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Africa
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
Equatorial Guinea consists of a continental territory and five inhabited islands; it is one of the smallest countries by area and population in Africa. The mainland region was most likely predominantly inhabited by Pygmy ethnic groups prior to the migration of various Bantu-speaking ethnic groups around the second millennium BC. The island of Bioko, the largest of Equatorial Guinea’s five inhabited islands and the location of the country’s capital of Malabo, has been occupied since at least 1000 B.C. In the early 1470s, Portuguese explorers landed on Bioko Island, and Portugal soon after established control of the island and other areas of modern Equatorial Guinea. In 1778, Portugal ceded its colonial hold over present-day Equatorial Guinea to Spain in the Treaty of El Pardo. The borders of modern-day Equatorial Guinea would evolve between 1778 and 1968 as the area remained under European colonial rule.
In 1968, Equatorial Guinea was granted independence from Spain and elected Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA as its first president. MACIAS consolidated power soon after his election and ruled brutally for over a decade. Under his regime, Equatorial Guinea experienced mass suppression, purges, and killings. Some estimates indicate that a third of the population either went into exile or was killed under MACIAS’ rule. In 1979, present-day President OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo, then a senior military officer, deposed MACIAS in a violent coup. OBIANG has ruled since and has been elected in non-competitive contests several times, most recently in 2022. The president exerts near-total control over the political system.
Equatorial Guinea experienced rapid economic growth in the early years of the 21st century due to the discovery of large offshore oil reserves in 1996. Production peaked in 2004 and has declined since. The country's economic windfall from oil production resulted in massive increases in government revenue, a significant portion of which was earmarked for infrastructure development. Systemic corruption, however, has hindered socio-economic development, and the population has seen only limited improvements to living standards. Equatorial Guinea continues to seek to diversify its economy, increase foreign investment, and assume a greater role in regional and international affairs.
Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and Gabon
02°00' N, 10°00' E
Africa
Total : 28,051 km²
Land: 28,051 km²
Water: 0 km²
Slightly smaller than Maryland
Total: 528 km
Border countries (2): Cameroon 183 km; Gabon 345 km
296 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Tropical; always hot, humid
Coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic
Highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 577 m
Petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay
Agricultural land: 10.1% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.7% (2018 est.)
Forest: 57.5% (2018 est.)
Other: 32.4% (2018 est.)
NA
Only two large cities over 30,000 people (Bata on the mainland, and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko); small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands as shown in this population distribution map
Violent windstorms; flash floods
Volcanism: Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea
Insular and continental regions widely separated; despite its name, no part of the Equator passes through Equatorial Guinea; the mainland part of the country is located just north of the Equator
Total: 1,795,834
Male: 962,385
Female: 833,449 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 153; male 153; total 154
Noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
Adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean
Fang 78.1%, Bubi 9.4%, Ndowe 2.8%, Nanguedambo 2.7%, Bisio 0.9%, foreigner 5.3%, other 0.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)
Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes Fang, Bubi, Portuguese (official), French (official), Fa d'Ambo spoken in Annobon) 32.4% (1994 est.)
Major-language sample(s):
La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Roman Catholic 88%, Protestant 5%, Muslim 2%, other 5% (animist, Baha'i, Jewish) (2015 est.)
Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest and least populated countries in continental Africa and is the only independent African country where Spanish is an official language. Despite a boom in oil production in the 1990s, authoritarianism, corruption, and resource mismanagement have concentrated the benefits among a small elite. These practices have perpetuated income inequality and unbalanced development, such as low public spending on education and health care. Unemployment remains problematic because the oil-dominated economy employs a small labor force dependent on skilled foreign workers. The agricultural sector, Equatorial Guinea’s main employer, continues to deteriorate because of a lack of investment and the migration of rural workers to urban areas. About two-thirds of the population lives below the poverty line as of 2020.
Equatorial Guinea’s large and growing youth population – about 60% are under the age of 25 as of 2022 – is particularly affected because job creation in the non-oil sectors is limited, and young people often do not have the skills needed in the labor market. Equatorial Guinean children frequently enter school late, have poor attendance, and have high dropout rates. Thousands of Equatorial Guineans fled across the border to Gabon in the 1970s to escape the dictatorship of Francisco MACIAS NGUEMA; smaller numbers have followed in the decades since. Continued inequitable economic growth and high youth unemployment increases the likelihood of ethnic and regional violence.
0-14 years: 35.6% (male 330,636/female 309,528)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 585,139/female 481,121)
65 years and over: 5% (2024 est.) (male 46,610/female 42,800)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 72.2
Youth dependency ratio: 66.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.4
Potential support ratio: 18.5 (2021 est.)
Total: 22.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 22.7 years
Female: 21.5 years
3.23% (2024 est.)
29 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
8.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
12.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Only two large cities over 30,000 people (Bata on the mainland, and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko); small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands as shown in this population distribution map
Urban population: 74.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
297,000 MALABO (capital) (2018)
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.22 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.16 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
212 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 77.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 83.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 71.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 63.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 61.6 years
Female: 66.2 years
4.12 children born/woman (2024 est.)
2.03 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: 81.7% of population
Rural: 32.1% of population
Total: 67.6% of population
Unimproved: urban: 18.3% of population
Rural: 67.9% of population
Total: 32.4% of population (2017 est.)
3.8% of GDP (2020)
0.4 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Improved: urban: 81.2% of population
Rural: 63.4% of population
Total: 76.2% of population
Unimproved: urban: 18.8% of population
Rural: 36.6% of population
Total: 23.8% of population (2020 est.)
Degree of risk: very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: hepatitis B (2024)
Animal contact diseases: rabies
8% (2016)
Total: 6.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 1.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
60.2% (2023 est.)
NA
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95.3%
Male: 97.4%
Female: 93% (2015)
Deforestation (forests are threatened by agricultural expansion, fires, and grazing); desertification; water pollution (tap water is non-potable); wildlife preservation
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Tropical; always hot, humid
Agricultural land: 10.1% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 4.3% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.7% (2018 est.)
Forest: 57.5% (2018 est.)
Other: 32.4% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 74.4% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.62% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
1.52% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 25.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.65 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 11.21 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 198,443 tons (2016 est.)
Municipal: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 3 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
26 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
Local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial (Spanish)/ Republique de Guinee Equatoriale (French)
Local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial (Spanish)/ Guinee Equatoriale (French)
Former: Spanish Guinea
Etymology: the country is named for the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; the "equatorial" refers to the fact that the country lies just north of the Equator
Presidential republic
Name: Malabo; note - Malabo is on the island of Bioko; some months of the year, the government operates out of Bata on the mainland region.
