Environment in Equatorial Guinea ⋆ Environment Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

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The nation of Equatorial Guinea is located in west central Africa. The total land area is 10,811 square miles (28,000 square kilometers) and includes the mainland region as well as the islands of Bioko, Annobon, and others. In 2006, the estimated population of the country was 540,000, and it was one of the last African countries to gain independence (in 1968, from Spain). Continental Equatorial Guinea rises from a wide coastal plain to the hilly terrains of the interior. The Mbini River Basin covers much of this region, which is home to about 80 percent of the population. The islands are volcanic and present altitudes above 9,840 feet (3,000 meters) in Annobon. The climate is hot with abundant rainfall throughout the year. About two-thirds of the continental portion is covered by tropical rain forest.

Since 1995, Equatorial Guinea has become one of the largest oil producers and exporters of Sub-Saharan Africa. Oil fields were discovered in the islands in the early 1990s and large-scale production began in 1995. In 2004, the country was producing nearly 400,000 barrels/day (the third-highest rate among African nations, after Nigeria and Angola), with estimated reserves of 1.3 billion barrels. Because of oil operations, the country ranks third in Africa (after Angola and South Africa) in U.S. investments. The contribution of oil to Equatorial Guinea’s Gross National Product (GNP) rose from 7 percent in 1992 to 83 percent in 2000. Booming oil prices in 2004, 2005, and 2006 induced sharp increases in the country’s GNP, which attained double digits during these years. However, oil revenues have not been directed to development, and there are serious accusations of misappropriation of oil money by the government. Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in Africa, with much of the population subsisting on $1 a day or less and health indicators among the worst of the region (life expectancy is around 50 years and the infant mortality rate is 111 per 1,000). Malaria has taken a heavy toll, especially among the young, and waterborne diseases are also widespread, as only 45 percent of the population have access to potable water in urban areas (42 percent in rural areas).

Deforestation has become widespread during the last decades. Originally, the tropical rain forest covered about 96 percent of the country. By the year 2000, this area had been reduced to 62 percent. Before the oil boom of the 1990s, timber (okume and ebony) was the main commodity produced in the country. About 3.2 million acres (1.3 million hectares) are susceptible to timber production. In 1993, about 1.4 million acres (600,000 hectares) had been authorized for exploitation, but the devaluation of the currency in 1994 prompted an increase in the number of concessions (mostly to Chinese and Russian investors) to the point that by the end of the 1990s, all productive forests had been organized in some 80 lots and were regularly exploited. One large Chinese company controls virtually half of the timber produced in Equatorial Guinea. In 2003, about 16 percent of the land was protected, although there are concerns about the growing illegal traffic of plants and animals. In the late 1988 there were accusations that the waters surrounding the island of Annobon were used to dump toxic and nuclear wastes produced in Western countries.

Bibliography:

Randall Fegley, Equatorial Guinea (ABC-CLIO, Incorporated, 1992);
USA IBP, Equatorial Guinea: A Spy Guide (International Business Publications, USA, 2005);
Jan Vansina, Paths in the Rainforests: Toward a History of Political Tradition in Equatorial Africa (University of Wisconsin Press, 1990).