Equatorial Guinea (2002) | Bermuda (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas | 9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 106,061; female 105,071)
15-64 years: 53.8% (male 128,489; female 139,732) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,385; female 10,406) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 19.2% (male 6,058; female 6,225)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 21,950; female 22,442) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,163; female 4,122) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber | bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 53.3 sq km
land: 53.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | about one-third the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands, Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. The tiny country, one of the smallest on the African continent, has been ruled by President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being flawed. | Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995. |
Birth rate | 37.33 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $200 million
expenditures: $158 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
revenues: $609.5 million
expenditures: $574.6 million, including capital expenditures of $54.8 million (FY00/01) |
Capital | Malabo | Hamilton |
Climate | tropical; always hot, humid | subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter |
Coastline | 296 km | 103 km |
Constitution | approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995 | 8 June 1968, amended 1989 |
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: none
conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States | Bermudian dollar (BMD) |
Death rate | 12.83 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $225 million (2000 est.) | $145 million (FY99/00) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES; note - the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo | chief of mission: Consul General Denis Patrick COLEMAN, Jr.
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVQ3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Pastor Micha ONDO BILE
chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 528-5252 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $33.8 million (1995) (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 neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF. 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. Boosts in production and higher world oil prices stimulated growth in 2002, with oil accounting for 90% of increased exports. | Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, with its economy primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's already weakening tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - has been further hit as American tourists have chosen not to travel. Most capital equipment and food must be imported, with the US serving as the primary source of goods, followed by the UK. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important. Agriculture is limited, only 6% of the land being arable. |
Electricity - consumption | 20.46 million kWh (2000) | 553.35 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 22 million kWh (2000) | 595 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 91%
hydro: 9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Town Hill 76 m |
Environment - current issues | tap water is not potable; deforestation | asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space; sustainable development |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish | black 58%, white 36%, other 6% |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro | Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
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 for a seven-year term; election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since NA April 2002)
head of government: Premier Jennifer SMITH (since 10 November 1998) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor |
Exports | $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | $51 million (2000) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum, timber, cocoa | reexports of pharmaceuticals |
Exports - partners | China 24%, Japan 7%, US 7%, South Korea 5% (1999) | EU excluding UK 77.9%, US 9.8%, UK 6.9% (1999) |
Fiscal year | 1 January - 31 December | 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) | red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.04 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2.2 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20%
industry: 60% services: 20% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 10% services: 89% (1995 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $34,800 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | 2.9% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 2 00 N, 10 00 E | 32 20 N, 64 45 W |
Geography - note | insular and continental regions rather widely separated | consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995 |
Highways | total: 2,880 km
paved: 0 km unpaved: 2,880 km (1996) |
total: 450 km
paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $736 million f.o.b. (2001) | $719 million (2000) |
Imports - commodities | petroleum sector equipment, manufactured goods and equipment | machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals |
Imports - partners | US 60%, France 12%, Spain 8%, Italy 6% (1999) | EU excluding UK 35.4%, US 17.8%, UK 15.4%, Russia 14.6% (1999) |
Independence | 12 October 1968 (from Spain) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 7.4% (1994 est.) | NA% |
Industries | petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas | tourism, international business, light manufacturing |
Infant mortality rate | 90.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2001 est.) | 3% (July 2001) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) | Caricom (observer), CCC, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2002) | 20 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Tribunal | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts |
Labor force | NA | 37,472 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | clerical 22%, services 20%, laborers 17%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, agriculture and fishing 3% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57% other: 91.8% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo | English (official), Portuguese |
Legal system | partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom | English law |
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 March 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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 9 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 54%, UBP 44%, NLP 1%, independents 1%; seats by party - PLP 26, UBP 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 54.35 years
male: 52.26 years female: 56.5 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 77.3 years
male: 75.21 years female: 79.27 years (2002 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: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon | North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of North Carolina (US) |
Map references | Africa | North America |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 14,413 GRT/16,251 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 102 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,485,450 GRT/8,782,869 DWT
ships by type: bulk 28, cargo 4, container 16, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 16, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 5, Denmark 2, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 9, Indonesia 1, Norway 2, Sweden 11, United Kingdom 52, United States 13 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police | no regular indigenous military forces; Bermuda Regiment, Bermuda Police Force, Bermuda Reserve Constabulary |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $27.5 million (FY01) | $4,027,970 (January 2002) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.5% (FY01) | 0.11% (FY00/01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 112,664 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 57,194 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 October (1968) | Bermuda Day, 24 May |
Nationality | noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean |
noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian |
Natural hazards | violent windstorms, flash floods | hurricanes (June to November) |
Natural resources | oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, uranium | limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 2.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI [Daniel OYONO] | National Liberal Party or NLP [Dessaline WALDRON]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Jennifer SMITH]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Chairman Wayne FURBERT] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Association or BPSA [leader NA]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES] |
Population | 498,144 (July 2002 est.) | 63,960 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.45% (2002 est.) | 0.69% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bata, Luba, Malabo | Hamilton, Saint George's, Dockyard |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002) | AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 180,000 (1997) | 82,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan practices | non-Anglican Protestant 39%, Anglican 27%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 19% |
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 (2002 est.) |
at birth: 0.94 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal adult | 18 years of age; universal |
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: NA
domestic: modern, fully automatic telephone system international: 3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,000 (1998) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 300 (1998) | 7,980 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (2002) | 3 (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic | low hills separated by fertile depressions |
Total fertility rate | 4.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.81 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 30% (1998 est.) | 4.5% (1993) |
Waterways | none | none |