The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ebook reader 8 inch .txt) 📕

id="id19336">0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

-$1.119 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$4.035 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners:

US 51%, Guatemala 13.6%, Honduras 11.2%, Nicaragua 5.5% (2007)

Imports:

$8.108 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:

US 35.7%, Mexico 9.8%, Guatemala 8.5%, China 4.7% (2007)

Economic aid - recipient:

$267.6 million of which $55 million from US (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.199 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$9.574 billion (December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$5.918 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$384 million (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$3.623 billion (2005)

Currency (code):

US dollar (USD)

Currency code:

USD

Exchange rates:

the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Communications
El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:

1.08 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

6.137 million (2007)

Telephone system:

general assessment: multiple mobile-cellular service providers are expanding services rapidly and in 2007 mobile-cellular density stood at nearly 90 per 100 persons; growth in fixed-line services has slowed in the face of mobile-cellular competition domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave System (2007)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 52, FM 144, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:

2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

5 (1997)

Televisions:

600,000 (1990)

Internet country code:

.sv

Internet hosts:

11,434 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

4 (2000)

Internet users:

700,000 (2006)

Transportation
El Salvador

Airports:

65 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 48 (2007)

Heliports:

1 (2007)

Railways:

total: 562 km narrow gauge: 562 km 0.914-m gauge note: railways not in operation since 2005 because of disuse and high costs that led to a lack of maintenance (2007)

Roadways:

total: 10,886 km paved: 2,827 km (includes 327 km of expressways) unpaved: 8,059 km (2000)

Waterways:

Rio Lempa partially navigable for small craft (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Military
El Salvador

Military branches:

Salvadoran Army (ES), Salvadoran Navy (FNES), Salvadoran Air Force
(Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; service obligation - 8 months, but 11 months for officers and NCOs (2008)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,634,816 females age 16-49: 1,775,474 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 1,168,406 females age 16-49: 1,519,375 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 73,915 female: 71,252 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures:

5% of GDP (2006)

Transnational Issues
El Salvador

Disputes - international:

International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, in 1992, with final agreement by the parties in 2006 after an Organization of American States (OAS) survey and a further ICJ ruling in 2003; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana produced for local consumption; significant use of cocaine

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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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 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.

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 land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 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:

petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Land use:

arable land: 4.63% permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

Total renewable water resources:

26 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.11 cu km/yr (83%/16%/1%) per capita: 220 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:

tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:

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:

insular and continental regions widely separated

People
Equatorial Guinea

Population:

616,459 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 42% (male 131,696/female 127,253) 15-64 years: 53.8% (male 162,458/female 169,445) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 11,394/female 14,213) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 18.9 years male: 18.3 years female: 19.5 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.732% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

37.04 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

NA (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 83.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 84.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 82.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 61.23 years male: 60.36 years female: 62.13 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.16 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

370 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2008)

Nationality:

noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:

Fang 85.7%, Bubi 6.5%, Mdowe 3.6%, Annobon 1.6%, Bujeba 1.1%, other 1.4% (1994 census)

Religions:

nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices

Languages:

Spanish 67.6% (official), other 32.4% (includes French (official),
Fang, Bubi) (1994 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87% male: 93.4% female: 80.5% (2000 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2000)

Education expenditures:

0.6% of GDP (2003)

Government
Equatorial Guinea

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial/Republique de Guinee equatoriale local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial/Guinee equatoriale former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Malabo geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

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) head of government: Prime Minister Ignacio Milan TANG (since 8 July 2008); cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held in December 2009); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (100 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held 4 May 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 98, CPDS 2 note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:

Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:

Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MICO Abogo];
Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling party)
[Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial
Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or
APGE [Avelino MOCACHE]; Popular Union or UP

Political pressure groups and leaders:

ASODEGUE (Madrid-based pressure group for democratic reform); Global
Witness (anti-corruption)

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Purificacion ANGUE ONDO chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: K-3, Carreterade Aeropuerto, al lado de Restaurante El Paraiso, Malabo; note - relocated embassy is opened for limited functions; inquiries should continue to be directed to the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon mailing address: B.P. 817, Yaounde, Cameroon; US Embassy Yaounde, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520 telephone: [237] 2220-1500 FAX: [237] 2220-1572

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Economy
Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:

The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings,