República de Guinea Ecuatorial

Note: In balloting on November 29, 2009, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo was overwhelmingly reelected by securing 95.4 percent of the vote against four other candidates. He was inaugurated for another seven-year term on December 8 and announced a new, enlarged cabinet (again led by Prime Minister Ignacio Milam Tang) in January 2010.

Area: 10,830 sq. mi. (28,051 sq. km.).

Population: 406,151 (1994C); 513,000 (2008E).

Major Urban Centers (2005E): MALABO (Bioko, 90,000), Bata (Río Muni, 70,000).

Official Language: Spanish. (French was adopted as a “commercial” language in September 1997 during a period of friction between Malabo and Madrid. In addition various African dialects are spoken, and pidgin English serves as a commercial lingua franca.)

Monetary Unit: CFA franc (official rate December 1, 2009: 434.59 ...