According to Article 3 of the Constitution of Equatorial Guinea, the country is divided for administrative and economic purposes into regions, provinces, districts, and municipalities.[1] In practice, the provinces serve as the first-level administrative divisions. Municipalities are subdivided into village councils and neighbourhood communities. Many of the sub-municipal entities are grouped into urban districts, which remain subordinate to municipalities and are distinct from districts proper.

Regions

Equatorial Guinea is divided into a continental region known as Río Muni, and an insular region comprising Bioko, Annobón, Corisco, Elobey Grande, Elobey Chico, Mbañe [es], Conga, Leva, Cocotero and other smaller islets.[1][2] The islets of Mbañe, Conga, and Cocotero are subject to a territorial dispute with Gabon, pending resolution at the International Court of Justice.[3][4]

Provinces

Main article: Provinces of Equatorial Guinea
A clickable map of Equatorial Guinea exhibiting its two regions and eight provinces. The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is not part of Equatorial Guinea.Bioko Norte ProvinceBioko Sur ProvinceLitoral Province (Equatorial Guinea)Kié-Ntem ProvinceKié-Ntem ProvinceCentro Sur ProvinceCentro Sur ProvinceCentro Sur ProvinceCentro Sur ProvinceDjibloho ProvinceDjibloho ProvinceDjibloho ProvinceWele-Nzas ProvinceWele-Nzas ProvinceWele-Nzas ProvinceWele-Nzas ProvinceAnnobón Province
A clickable map of Equatorial Guinea exhibiting its two regions and eight provinces. The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe is not part of Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea is divided into eight provinces (capitals appear in parentheses):

  1. Annobón (San Antonio de Palé)
  2. Bioko Norte (Malabo)
  3. Bioko Sur (Luba)
  4. Centro Sur (Evinayong)
  5. Djibloho (Ciudad de la Paz)
  6. Kié-Ntem (Ebebiyín)
  7. Litoral (Bata)
  8. Wele-Nzas (Mongomo)

The provinces are further divided into 19 districts and 37 municipalities.[2]

Districts and municipalities

Main article: Municipalities of Equatorial Guinea

The 19 districts and 37 municipalities of Equatorial Guinea are organized as shown in the following table. Municipalities that are the capitals of their respective provinces are shown in bold.

Districts and municipalities of Equatorial Guinea, grouped by province[2]
Provinces Population[5] Area Districts Population[5] Municipalities Population[5]
1994 2001 2015 1994 2001 2001
Annobón 2,820 5,008 5,314 17 San Antonio de Palé 2,820 5,008 San Antonio de Palé 5008
Bioko Norte 75,137 231,428 300,374 776 Malabo 64,439 211,276 Malabo (Capital of

Equatorial Guinea)

211,276
Baney `10,698 20,152 Baney 11,893
Rebola 8,259
Bioko Sur 12,469 29,034 34,674 1,241 Luba 9,242 23,870 Luba 23,870
Riaba 3,327 5,164 Riaba 5,164
Centro Sur 60,341 120,856 141,986 9,931 Akurenam 11,631 20,255 Akurenam 20,255
Evinayong 21,353 46,867 Bicurga 15,346
Evinayong 31,521
Niefang 27,357 53,734 Niefang 37,273
Nkimi 16,461
Kié-Ntem 92,779 167,279 183,664 3,943 Ebebiyín 45,557 88,891 Bidjabidján 28,144
Ebebiyín 60,747
Micomeseng 29,953 45,409 Micomeseng 20,226
Ncue 14,955
Nsang 10,228
Nsok-Nsomo 17,269 32,979 Nsok-Nsomo 32,979
Litoral 100,047 298,414 367,348 6,665 Bata 71,406 244,264 Bata 230,282
Machinda 9,387
Río Campo 4,595
Mbini 14,034 28,586 Bitica 8,291
Mbini 20,295
Cogo 14,607 25,564 Cogo 23,121
Corisco 2,443
Wele-Nzas 62,458 157,980 192,017 5,478 Aconibe 9,065 20,105 Aconibe 20,105
Añisok 22,613 52,684 Añisok 40,395
Ayene 12,289
Mongomo 23,756 69,154 Mengomeyén 15,644
Mongomo 53,510
Nsork 7,024 16,037 Nsork 16,037

Sub-municipal local government

Below the municipalities are further entities of local government, called village councils (consejos de poblados) in rural areas and neighbourhood communities (comunidades de vecinos) in urban areas.[6] According to a 2013 United Nations report, there were 716 village councils and 344 neighbourhood communities in Equatorial Guinea.[7]

Neighbourhood communities in the urban areas of Malabo and Bata are grouped into urban districts (distritos urbanos), five in each city. These urban districts are subordinate to municipalities and are thus different from districts proper which lie above the municipal level of government.

In 2017, Equatorial Guinea created three new urban districts from various village councils and neighbourhood communities in every district proper (including Bata and Malabo, which now have eight urban districts each) except for Annobón and Djibloho, which each saw the creation of two urban districts. Thus there are now a total of 65 urban districts in Equatorial Guinea.[2][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Article 3, Fundamental Law of Equatorial Guinea of 16 February 2012 (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Anuario estadístico de Guinea Ecuatorial 2018 [Statistical yearbook of Equatorial Guinea 2018] (PDF) (in Spanish). Malabo: INEGE. 2018. pp. 19–29. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Signing of Equatorial Guinea-Gabon agreement". Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  4. ^ Stéphane Dujarric (3 March 2020). "Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General - on the border dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon" (Press release). New York City: Secretary-General of the United Nations. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Geo Hive Equatorial Guinea". Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
  6. ^ "Entidades Locales Menores en la República de Guinea Ecuatorial" [Minor local entities in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea]. Law No. 6 of 15 November 2012 (PDF) (in Spanish). pp. 4, 18.
  7. ^ Informe del equipo de pais de las naciones unidas en la República de Guinea Ecuatorial sobre el estado de avance de las recomendaciones del Examen Periódico Universal (EPU) (in Spanish). Malabo: OHCHR. 27 September 2013. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  8. ^ Guinea Ecuatorial en Cifras 2019 [Equatorial Guinea in Figures 2019] (PDF) (in Spanish). Malabo: INEGE. 2018. p. 9. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
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