Malabo - Culture
Bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cameroon and Gabon, lies the Western African country of Equatorial Guinea. The country's tropical climate, coastal planes and volcanic islands are home to some four hundred thousand residents, whose ethnic origins are primarily Spanish, Bioko and Rio Muni.
Spanish is the official language here, but also heard are varieties of pidgin English: Fang, Bubi and Ibo. The predominant religion is Roman Catholicism, although Pagan practices are kept alive as well.
The capital, Malabo, is located on the island of Bioko, near the coast of Cameroon; mainland territory lies between Cameroon and Gabon. Potential visitors must bear in mind that Equatorial Guinea is a poor and developing country, and as such, tourist facilities are extremely limited.
The Government of Equatorial Guinea has established stringent currency restrictions, applied upon arrival and departure from the country. Visitors bearing tourist passports must declare any currency in excess of 50,000 CFA (currently, approximately $85) upon arrival. Although this requirement is not clearly posted, travelers who fail to declare their excess currency risk forfeiture of any amount over 50,000 CFA upon departure.
Further, credit cards and checks are rarely accepted. Cash in local currency is usually the only form of payment accepted throughout the country. Credit card cash advances are not available, and most banks do not cash personal or Traveler’s checks.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing currently account for about half of the nations economical subsistence. While pre-independence Equatorial Guinea also relied on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the rural economy has successively deteriorated under harsh regimes. Moreover, a number of aid programs have been cut off since 1993, due to governmental mismanagement. By in large, businesses tend to be owned by government officials and their family members.
The principal export crop is cacao, which is grown almost entirely on Bioko. Coffee is grown on the mainland, which also produces tropical hardwood timber, the leading export in value, accounting for 54 percent of earnings in the early 1990s. Cassava and sweet potatoes are the staple foods. Local manufacturing industries include the processing of oil and soap, cocoa, yucca, coffee, and seafood. The currency is the CFA franc (284.6 CFA francs equal U.S.$1; 1993). An exchange rate of 50 CFA francs equal to 1 French franc was enforced from 1948 until 1994, when the CFA franc was devalued by 50 percent.
Under the 1982 constitution, the president was elected by universal suffrage to a seven-year term, and members of the legislature were elected to five-year terms. The Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea was the sole legal political party. A new multiparty constitution was approved in 1991.
