Sara+Anvene+(3ºC)

=** The Republic of Equatorial Guinea **=

Equatorial Guinea, which official name is The Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is a country located in west central Africa, bordered by Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the east and south. Its coordinates are 2°00′N 10°00′E.

It became member of the UN on November 12th, 1968.

People:
Generally talking, the people from Equatorial Guinea are called Equatoguineans or Equatorial Guineans, but depending of the ethnic group they are called different, the largest groups are: the Fang, the Bubi, the Annobon or Annobonese, the Ndowe and the Bujeba.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea has 3 official languages: Spanish, since 1844; French, since 1998 and Portuguese, which was stablished in 2007. Although those three are the official languages there are also more languages spoken by the people,which are considered as 'indigenous languages' which are: Fang, Bube(Bubi),Ibo or Igbo, Pichinglis and Annobonese (the languages spoken by the largest ethnic groups)

The most practiced religion is Christianism practiced by the 93% of the population from which the 87% is catholic and the 5% Protestant.



Flag:
Adopted on Agust 21, 1979, the official flag of the Republic of Euatorial Guinea consits of three horizontal stripes (green,white and red), a blue triangle at the hoist and the coat of arms in the centre.
 * Green: symbolizes the abundance of flora and fauna in the country, the fertility of crops and the natural resources.
 * White: symbolizes the peace and harmony that the country has.
 * Red: symbolizes the noble patriotic spirit and the blood shed in the struggle for the independence.
 * Blue: symbolizes the sea that links the mainland whith the islands, wich together form the country.
 * Coat of arms: the silk cotton tree or "God Tree" symblizes the treat between Spain and the local ruler that stablished the begginig of the colonial period; the six stars represent the mainland and the five island which together form the country; and the motto: "Unity, Peace and Justice".

Government:
As its name says the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a republic, a non democratic state. That's because the country is leadered by a president, in this case is Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, and a prime minister, Vicente Ehate Tomi.

Powers:

 * 1) Executive power: The president is both the head of government and the head of state. He has extensive powers, can make laws by decree, dissolve the chamber of representatives, negotiate and ratify treaties, call legislative elections, and act as commander in chief of the armed forces. The prime minister coordinate the goverment activities.
 * 2) Judicial: The president, The Supreme Court and its constitutonal members are incharge of the judicial power.
 * 3) Legislative: The Government, The Senate and The Chamber of People's Representatives(lower house of the Parliament)nare in charge of this power.



Parties:
//** 1-The Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE): **//


 * 1. A party with one inspiration:** The foundation of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea borns under the inspiration of the president and founder Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, rised


 * 2. PDGE: Independence, union and peace:** The defense of peace and the union between equatoguineans is the main goal for PDGE. Withouth peace there is no development, and without development there is no future improvement. Keep together against the attempt of coup d'etat in order to not be colonized by the power of any other country, avoid the wars that devastate some countries in Africa to preserve the national patrimony and wealth and exploit it by and for the country in order to preserve the culture and identity.


 * 3. Guinean democracy in an african context:** PDGE defend the democracy as the principal value of a modern society but keeping firm the rooting of belonging to a joint history and a full reality of an african society.


 * 4. Market economy and economic developent:** Diversify the economyof Equatorial Guinea, making wake up other productive sectors in order to end, inthe future, the oil dependence. PDGE also considers essential the defence of the national workers' rights.


 * 5. Human rights and vulerable sectors:** the defense of the most vulnerable sectors of our society an their participaition are a prioritary goal for years.


 * //2-The Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS)://**


 * 1.Respect the Human Rights.** For CPDS the the most importat thing is the people, that's why the respect to the human right is obvuisly important as a society consists of the people, that's why the human right are so important for CPDS.


 * 2.Equality.** CPDS considers important the equality between the people, people is the future and equality is considered as the principal factor for an unified society.


 * 3.Social Justice and** **Solidarity.** A justice without corruption and favoritism is on of the main goals for CPDS in order to have in the future a great society with existing solidarity among the people.


