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

Data code EK

Government type republic in transition to multiparty democracy

National 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 new constitution 17 November 1991

Legal system partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch
chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August1979)
head of government: Prime Minister Serafin Seriche DOUGAN (since April 1996); Vice PrimeMinister Francisco Javier Ndongo MBENGONO (since April 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote to a seven-year term; election lastheld 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003)
election results : President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected without opposition; percentof popular vote - NA

Legislative branch unicameral House of Peoples Representatives or Camara de Representantesdel Pueblo (80 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to servefive-year terms)
elections: last held 21 November 1993 (next to be held November 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 68, CSD 6, UDS5, CLD 1

Judicial branch Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders
ruling party: Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Brig. Gen. (Ret.) TeodoroOBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]
opposition parties: Convergence for Social Democracy or CSD [Santiago Obama Ndong, president];Democratic Social Union or UDS [Camelo MODU, general secretary]; Liberal DemocraticConvention or CLD [Alfonso Nsue MIFUMU, president]; Liberal Party or PL [SantosPASCUAL]; National Democratic Union or UDENA [Jose MECHEBA Ikaka, president];Party of the Social Democratic Coalition or PCSD [Buenaventura Moswi M'Asumu,general coordinater]; Party of Progress or PP [Severo MOTO Nsa, president];Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Casiano Masi Edu]; Popular Unionor UP [Juan BITUI, president]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea orPPGE [Severo Moto NSA, president]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP[Antonio-Ebang Mbele Abang, president]; Social Democratic and Popular Convergenceor CSDP [Secundino Oyono Agueng Ada, general secretary]; Social DemocraticParty or PSD [Benjamin-Gabriel Balingha Balinga Alene, general secretary];Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea or PSGE [Tomas MICHEBE Fernandez, generalsecretary]

International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS(observer), OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE
chancery: Suite 405, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone : [1] (202) 393-0525
FAX: [1] (202) 393-0348

Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closedSeptember 1995); US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through theUS Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon

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

NOTE: The information regarding Equatorial Guinea on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Equatorial Guinea Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Equatorial Guinea Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.