Geographic coordinates: 3 45 N, 8 47 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: named after King MALABO (Malabo Lopelo Melaka) (1837–1937), the last king of the Bubi, the ethnic group indigenous to the island of Bioko
8 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Djibloho, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas
12 October 1968 (from Spain)
Independence Day, 12 October (1968)
History: previous 1968, 1973, 1982; approved by referendum 17 November 1991
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or supported by three fourths of the membership in either house of the National Assembly; passage requires three-fourths majority vote by both houses of the Assembly and approval in a referendum if requested by the president; amended several times, last in 2012
Mixed system of civil and customary law
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Equatorial Guinea
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: President OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979)
Head of government: Prime Minister Manuela ROKA Botey (since 1 February 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and overseen by the prime minister
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 November 2022 (next to be held in 2029); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president; President OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
Election results: 2022: OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 95%, other 6.1%
2016: OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5%
Description: bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of:
Senate or Senado (70 seats statutory, 74 seats for current term; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, 15 appointed by the president, and 4 ex-officio)
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 19 January 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 19 January 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; (elected) seats by party - PDGE 55; composition - men 60, women 20, percentage women 25% (includes 15 appointed and 2 ex-officio members)
Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 100; composition - men 68, women 32, percentage women 32%; total National Assembly percentage women 28.9%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the President of the Supreme Court and nine judges organized into civil, criminal, commercial, labor, administrative, and customary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 4 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president for five-year terms; Constitutional Court members appointed by the president, 2 of whom are nominated by the Chamber of Deputies; note - judges subject to dismissal by the president at any time
Subordinate courts: Court of Guarantees; military courts; Courts of Appeal; first instance tribunals; district and county tribunals
Center Right Union or UCD [Avelino MOCACHE Mehenga]
Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO]
Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO and Jeronimo OSA OSA Ecoro ]
Liberal Democratic Convention or CLD [Alfonso Nsue MOKUY]
Liberal Party or PL [Salvador NGUEMA MANGUE]
National Congress of Equatorial Guinea (CNGE) [Agustin MASOKO Abegue]
National Democratic Party (PNDGE) [Celestino MBOMIO AKIEME]
National Democratic Union or UDENA [Deogracias Dueberibe EDU]
National Union for Democracy PUNDGE [vacant]
Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Edouardo MBA BACALE]
Popular Union or UP [Alfredo Mitogo MITOGO ADE]
Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP [Francisco Mba OLO BAHAMONDE]
Social and Popular Convergence Party or CSDP [Deogracias KUNG NSUE]
Social Democratic Coalition Party (PCSD) [Buenaventura MONSUY ASUMU]
Social Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea or PSDGE [Marcos NZE MABALE]
Social Democratic Union or UDS [Miguel MBA NZANG]
Socialist Party of Equatorial Guinea [Jusus Pablo OYONO]
ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, Francophonie, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)
Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red, with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice); green symbolizes the jungle and natural resources, blue represents the sea that connects the mainland to the islands, white stands for peace, and red recalls the fight for independence
Silk cotton tree; national colors: green, white, red, blue
Name: "Caminemos pisando la senda" (Let Us Tread the Path)
Lyrics/music: Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO/Atanasio Ndongo MIYONO or Ramiro Sanchez LOPEZ (disputed)
Note: adopted 1968
Growing CEMAC economy and new OPEC member; large oil and gas reserves; targeting economic diversification and poverty reduction; still recovering from CEMAC crisis; improving public financial management; persistent poverty; hard-hit by COVID-19
$28.938 billion (2023 est.)
$30.685 billion (2022 est.)
$29.585 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
-5.69% (2023 est.)
3.72% (2022 est.)
0.86% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$16,900 (2023 est.)
$18,300 (2022 est.)
$18,100 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars
$12.117 billion (2023 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
4.79% (2022 est.)
-0.1% (2021 est.)
4.77% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Agriculture: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Industry: 54.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 42.9% (2017 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 203; industry 6; agriculture 162
Household consumption: 50% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 56.9% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -39% (2017 est.)
Sweet potatoes, cassava, plantains, oil palm fruit, root vegetables, bananas, coconuts, coffee, cocoa beans, chicken (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Petroleum, natural gas, sawmilling
-11.87% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
593,000 (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
8.67% (2023 est.)
8.75% (2022 est.)
9.19% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 18.3% (2021 est.)
Male: 17.1%
Female: 19.9%
44% (2011 est.)
0% of GDP (2019 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2017 est.)
Revenues: $2.604 billion (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $2.535 billion (2018 est.)
-3.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
37.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
43.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
6.69% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
-$738 million (2017 est.)
-$1.457 billion (2016 est.)
$6.231 billion (2022 est.)
$5.851 billion (2021 est.)
$4.041 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Zambia 21%, Spain 15%, China 15%, India 10%, Italy 6% (2022)
Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Crude petroleum, natural gas, fertilizers, packaged medicine, cars (2022)
Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
$4.297 billion (2022 est.)
$4.351 billion (2021 est.)
