Equatorial Guinea after Live Aid

Equatorial Guinea is located off West Africa and is a former Spanish Colony. It is a small nation with a population of fewer than 700,000. Since striking oil in the mid 1990s, it has become one of sub-Sahara's biggest oil producers. In 2004 it was reported to have the world's fastest-growing economy. However, few people have benefited from the oil riches and the country languishes near the bottom of the UN human development index.

Less than half the population has access to clean drinking water and 20% of children die before reaching five. Waterborne diseases are a huge issue, 20,000 people are HIV positive and lack of awareness means that thousands more lives are at risk. The public health system is in dire need of money and resources with only 25 doctors per 100,000 people.

Politically, there is a lack of transparency and corruption is rife. SOS Children have worked in the country since the late 1990s.

Find out about sponsoring a child in Equatorial Guinea…

Time Line

• 1968 Spanish Guinea granted independence and becomes the Republic of Equatorial Guinea with Francisco Macias Nguema as president.

• 1972 Nguema becomes president for life.
  

• 1979 Nguema ousted in military coup led by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

•  1993 First multi-party elections are generally condemned as fraudulent and are boycotted by the opposition.
  

• 1996 (February) President Obiang Nguema wins 99% of votes in election; irregularities suspected.
  

• 1996 (March)Mobil oil corporation announces it has discovered sizeable new oil and gas reserves.
  

• 1999 Ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea wins majority of seats in parliamentary elections which are again condemned as fraudulent.
  

• 2000 SOS Children opens a Children’s Village in Bata as well as an SOS Nursery, Primary School and Secondary School.
  

• 2001 Economy emerges as one of world's fastest-growing because of oil exploitation. However, the trickle-down effect of growth is very slow.
  
• SOS Children opens an SOS Medical Centre in Bata in order to ensure efficient medical care for the people and to implement various preventive measures at a local level.

• 2002 President Obiang Nguema re-elected with 100% of the vote. Opposition leaders had pulled out of the poll, citing fraud and irregularities.
  

• 2004 Parliamentary elections: President Obiang's party and allies take 98 of 100 seats. The election result faces extensive foreign criticism.
  

• 2008 President Obiang accepts resignation of the entire government, accusing it of corruption and mismanagement; appoints Ignacio Milam Tang as new prime minister.
  

• 2009 Presidential elections. President Obiang wins again. 20,000 people are estimated to be living with HIV/ AIDS.
  

• 2011 Referendum on constitutional changes; critics see this as a power grab.

• 2012 At 5.5% GDP growth is slowing down, a result of a lethargic oil sector and a lower contribution from construction and services.
  

• 2013 Opposition activists are arrested in run-up to parliamentary elections. The infant mortality rate remains high at 73.12 deaths per 1,000 live births, placing Equatorial Guinea 14th in the world.