Equatorial Guinea:
Geography

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Other pages in this profile of Equatorial Guinea:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.


Background	Definition 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 Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country since 1979 when he seized power in a coup. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 and 2004 legislative elections - were widely seen as flawed. The president exerts almost total control over the political system and has discouraged political opposition. Equatorial Guinea has experienced rapid economic growth due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves, and in the last decade has become Sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil exporter. 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 population's living standards.

Location	Definition Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
Geographic coordinates	Definition 2 00 N, 10 00 E
Map references	Definition Africa
Area	Definition - World rank and map total: 28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	Definition slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries	Definition total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Coastline	Definition 296 km
Maritime claims	Definition territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate	Definition tropical; always hot, humid
Terrain	Definition coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes	Definition lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Natural resources	Definition petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Land use	Definition - World rank and map arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005)
Irrigated land	Definition NA
Total renewable water resources	Definition 26 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	Definition total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%) per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	Definition violent windstorms, flash floods
Environment - current issues	Definition tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	Definition party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note	Definition insular and continental regions widely separated

Equatorial Guinea: Geography

Equatorial Guinea:
Geography