 * 4.Sustainable Development.** For CPDS, develoment is really important for Equatorial Guinea and its people, that's why a sustainable developmentis so important for this country which is under development in order to reach the kind of future that everybody wants.

//** 3-The Progress Party of Equatorial Guinea (PPGE): **//


 * 1.Progressive, social, liberal and fiscal conservatism.** PPGE defends the human liberties and the individual iniciative, promoting every kind of civil liberties against any kind of depotism as everyone deserves to have rights.


 * 2.Christian democracy.** PPGE defends the idea of a socialist state which provides anything necessary for the people as they are considered an essential factor for the development of the country.

//** 4-The People´s Union (UP): **//


 * 1.A conservative tendency leaning in the recent years towards the international christian democratic movement.**

Equatorial Guinea as a colony (Spanish Guinea):
The colonial history of Equatorial Guinea dates back to 1472 when Fernando Po (portugese explorer) reached Bioko on they way to India and later colonized the islands of Fernando Po (Bioko) and Annobon. They retained control of Equatorial Guinea until 1778, when the territory was ceded to Spain in exchange for land in South America (interior Brazil). The intention was to give Spain a foothold in Africa in order to conduct its own slave trade. In return Spain recognizes Portugal's rights in the interior of Brazil, far to the west of the Tordesillas line.

In march, 1968 under the pressure of equatoguineas nationalistics and the United Nations, Spain annunced it would get independence to Equatorial Guinea finally the independence was conceded on 12 october, 1968.

media type="youtube" key="VhWKsV7Hax4" width="761" height="443"

Population:
Equatorial Guinea has population of 740,743 inhabitants and a pupulation density of 26,40 inhabitants/km2.

Equatorial Guinea has a birth rate of 33.83‰ and a mortality rate of 8.39‰ and a natural growth of 2.54%.

Due to the lack of resources in Equatorial Guinea people have children because they suppose an economic help for the family as they can work at a very young age and because the majority of the population lives in rural areas but also because the infant mortality rate is very high (71.12), but even having such infant mortality rate the mortality rate is very low as most of the population in Equatorial Guinea is young (only the 3% is older than 60).

Thanks to the economic improvement due to the explotation of the oir reserves and gas, Equatorial Guinea has become one of the countries with the major income per capita but this is not reflected in the population as the majority livesin rural areas but also as the birth rate is mostly hhisg and the mortality rate is low there is a considerable growth in the population per year.

Thanks to migration the country's population has increased considerably: from 757,061 in 2013 to 1,222,747 in 2015, what is considered an important growth in the country.

media type="youtube" key="SFIRYg1Wjc4" width="782" height="448"

** Migration **
Equatorial Guinea has a total number of 20,000 (legal) inmigrants (2014) mostly due to economic reasons, thanks to the reserves of oil right know the country has a nice economic situation, because of this people from Asia, America, Europe and from other countries of Africa cme o this country in orther to find an economic stability.

There is not a definite numeber of emigrants registered yet. People mostly leave the country due to politics, education, work or marriage. The usual destinations for those people who leave the country no matter what reason are Spain, America, Asia, Europe, Gabon and Cameroon.


 * Legislations:**


 * 1) The government deports illegal immigrants without trying to establish if they are victims of trafficking or offer them assistance services.
 * 2) There is neccessary a valid visa in order to enter to the country.

Intiutions in charge:

 * The ministry of Foreign Affairs

Problems:

 * 1.Illegal inmigrants**

Illegal migration has turned into a problem, Equatorial Guinea has made strong efforts to manage illegal immigration in recent years and has adopted several procedures and restrictions for foreign workers in order to ensure that foreigners do not take employment opportunities from its citizens.

Last year, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, Second Vice President, in charge of National Defense and State Security, announced the restriction on the distribution of visas to foreign workers seeking jobs that could be performed by Equatoguinean citizens, much like immigration-control regimes in effect in the United States, the countries of the European Union, and other countries.

