The country also comprises the island of Bioko, formerly Fernando Poo, 34km off the coast of Cameroon and the small offshore islands of Corisco, Great Elobey, Small Elobey and Annobon.
The mainland province, Rio Muni, is mainly forest, with plantations on the coastal plain and some mountains.
Bioko rises steeply to two main peaks in the north and south. The southern area is rugged and inaccessible. The beaches around the islands are extremely beautiful. Equatorial Guinea is a country of luscious vegetation and much beautiful scenery, including tropical forests and volcanoes.
The capital, Malabo, is a rather rundown but attractive town, with pleasant Spanish colonial architecture, a striking volcanic setting and a lively market.
Most restaurants serve Spanish or continental cuisine. Beer is usually expensive, though a local sugar cane brew, malamba, can be sampled very cheaply.
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African continent.
President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. 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. The president controls most opposition parties through the judicious use of patronage.
Despite the countries economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the countries living standards.
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 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. Growth presumably remained strong in 2004, led by oil.
Equatorial Guinea is just one African country providing a range of exciting holiday opportunities for both the adventurous and the lazy sun seeker.
Africa is a great place to organise a business event, whether a major exhibition and conference with a cast of thousands or a more intimate strategy planning session for your subordinates.
In combination with a safari to one of Africas game parks, a cruise down the Nile or rounds of golf at Victoria Falls, for instance, it also provides the ideal way to reward the achievers in your company while building the team for tomorrow.
Do you at times wish that the world would just open up and swallow you whole because you don’t seem to get anytime to rest from the work load at hand? Then shove everything away and escape to the quiet Spanish-speaking country of Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea is located in Central Africa, her capital city being Malabo, the official languages spoken here are Spanish, French and Portuguese. The population is estimated to be half a million.
This is a country of luscious vegetation and beautiful scenery including tropical forests and snow-capped volcanoes. The capital, Malabo, is a rather rundown but attractive town, with pleasant Spanish colonial architecture, a striking volcanic setting and a lively market. The white-sand beaches around the islands are stunning. No wonder the country was at first named 'Formosa', by the Portuguese which meaning 'beautiful'.
There are some superb night clubs situated in Equatorial Guinea that offer the best live entertainment ever. They include the Chez Son Père, the Cinéma Cartier, the Galerie Rouje, the Kiosque Edwin-Bélanger, and the L'Alterno, the L'Amour Sorcier, the Largo Resto-Club, and the Maurice night club. Especially if you are a fan of theaters, drop by at the Théâtre Periscope where you can see superb, creative and cutting edge contemporary theatre productions predominantly in French.
It’s obvious that after you land at the major airport in Equatorial Guinea, you need to find a hotel which is not only ready to offer you the best service and the most luxurious extras available, but also one where you can simply unpack and unwind without having to even go outside if you don’t want to. Some of these fine hotels include the Hotel Yoli, the Hotel Bahia Malabo, the Hotel Impala, the Hotel Bantu, the Hotel Ureca, the Hotel Candy, and the Sofitel Malabo hotel. To make your stay even more enjoyable, these hotels will also offer some of the exquisite African cuisines that are very simple and really tasty. So, sit down and enjoy two of the most popular dishes in the country; chicken dish prepared in peanut butter or cream sauce and served with rice or boiled plantain, and meat or fish grilled with crushed pumpkin seeds and wrapped in huge leaves. You won’t resist these! Many restaurants in the major capital city offer both local dishes and Western cuisines. Some of the local cuisines include djomba (a Combe dish), mendjaa (a Fang dish), banga soup and the bitalif soup. To go along with these dishes are some of the most popular fruits like pineapples, African apples, avocados, papayas, green-skinned oranges and many more.
Don’t be worried as to how you will get around this lovely country as the roads are of good infrastructure to ease the traffic congestion. There are also car hire facilities for those who prefer to move around in sheer comfort and privacy. There are various things that you can do while you enjoy your stay in Equatorial Guinea. You can bask on Arena Blanca, the only white beach on Bioko Island during the dry season, and witness thousands of butterflies in migration. Or you can take a trip to Bata, the principle town in the region of Rio Muni on the mainland. It is a lively town with a few restaurants, bars, hotels and markets. Try and make a point of traveling to Equatorial Guinea for the 2012 African Cup of Nations.
Have less trouble and stress but more fun and relaxation in the beautiful land of Equatorial Guinea. You will fall in love with it!
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