Some Notes on Equatorial Guinea

The Auris Project, Inc.

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Some Notes on Equatorial Guinea

By Denise McVeaSeptember 13, 2011___________________________________________________________________

The author recently spent three weeks in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea,which is undergoing dramatic change. Below are some interesting facts and observations about this fascinating West African country. These musingsare not meant to be comprehensive. Rather, the author hopes that thesecomments will animate the reader to learn more about what is clearly oneof the most rapidly developing economies in the world.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

*********The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Republic de Guinea Equatorial) is the only Spanish-

speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s,American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources. Since 2005, EGhas been substantially contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea now serves as

a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011Summit of the African Union.*********The country, under the stewardship of its President Obiang Nguema, is undergoing an absolutely

unprecedented transformation. In the last five years, the infrastructure has improveddramatically, with a developing economy that is staggering in its evolution and diversity. Thetwo main cities, Malabo and Bata, have been completely transformed, with stunning modern

architecture mixing thoughtfully with preserved colonial-era structures. The newfound wealth of the country is evident everywhere you turn. Brand new roads, charming restaurants, and newbuildings pop up every day. Massive infrastructure and public works projects are currentlyunderway.*********Equatorial Guinea is about the size of Maryland and has a population of less than a million

people. The official language is Spanish, but most everyone also speaks Fang, the language of the dominant tribe of the same name. French is also widely spoken. The Fang seem to have afacility for languages. The first person I met was a young woman returning to EG from studying

in Russia. We were in the Paris, France airport and she approached me to ask in French if Iwould watch her bags. I shook my head. She immediately switched to perfect English. Later,other EG students arrived and she began speaking to them, easily alternating between Fang and

Spanish. I commented that