** Geography **


Equatorial Guinea is located in west central Afric, bordered by Cameroon to the north and by Gabon to the east and south.

The country consists of the mainland territory Rio Muni and five islands Bioko (former Fernando Po), Annobon, Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico. The mainland consists mainly of tropical forests while the islands are mainly of volcanic origin, mountainous and have rugged coastlines.

Thanks to its tropical forest a huge variety of plants can be found here (140 species of trees, especially palms and hardwoods) and a great varietyof animals, which is nice for tourism as many tourists come to the country in order to see them but the islands are mainly volcanic and althought the volcanos are extinct it doesn't mean that in the future they won't be active volcanoes again.

Equatorial Guinea has a tropical climate, with high temperatures and heavy rainfall during the wet season and high temperatures but no rainfall in the dry season. From June to August, R í o Muni is dry and Bioko wet; from December to February, the reverse takes place. In between there is a gradual transition. Rain or mist occurs daily on Annob ó n, where a cloudless day has never been registered. The temperature in Equatorial Guinea veries from 17ºC to 33ºC or even higher.

Due to its tropical climate the forests in Equatorial Guinea are thick, even some areas in the south are inaccessible, there are steepy areas in norther and southern Bioko, but as a consequence people in this country needs to wear lightweight cotton and ilnens clothes in orther to keep the body temperature regulated and don't get to hot as it could become a problem. Waterproofing is also necessary.

media type="youtube" key="Sh2QVTPK2WA" width="560" height="315"

** Economy **
The most common section of employment in Equatorial Guinea is agriculture as it envolves about the 71% of the economically active population.

The unemployment rate in Equatorial Guinea reaches the 22.3%.

Energy:
Equatorial Guinea's economy is heavily reliant on its oil and gas industry, which accounted for almost the 95% of its gross domestic product (GDP).

It holds 1.1 billion barrels of proved oil reserves, making the country the eight-larges crude oil reserver in Sub-Saharan Africa; the total oil production is 270,000 barrels per day (bbl/d). In 2014 the country spent 2,100 bbl/d all of which was imported.

Equatorial Guinea exports crude oil to markets in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. China is the largest destination for Equatoguinean crude oil. The united States used to be one of the top importers, but U.S. crude oil imports from Equatorial Guinea have decreased from an average of 41,000 bbl/d in 2012 to 4,000 bbl/d in 2014.

Equatorial Guinea produces 6,88 billion cubic metres of natural gas from which only consumes 1,58 billion cubic metres. 5,26 billion cubic metres are exported and there is no importation of natural gas in the country.



**1.The dictatorship of Teodoro Obiang Nguema**
====One of the most overlooked nations in the world, Equatorial Guinea popped onto the international scene after large reserves of oil were discovered there in 1995. Between 1968 and 1979, the nation was controlled by a dictator, Francisco Macías Nguema, whose brutality in the post-Hitler era has been matched only by Pol Pot of Cambodia. Macías was finally overthrown, executed and replaced…by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has ruled Equatorial Guinea for the past 36 years.====

====With an annual income per capita of 4,472$ life for the average Equatoguineans should have improved dramatically, but, with Teodoro Obiang in power, such was not the case. In fact, 60% of the nation’s citizens continued to live on less than $1 a day, while the huge bulk of the oil income went straight to Obiang, who declared that “there is no poverty in Guinea, the people are used to living in a different way.” The nation has little public transportation, no newspapers, and only 1% of government spending goes to health care.In addition, in 2001, it was estimated that only 43% of Equatoguineans had access to safe drinking water.====

Healthcare polices:
1. Health services are public 2. Everybody has acces to it. 3. The health is paid through taxes.

