However, other official languages also include Portuguese and French.

The local dialect, called Equatoguinean Spanish, is spoken by almost 70% of its population. Spanish was taken up as an official language in the year 1844 and this is the only country in the entire African continent to have Spanish as their officially adopted language.

Although Spanish is a widely spoken language, it is a mother tongue to only a few.

Colonisation has had massive impacts on Equatorial Guinea, their principal religion is Christianity which is made up of a total of 86.8% of the population. French was also adopted as an official language in the year 1988.

French is a compulsory subject in schools and was adopted mostly with the goal to strengthen economic ties with other Francophone countries. French is spoken in a percentage of as low as 10% and is slowly increasing because of immigration from Cameroon, Gabon and other West Africa based countries.

Portuguese started being used as an official language only in the year 2010. The adoption of Portuguese was primarily a motive to gain membership to the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

Portuguese too, like Spanish and French, is taught in schools but unlike the other two, it is not a compulsory subject and a student can choose on their own.

Other major regional languages spoken by different ethnic groups in Equatorial Guinea include Kwasio, Fang, Bube, Seki and Batanga. Other languages that are spoken are Yasa, Molengue and Gyele. 

Equatorial Guinea Food

When it comes to food, the staple food in Equatorial Guinea is cassava which is often served with either meat or fish.

Equatorial Guinea is not that big when it comes to different restaurants and food joints. The few restaurants that you will find are only limited to Malabo and Bata.

Given the history of Spanish colonisation, it is only accurate to guess that the Equatorial Guinea people mostly follow Spanish culture. The restaurants found in Equatorial Guinea mostly serve Spanish or continental Equatorial Guinea dishes.

Cassava is often eaten with some meat or fish. Chicken in this country is often served with a creamy peanut sauce and rice or boiled plantain. Meat and fish that are grilled along with some crushed pumpkin seeds are served in leaves. Equatorial Guinea cuisine also includes other traditional ingredients such as sweet potatoes, yams, mangoes and plantains. 

The national drinks of this country include a local sugar cane brew (called malamba juice), osang (an African tea), and beer and palm wine that are locally prepared.

One can easily find imported beer, however, they are more than often quite expensive and given the economical situation of the majority of the population, that makes it hard for it to be accessed by local people.

Equatorial Guinea Climate

The climate of Equatorial Guinea is just like any other typical equatorial country. 

The latitude of Equatorial Guinea is between 4°N and 2°S, and the longitude is between 5° and 12°E. The climate of Equatorial Guinea is tropical and the two distinct seasons include the wet and dry seasons.

During June to August, the weather in Río Muni stays dry and Bioko is wet, and from December to February the weather conditions alter.

One does notice a gradual transition between seasons. Annobón is another wet region where a single day without clouds is a foreign concept for the locals there, making rainfall higher in coastal areas than in the African mainland.

The temperature of this country often stays constant throughout the year, averaging at as high as 70 F (21.1 C) annually. Bioko is a highly humid area with a dry season lasting only for about five months from November to March.

The temperature in Bioko can range from as high as 80 F (26.6 C) to as low as 70 F (21.1 C).

The sky is mostly cloudy and overcast. We bet you enjoyed these fun facts about Equatorial Guinea that list a number of fascinating Equatorial Guinea information that you might not have come across before.

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