Equatorial Guinea

In the Río Muni region, there is believed to have been a widespread pygmy population, of whom only isolated pockets remain in the north. Bantu migrations between the 17th and 19th centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang.

The Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó, seeking a path to India, is credited as being the first European to discover the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it Formosa ("Beautiful"), but it quickly took on the name of its European discoverer. The islands of Fernando Pó and Annobón were colonized by Portugal in 1474.

In 1778, the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the Niger River and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to the Spanish Empire in exchange for territory in the American continent. From 1827 to 1843, the United Kingdom established a base on the island to combat the slave trade which was then moved to Sierra Leone upon agreement with Spain in 1843. In 1844, on restoration of Spanish sovereignty, it became known as the Territorios Españoles del Golfo de Guinea Ecuatorial. The mainland portion, Rio Muni, became a protectorate in 1885 and a colony in 1900. Between 1926 and 1959 all three regions were united as the colony of Spanish Guinea. Spanish settlers arrived and created plantations in the colony.

Equatorial Guinea gained independence from Spain in October 1968. Francisco Macías Nguema, the first president, was a brutal, tyrannical, and violent dictator. His repressive regime was complicit in severe human rights abuses (persecution of intellectuals and minorities), banned fishing, and is believed to have personally murdered a third of the country's population.

During this time, Equatorial Guinea was known as the "Dachau" of Africa and Macías has often been referred to as the "Pol Pot" of Africa.

His strong anti-Western views garnered him respect and admiration from the Eastern Bloc, but his views alienated him from much of the Western world.

Macías reportedly ordered the deaths of his family members. Believing him insane, Teodoro Obiang, his nephew, deposed him in a bloody coup d'etat in 1979 and later executed him. Although Obiang's rule is less violent, his regime is still considered to be repressive.

In 1995, large oil reserves were discovered and brought considerable wealth to the country, but this hasn't exactly translated into development; much of the population is poor (70-80% of the population lives in poverty), the country scores poorly on the Human Development Index, and most citizens do not have proper access to drinking water, health care, and basic amenities.

The Equatoguinean government does not tolerate criticism and dissent, and hits back at critics by telling them that they "will not accept interference in the internal affairs of the country".

It doesn't look like things will change in the foreseeable future, but still, hopes are high that things will change for the better.

Equatorial Guinea has two distinctive and very pronounced seasons: rainy and dry seasons. On the island of Bioko, April to October are the wettest months of the year, and December to March are the driest. On the mainland, these seasons are largely reversed, with July-August dry and the rest of the year wet.

The major ethnic groups are the Fang of the mainland and the Bubi of Bioko Island. Sorcerers are still among the most important community members. The abira ceremony that helps cleanse the community of evil is fascinating.

Equatorial Guinea recognises the major Christian holidays. 12 October is Independence Day.

Equatorial Guinea government website

Citizens of Barbados, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Turkey, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Gabon do not require a visa to visit the country.

The e-Visa program, launched 2023, makes entry into the country much more straightforward. e-Visas are available to all nationalities, cost US$75 and are processed in 72 hours. However, they are only valid for entry by air at Malabo airport.

If you're travelling overland or by sea, you will need to apply for an ordinary Equatoguinean visa at an official Equatoguinean consulate or embassy. Although regulations and exact prices vary from place to place, you are generally looking at a fee of around US$200 (more for express service) and will need to submit the following with your application:

A valid passport.

Your passport should have a validity longer than six months.

Proof you haven't been convicted of any major crimes.

The document should not be older than three months, and must be submitted in either English, French, or Spanish.

Proof you have been vaccinated against yellow fever.

This is a must.

A letter from your bank confirming you have at least $2,000 in your bank account.

This is only required if you plan on applying for a tourist visa.

A letter of invitation from the local authorities.

The letter must not be older than three months and it must be apostilled by the government.

This can be very difficult to obtain and is arguably the main deterrent for obtaining a visa to visit the country.

Some consulates and embassies claim that you do not need an invitation letter if you have a hotel reservation.

The main international point of entry is Malabo (SSG IATA). Airlines flying to Malabo airport include Air France from Paris and Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa. State carrier Ceiba, which is banned from the EU, has scaled down its network and is now limited to regional and domestic hops.

Bata (BSG IATA) also hosts a few flights to neighboring countries.

Viteoca operates a ferry service between the port of Tiko near Douala, Cameroon and Malabo. Services run on an irregular schedule, roughly once a month or so. Some travellers report that e-visas, while intended for air travel only, are accepted on this route.

There are also informal pirogue (speedboat) services from Cogo (at the southern tip of Rio Muni) to Cocobeach, Gabon.

Malabo is on Bioko and not accessible by car, but the mainland may be accessed from Gabon via paved roads and from Cameroon. Many roads have been newly constructed and overall Equatorial Guinea has one of the best road systems in Central Africa, specially across the important cities.

The entry from Campo is often closed. Also, Kye-Ossi and Ebebiyin may deny entry if sufficient reason for entry is not presented or if you are not ethnically Caucasian.

Extortion by security forces is not uncommon in Equatorial Guinea, even to the level of local police exacting bribes for trumped-up traffic violations.

The currency is the Central African CFA franc, denoted FCFA (ISO currency code: XAF). It's also used by five other Central African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.

You can withdraw money with a Mastercard or Visa card at any Ecobank ATM in Equatorial Guinea.

Everything is extremely expensive in Equatorial Guinea. A decent room with very limited amenities (bring necessities such as towels, soap and shampoo as the hotel may not have any) will be €100-400. A simple lunch will cost at least €30 (without drinks such as wine, beer or soft drinks) in a clean, air-conditioned restaurant.

Previously, a permit from the Ministry of Information and Tourism was required for photography. Although the law has changed, law enforcement authorities may use this as a reason to target, intimidate, extort, threaten, or even arrest tourists.

As obvious as it may sound, do not walk around with a camera on your neck, and do not photograph airports, government buildings, or anything of military or strategic value.

The police are known to be aggressive, truculent, and confrontational. Extortion by them is not uncommon.

Equatorial Guinea is an authoritarian country that does not tolerate or permit dissent.

It is unwise to criticise or show any kind of disrespect to Teodoro Obiang or the Equatoguinean government. A comment heard by the wrong person can land you in serious trouble with the authorities.

Be very skeptical if someone tries to start a political conversation. Always ask yourself, "What's in it for them?" Since most Equatoguineans know that discussing politics is taboo, there's always some ulterior motive you don't know about.

Equatorial Guinea is equatorial, its weather conditions are very tropical and normally very hot. It is best to wear lightweight clothing and try avoid wearing anything dark as it may attract mosquitoes.

The country code is +240. The international call prefix is 00 (replacing the "+" for outgoing landline calls).