$3.669 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Zambia 38%, China 14%, Spain 10%, Nigeria 7%, US 4% (2022)
Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Ships, refined copper, iron alloys, raw copper, poultry (2022)
Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
$1.538 billion (2023 est.)
$1.458 billion (2022 est.)
$44.271 million (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$1.211 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.074 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Cooperation Financiere en Afrique Centrale francs (XAF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
585.911 (2019 est.)
Electrification - total population: 67% (2022 est.)
Electrification - urban areas: 89.8%
Electrification - rural areas: 1.4%
Installed generating capacity: 349,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.326 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 147.498 million kWh (2022 est.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 57; consumption 157; installed generating capacity 161
Fossil fuels: 67.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 32.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Imports: 17.1 metric tons (2022 est.)
Total petroleum production: 98,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Production: 6.75 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Consumption: 1.504 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Exports: 4.964 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 139.007 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
3.806 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 855,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 2.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
41.487 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 11,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Total subscriptions: 893,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2022 est.)
General assessment: the telecom service is forecasted to register a growth of more than 6% during the period of 2022-2026; mobile data is the largest contributor to total service revenue in 2021, followed by mobile voice, fixed broadband, mobile messaging, and fixed voice; the launch of the international submarine cable ACE, which connects 13 West African countries with Europe, will improve international capacity, bringing opportunities to data center providers; 4G network expansion and 4G service promotion will allow consumers and businesses to leverage 4G services (2022)
Domestic: fixed-line density is less than 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 39 per 100 (2021)
International: country code - 240; landing points for the ACE, Ceiba-1, and Ceiba-2 submarine cables providing communication from Bata and Malabo, Equatorial Guinea to numerous Western African and European countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)
The state maintains control of broadcast media with domestic broadcast media limited to 1 state-owned TV station, 1 private TV station owned by the president's eldest son (who is the Vice President), 1 state-owned radio station, and 1 private radio station owned by the president's eldest son; satellite TV service is available; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are generally accessible (2019)
.gq
Total: 864,000 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 54% (2021 est.)
Total: 1,000 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.1 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 466,435 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 350,000 (2018) mt-km
3C
7 (2024)
42 km condensate, 5 km condensate/gas, 79 km gas, 71 km oil (2013)
Total: 2,880 km (2017)
Total: 53 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 16, oil tanker 7, other 29
Total ports: 7 (2024)
Large: 0
Medium: 0
Small: 1
Very small: 6
Ports with oil terminals: 6
Key ports: Bata, Ceiba Terminal, Cogo, Luba, Malabo, Punta Europa Terminal, Serpentina Terminal
Equatorial Guinea Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial, FAGE): Equatorial Guinea National Guard (Guardia Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, GNGE (Army)), Navy, Air Force; Gendarmerie (Guardia Civil) (2024)
Note: police report to the Ministry of National Security, while gendarmes report to the Ministry of National Defense; police generally are responsible for maintaining law and order in the cities, while gendarmes are responsible for security outside cities and for special events; military personnel also fulfill some police functions in border areas, sensitive sites, and high-traffic areas
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2019 est.)
Approximately 1,500 active-duty troops; approximately 500 Gendarmerie (2023)
The FAGE is armed with mostly older (typically Soviet-era) and second-hand weapons systems; in recent years, it has sought to modernize its naval inventory with purchases of vessels from several countries, including Bulgaria and Israel; China and Russia have also supplied some equipment to the FAGE (2023)
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service, although conscription is rare in practice; 24-month service obligation (2023)
The FAGE’s National Guard (Army) is a small force with a few infantry battalions; in recent years, the country has invested heavily in naval capabilities to protect its oil installations and combat piracy and crime in the Gulf of Guinea; while the Navy is small, its inventory includes a light frigate and a corvette, as well as several off-shore patrol vessels; the Air Force has only a few operational combat aircraft and ground attack-capable helicopters (2023)
Tier rating:
Tier 3 — update pending (2024)