Education Polices:
1.Education is free and compulsory until the ageof 14. 2.Everybody has access to education. 3.The Educative system of Equatorial Guinea is organized in 5 levels:
 * Prescool: infant(1-3 years)and Kindergarten (4-6 years)
 * Primary school: 2 cicles (1º-6º)
 * Secondary school: ESBA(1º-4º) or Bachillerato
 * Higher or Universitary Education

Taxes:

 * 1) Territoriality: Individuals are subject to income tax based on residence.
 * 2) Employment income. Taxable income includes all remuneration, fringe benefits, allowances, overtime and bonuses.
 * 3) Self-employment income. Individuals are subject to income tax on their self-employment income from real estate assets, as well as from commercial, non-commercial, agricultural and professional activities
 * 4) Nonresidents. Nonresidents are subject to tax at a rate of 10% of the gross salary earned in Equatorial Guinea.

** Other revenues: **

 * 1) Inheritance and gift taxes: Tax paid only if the person have goods in Equatorial Guinea.
 * 2) Tax on Individuals. The Tax on Individuals is imposed annually on all individuals residing or domiciled in Equatorial Guinea that are 18 years or older. The tax is imposed regardless of the individual’s nationality or origin.
 * 3) Property tax. All owners of, and certain other individuals, holding rights in urban real estate are subject to urban property tax

Dept:
At the end of 2012 Equatorial Guinea had a dept of $1.858 billion but that increased by 2013 having an amount of dept of $2.104 billion.

**Relations:**

 * 1.With Cameroon:**

Equatorial Guinea has cordial relations with neighbouring Cameroon. Cameroon exports some food products to Equatorial Guinea and imports oil from Equatorial Guinea, but Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea have an unresolved maritime border dispute.


 * 2. With China:**

Equatorial Guinea and China have a diplomatic relation ship since 2008 but Equatorial Guinea is triying to strengthen the relationship with china by strengthening the comercial trade.




 * 3. With Canada:**

Equatorial Guinea and Canada have a diplomatic relations since 1968.

Canada continues to encourage Equatorial Guinea to establish the rule of law, to provide and promote democratic principles, freedom of expression and the protection of human rights. Canada encourages Equatorial Guinea to allow the return of political exiles. Canada also encourages Equatorial Guinea to cooperation with international financial institutions so that economic benefits from petroleum development are used to diversify the economy of the country and reduce poverty.

Main conficts:

 * Expulsión of Illegal cameroonians from Equatorial Guinea **

Probably relations between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea may be spoiling again. Hundreds of Cameroonians have been forcefully expelled from neighboring Equatorial Guinea for being in the country illegally. They are complaining that their property was seized and valid transit documents are not being recognized.

The border town of Campo in southwestern Cameroon has seen hundreds of Cameroonians returning from Equatorial Guinea in recent weeks after they were forcefully expelled.



Military expenditures and defense spending:
The information of Equatorial Guinea indicates an expense of 149 millions in the last year, but there is no previous information until 2009, year in which the SIPR ( //Stockholm International Peace Research Institute)// affirms that the country led by Teodoro Obiang spent almost 430 million dollars.

For politics:

 * Global Edge
 * Africa.com
 * Indexmundi
 * Freedom House
 * Nation Encyclopedia
 * PDGE
 * Guineaecuatorialpress

For society and people:

 * indexmundi
 * Africa.com
 * Ethnologue
 * Guineaecuatorialpress
 * Africa.com
 * Countrymetres
 * GlobalBritannica
 * Historywold.net
 * Africaninfomarket
 * datosmacro

For geography:

 * indexmundi
 * Africa.com
 * Guineaecuatorialpres
 * Africa.com
 * Countrymetres
 * GlobalBritannica
 * Historywold.net
 * worldtravelguide
 * infoplease
 * Africaninfomarket

For economy:
 * Indexmundi
 * Guineaecuatorialpress
 * infoplease
 * Africaninfomarket
 * Global Edge

For domestic policy:
 * Indexmundi
 * guineaecuatorialpress
 * cesge.com
 * state.gov

For foreign policy:
 * cesge.com
 * indexmundi
 * africa.com
 * guineaecuatorialpress
 * state.gov

