Equatorial Guinea ( Republique de Guinee) is a country in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. Equatorial Guinea geographic coordinates 11 00 N, 10 00 W; area 245,857 sq km; area comparative slightly smaller than Oregon; land boundaries Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km; coastline 320 km; maritime claims exclusive economic zone:<; climate generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dr; terrain generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior; elevation extremes Mont Nimba 1,752 m; natural resources bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt; land use 93.79% (2001); irrigated land 950 sq km (1998 est.); natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; environment current issues deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage; environment international agreements none of the selected agreements; geography note the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands;

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Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies. government type republic; capital Conakry; administrative divisions 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou; independence 2 October 1958 (from France); national holiday Independence Day, 2 October (1958); constitution 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale); legal system based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Equatorial Guinea population 9,467,866 (July 2005 est.); age structure 3.2% (male 131,130/female 168,934) (2005 est.); median age 17.93 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 2.37% (2005 est.); birth rate 42.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 15.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate -2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population as a result of conflict in neighboring countrie; sex ratio 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 95.82 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 51.15 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate 3.2% (2003 est.); hiv people with aids 140,000 (2003 est.); hiv deaths 9,000 (2003 est.); major infectious diseases bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A,; nationality Guinean; ethnic groups Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%; religions Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%; languages French (official), each ethnic group has its own language; literacy 21.9% (1995 est.);

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Cities