Equatorial Guinea (2001) | Singapore (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas | none |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
42.56% (male 103,909; female 102,946) 15-64 years: 53.68% (male 124,808; female 136,088) 65 years and over: 3.76% (male 8,178; female 10,131) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
17.89% (male 397,124; female 372,058) 15-64 years: 75.16% (male 1,575,381; female 1,656,838) 65 years and over: 6.95% (male 130,815; female 168,203) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber | rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 9 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
28,051 sq km land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
647.5 sq km land: 637.5 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by ruthless leaders who have badly mismanaged the economy since independence from 190 years of Spanish rule in 1968. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative elections were widely seen as being flawed. | Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe. |
Birth rate | 37.72 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$47 million expenditures: $43 million, including capital expenditures of $7 million (1996 est.) |
revenues:
$18.1 billion expenditures: $17.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.5 billion (FY99/00 est.) |
Capital | Malabo | Singapore |
Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms |
Coastline | 296 km | 193 km |
Constitution | approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995 | 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution) |
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 |
conventional long form:
Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | Singapore dollar (SGD) |
Death rate | 13.11 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $290 million (1999 est.) | $9.7 billion (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador John M. YATES; note - the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); US relations with Equatorial Guinea are handled through the US Embassy in Yaounde, Cameroon; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP 96534-0001 telephone: [65] 476-9100 FAX: [65] 476-9340 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Teodoro BIYOGO NSUEA chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 528-5252 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, San Francisco consulate(s): New York |
Disputes - international | tripartite maritime boundary and economic zone dispute with Cameroon and Nigeria is currently before the ICJ; maritime boundary dispute with Gabon because of disputed sovereignty over islands in Corisco Bay | Pedra Branca Island (Pulau Batu Putih) disputed with Malaysia |
Economic aid - recipient | $33.8 million (1995) | $NA |
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, the deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth. A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of the government's gross corruption and mismanagement. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. The country responded favorably to the devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994. Boosts in production and high world oil prices stimulated growth in 2000, with oil accounting for 90% of greatly increased exports. | Singapore is blessed with a highly developed and successful free-market economy, a remarkably open and corruption-free business environment, stable prices, and the fifth highest per capita GDP in the world. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services are the main drivers of the economy. Mainly because of robust exports, especially electronic goods, the economy grew 10.1% in 2000. Forecasters, however, are projecting only 4%-6% growth in 2001 largely because of weaker global demand, especially in the US. The government promotes high levels of savings and investment through a mandatory savings scheme and spends heavily in education and technology. It also owns government-linked companies (GLCs) - particularly in manufacturing - that operate as commercial entities. As Singapore looks to a future increasingly marked by globalization, the country is positioning itself as the region's financial and high-tech hub. |
Electricity - consumption | 19.5 million kWh (1999) | 25.464 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 21 million kWh (1999) | 27.381 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
85.71% hydro: 14.29% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
lowest point:
Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m |
Environment - current issues | tap water is not potable; desertification | industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish | Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro | Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.7365 (January 2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996) |
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 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) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote to a seven-year term; election last held 25 February 1996 (next to be held NA February 2003); prime minister and vice prime ministers appointed by the president election results: President Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected with 98% of popular vote in elections marred by widespread fraud |
chief of state:
President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held NA August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed |
Exports | $860 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $137 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, timber, cocoa | machinery and equipment (including electronics), chemicals, mineral fuels |
Exports - partners | US 62%, Spain 17%, China 9%, France 3%, Japan 3%, (1997) | US 19%, Malaysia 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 4%, UK 4%, Netherlands 3.8%, China 3%, South Korea 3%, Germany 3% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
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) | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $960 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $109.8 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
20% industry: 60% services: 20% (1999 est.) |
agriculture:
NEGL% industry: 30% services: 70% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $26,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 12% (2000 est.) | 10.1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 2 00 N, 10 00 E | 1 22 N, 103 48 E |
Geography - note | insular and continental regions rather widely separated | focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
2,880 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 2,880 km (1996) |
total:
3,150 km paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 84 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to use as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering |
Imports | $300 million (f.o.b., 1999) | $127 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | manufactured goods and equipment | machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 35%, France 15%, Spain 10%, Cameroon 10%, UK 6% (1997) | US 17%, Japan 17%, Malaysia 16%, Thailand 5%, China 5%, Taiwan 4%, Germany 3%, Saudi Arabia 3% (1999) |
Independence | 12 October 1968 (from Spain) | 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.4% (1994 est.) | 14% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas | electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, biotechnology |
Infant mortality rate | 92.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 3.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (1999 est.) | 1.4% (2000) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, Australia Group (observer), BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 9 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal | Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals |
Labor force | NA | 2.1 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | financial, business, and other services 35%, manufacturing 21%, construction 13%, transportation and communication 9% |
Land boundaries | total:
539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
5% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
2% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 87% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo | Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official) |
Legal system | partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom | based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 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 |
unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 26 August 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1; note - subsequent to the election, there was a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows: PAP 80, WP 1, SPP 1, vacant 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
53.95 years male: 51.89 years female: 56.07 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
80.17 years male: 77.22 years female: 83.35 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.5% male: 89.6% female: 68.1% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.5% male: 97% female: 89.8% (1999) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon | Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia |
Map references | Africa | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,035 GRT/27,927 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 7, combination bulk 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
879 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,849,168 GRT/33,215,317 DWT ships by type: bulk 134, cargo 111, chemical tanker 63, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 6, container 167, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 295, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 33 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Australia 1, Bermuda 12, Belgium 6, China 9, Denmark 29, Germany 8, Greece 1, Hong Kong 20, Indonesia 9, Japan 32, South Korea 3, Netherlands 2, Norway 9, Russia 1, Sweden 22, Thailand 22, Taiwan 17, UK 3, US 10 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police | Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $3 million (FY97/98) | $5 billion (FY00/01 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.6% (FY97/98) | 4.5% (FY00/01 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
108,973 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
1,316,815 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
55,347 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49:
959,636 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 October (1968) | Independence Day, 9 August (1965) |
Nationality | noun:
Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s) adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean |
noun:
Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore |
Natural hazards | violent windstorms, flash floods | NA |
Natural resources | oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium | fish, deepwater ports |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 26.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
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 NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Victorino Bolekia BONAY, mayor of Malabo]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO] | People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong, secretary general] - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [J. B. JEYARETNAM] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 486,060 (July 2001 est.) | 4,300,419 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.46% (2001 est.) | 3.5% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bata, Luba, Malabo | Singapore |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 4 (1998) | AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 180,000 (1997) | 2.6 million (2000) |
Railways | total:
0 km |
total:
38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations |
Religions | nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices | Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal adult | 21 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment:
poor system with adequate government services domestic: NA international: international communications from Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment:
major consideration given to serving business interests; excellent international service domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,000 (1996) | 1.928 million (November 2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 2.333 million (November 2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 6 (2000) |
Terrain | coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic | lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve |
Total fertility rate | 4.88 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.22 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 30% (1998 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |