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Equatorial Guinea
History of
Equatorial Guinea
Portuguese explorer Fernando Poo was the first European to discover the island of Bioko (now home to the nation’s capital, Malabo) in 1471.
Twenty years later, Christopher Columbus discovered America. This discovery had a tremendous historical impact on Africa because it led to the development of the slave trade in order to provide labor for the plantations in the West Indies. African tribal chiefs acted as middlemen in this slave trade by assembling slaves in African warehouses at Goree (Senegal) and Luanda (Angola). In Equatorial Guinea, the present day islands of Bioko and Corisco served as warehouses for the "ebony wood" being exported to the New World.
Portugal controlled Bioko and a portion of the mainland for more than 300 years until it traded the territory to Spain in exchange for rights in South America.
Three weeks after the signing of the treaty, the Spanish Count Argzliegos led a small squadron from Montevideo in Uruguay to occupy the islands of Annobon and Bioko. His main objective was to set up slave trade centers in the Gulf of Guinea which were to supply the Spanish and American plantations. His expedition failed because the Annobonians threw back the Spanish into the sea. However the slave trade continued undiminished.
By the end of the 18th century, Europe at the age of Enlightenment began to feel the plight of Africans. The Congress of Vienna, which brought together all European countries, called for the abolition of the slave trade. In Africa, and central Africa in particular, the British marines, carried out the fight against slave dealers from bases on Bioko, where they had settled as early as 1827. Moreover, the British equally strived to stop trafficking in "ebony wood" from its source by signing treaties imposing its suppression with African kings and chiefs throughout the Gulf of Guinea.
The first priest and religious officials arrived on Bioko in the early 19th century, followed in 1858 by the Jesuits. This date marked a turning point for these territories that would become Equatorial Guinea. Spain actually made its presence felt by replacing the British Governors of Bioko with commander Carlos Chacon. One of the first ambitions of the new governor was to impose Catholicism as the official religion which forced the departure of protestant missionaries.
The economy of Bioko was transformed in the second half of the 19th century with the introduction of cocoa and coffee plants imported from the Island of Sao Tomé. In 1937, the Spanish government put in the necessary funds required to develop Bioko by creating administrative units and by importing labor from West Africa to work in the cocoa and coffee plantations.
The mainland territory of Rio Muni however did not fall prey to colonization. The Fang people -- armed with weapons procured through trade -- put up a relentless resistance against any European attempt to enter the mainland until 1926.
Bioko also saw local challenges to Spanish colonialism, with two uprisings in 1898 and 1910. This latter revolt, in the town of Luba, was brought about by the stipulation that every Bubi aged15 – 50 was to do forced labor three times a year in European-owned plantations. The result was a series of treaties between Spain and countries in the Gulf of Guinea to find alternatives to solve the problem of shortage in manpower.
Following World Way II, Equatorial Guinea, like most colonies, began to experience a drive for independence. In 1956, Acacio Mane, a black farmer, headed a clandestine opposition movement known as "la Cruzade Nacionale de Liberacion". When Spain joined the United Nations, he had the courage to sign a memorandum addressed to the U.N. accusing Spain of mistreatment of Equatorial Guinea. He refused to go into exile, was arrested by the Spanish civil guards and assassinated in 1958, in the barracks of Bata. Under international pressure, Spain was later forced to undertake a process that would gradually bring Equatorial Guinea to independence.
The region’s status began to change in 1959, when it was given the status similar to a province of Spain, including elections for seats in the Spanish parliament, and a governor general.
In 1968, following an intense campaign by the U.N. and leading Equato-Guineans, Spain announced that it would grant Equatorial Guinea independence. In August of that same year, 68% of Equato-Guineans voted for a draft constitution, which provided a basic government structure, including a president, General Assembly and Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, Francisco Macias Nguema was elected the country’s first president in September of 1968 and independence was granted a month later. Less than two years later, President Macias had begun to undermine the constitution and create a one-party state. Within 4 years, he had assumed the title of President-for-Life.
Referred to as the "Dachau of Africa," Equatorial Guinea under Macias saw a civilian population terrorized by the government to the point that as much as a third of the nation was executed, exiled or emigrated. The country’s basic infrastructure was devastated by neglect or state-sponsored thievery.
With the nation on the path to destruction, leading Equato-Guineans took action. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago successfully took control of the government. President Macias was arrested and tried for his horrendous crimes against the country and its people. Found guilty, he was executed.
A Supreme Military Council governed Equatorial Guinea initially and began the long, slow process of building a nation that had been nearly torn down to its foundations. With the help of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, Equatorial Guinea drafted a new constitution in 1982, which was adopted by popular vote that same year. President Obiang served as president, and was re-elected for seven-year terms in 1989, 1996 and 2003.
In 1995, Equatorial Guinea was found to have massive reserves of petroleum. Shortly thereafter, significant reserves of natural gas were also discovered. These findings have generated substantial revenue for Equatorial Guinea, which is being invested in increasing transparency in its financial practices and diversifying its economy, modernizing its infrastructure, strengthening its public health system, and promoting education to build a strong foundation for the future of the country.
Equatorial Guinea Tourism
Twenty years later, Christopher Columbus discovered America. This discovery had a tremendous historical impact on Africa because it led to the development of the slave trade in order to provide labor for the plantations in the West Indies. African tribal chiefs acted as middlemen in this slave trade by assembling slaves in African warehouses at Goree (Senegal) and Luanda (Angola). In Equatorial Guinea, the present day islands of Bioko and Corisco served as warehouses for the "ebony wood" being exported to the New World.
Portugal controlled Bioko and a portion of the mainland for more than 300 years until it traded the territory to Spain in exchange for rights in South America.
Three weeks after the signing of the treaty, the Spanish Count Argzliegos led a small squadron from Montevideo in Uruguay to occupy the islands of Annobon and Bioko. His main objective was to set up slave trade centers in the Gulf of Guinea which were to supply the Spanish and American plantations. His expedition failed because the Annobonians threw back the Spanish into the sea. However the slave trade continued undiminished.
By the end of the 18th century, Europe at the age of Enlightenment began to feel the plight of Africans. The Congress of Vienna, which brought together all European countries, called for the abolition of the slave trade. In Africa, and central Africa in particular, the British marines, carried out the fight against slave dealers from bases on Bioko, where they had settled as early as 1827. Moreover, the British equally strived to stop trafficking in "ebony wood" from its source by signing treaties imposing its suppression with African kings and chiefs throughout the Gulf of Guinea.
The first priest and religious officials arrived on Bioko in the early 19th century, followed in 1858 by the Jesuits. This date marked a turning point for these territories that would become Equatorial Guinea. Spain actually made its presence felt by replacing the British Governors of Bioko with commander Carlos Chacon. One of the first ambitions of the new governor was to impose Catholicism as the official religion which forced the departure of protestant missionaries.
The economy of Bioko was transformed in the second half of the 19th century with the introduction of cocoa and coffee plants imported from the Island of Sao Tomé. In 1937, the Spanish government put in the necessary funds required to develop Bioko by creating administrative units and by importing labor from West Africa to work in the cocoa and coffee plantations.
The mainland territory of Rio Muni however did not fall prey to colonization. The Fang people -- armed with weapons procured through trade -- put up a relentless resistance against any European attempt to enter the mainland until 1926.
Bioko also saw local challenges to Spanish colonialism, with two uprisings in 1898 and 1910. This latter revolt, in the town of Luba, was brought about by the stipulation that every Bubi aged15 – 50 was to do forced labor three times a year in European-owned plantations. The result was a series of treaties between Spain and countries in the Gulf of Guinea to find alternatives to solve the problem of shortage in manpower.
Following World Way II, Equatorial Guinea, like most colonies, began to experience a drive for independence. In 1956, Acacio Mane, a black farmer, headed a clandestine opposition movement known as "la Cruzade Nacionale de Liberacion". When Spain joined the United Nations, he had the courage to sign a memorandum addressed to the U.N. accusing Spain of mistreatment of Equatorial Guinea. He refused to go into exile, was arrested by the Spanish civil guards and assassinated in 1958, in the barracks of Bata. Under international pressure, Spain was later forced to undertake a process that would gradually bring Equatorial Guinea to independence.
The region’s status began to change in 1959, when it was given the status similar to a province of Spain, including elections for seats in the Spanish parliament, and a governor general.
In 1968, following an intense campaign by the U.N. and leading Equato-Guineans, Spain announced that it would grant Equatorial Guinea independence. In August of that same year, 68% of Equato-Guineans voted for a draft constitution, which provided a basic government structure, including a president, General Assembly and Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, Francisco Macias Nguema was elected the country’s first president in September of 1968 and independence was granted a month later. Less than two years later, President Macias had begun to undermine the constitution and create a one-party state. Within 4 years, he had assumed the title of President-for-Life.
Referred to as the "Dachau of Africa," Equatorial Guinea under Macias saw a civilian population terrorized by the government to the point that as much as a third of the nation was executed, exiled or emigrated. The country’s basic infrastructure was devastated by neglect or state-sponsored thievery.
With the nation on the path to destruction, leading Equato-Guineans took action. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago successfully took control of the government. President Macias was arrested and tried for his horrendous crimes against the country and its people. Found guilty, he was executed.
A Supreme Military Council governed Equatorial Guinea initially and began the long, slow process of building a nation that had been nearly torn down to its foundations. With the help of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, Equatorial Guinea drafted a new constitution in 1982, which was adopted by popular vote that same year. President Obiang served as president, and was re-elected for seven-year terms in 1989, 1996 and 2003.
In 1995, Equatorial Guinea was found to have massive reserves of petroleum. Shortly thereafter, significant reserves of natural gas were also discovered. These findings have generated substantial revenue for Equatorial Guinea, which is being invested in increasing transparency in its financial practices and diversifying its economy, modernizing its infrastructure, strengthening its public health system, and promoting education to build a strong foundation for the future of the country.
Equatorial Guinea Tourism