01
Physical geography
Coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic.
Local timeCiudad de la Paz ·
Africa / Middle Africa · Card 016
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Ciudad de la Paz.
Find Equatorial Guinea
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Ciudad de la Paz
- Languages
- French & Portuguese & Spanish
- Currency
- Central African CFA franc (XAF)
- Population
- 1.9 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 28,051 km²10,831 square miles
- Independence
- 1968from Spain
Equatorial Guinea in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Ciudad de la Paz; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include French, Portuguese, Spanish.
03
Location
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon.
Flag
Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six six-pointed yellow stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield with a silk-cotton tree; below is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Capital declaration · Equatorial Guinea government
History & independence
Equatorial Guinea became independent from Spain on 12 October 1968 after a constitutional process and elections. Its territory includes a mainland region and several islands. In January 2026, Ciudad de la Paz was declared the national capital.
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Independence from Spain
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Offshore oil production expands
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Ciudad de la Paz is declared the capital
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Capital declaration · Equatorial Guinea government
Economy
Main activities
Petroleum and natural gas are central to export earnings. Forestry, agriculture and services also contribute. Diversification is important as the economy faces the limits of a resource-dependent model.
Industry and production
petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Capital declaration · Equatorial Guinea government
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people1.92025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 320,803 | 0.321 |
| 1980 | 288,644 | 0.289 |
| 1990 | 474,274 | 0.474 |
| 2000 | 703,279 | 0.703 |
| 2010 | 1,189,085 | 1.189 |
| 2020 | 1,716,468 | 1.716 |
| 2025 | 1,938,431 | 1.938 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars8.72025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 173,733,398 | 0.174 |
| 1991 | 171,957,428 | 0.172 |
| 1992 | 231,704,586 | 0.232 |
| 1993 | 257,269,047 | 0.257 |
| 1994 | 300,152,801 | 0.300 |
| 1995 | 352,638,312 | 0.353 |
| 1996 | 587,424,890 | 0.587 |
| 1997 | 1,468,403,405 | 1.468 |
| 1998 | 1,817,508,713 | 1.818 |
| 1999 | 2,283,954,429 | 2.284 |
| 2000 | 2,699,948,864 | 2.700 |
| 2001 | 4,411,173,090 | 4.411 |
| 2002 | 5,269,712,387 | 5.270 |
| 2003 | 6,005,113,942 | 6.005 |
| 2004 | 8,286,980,786 | 8.287 |
| 2005 | 9,674,942,387 | 9.675 |
| 2006 | 10,420,388,727 | 10.420 |
| 2007 | 12,012,844,403 | 12.013 |
| 2008 | 14,151,023,688 | 14.151 |
| 2009 | 14,341,122,354 | 14.341 |
| 2010 | 13,061,295,371 | 13.061 |
| 2011 | 13,913,404,306 | 13.913 |
| 2012 | 15,070,007,775 | 15.070 |
| 2013 | 14,447,134,440 | 14.447 |
| 2014 | 14,507,099,626 | 14.507 |
| 2015 | 13,185,496,881 | 13.185 |
| 2016 | 12,023,008,462 | 12.023 |
| 2017 | 11,341,603,435 | 11.342 |
| 2018 | 10,634,279,339 | 10.634 |
| 2019 | 10,051,326,715 | 10.051 |
| 2020 | 9,569,759,527 | 9.570 |
| 2021 | 9,652,085,293 | 9.652 |
| 2022 | 9,963,221,065 | 9.963 |
| 2023 | 9,223,446,390 | 9.223 |
| 2024 | 9,259,992,038 | 9.260 |
| 2025 | 8,718,580,208 | 8.719 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.674Medium human developmentRank 133 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.508
20100.612
20200.668
20230.674
63.7 yearsLife expectancy at birth
8.3 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. Parliament (Parlamento) has two chambers (a bicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Capital declaration · Equatorial Guinea government
Knowledge check
Three questions about Equatorial Guinea.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which pair is central to Equatorial Guinea’s export earnings?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile · Capital declaration · Equatorial Guinea government
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.