Subdivisions of Equatorial Guinea
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, 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
Equatorial Guinea is divided into eight provinces (capitals appear in parentheses):
- Annobón (San Antonio de Palé)
- Bioko Norte (Malabo)
- Bioko Sur (Luba)
- Centro Sur (Evinayong)
- Djibloho (Ciudad de la Paz)
- Kié-Ntem (Ebebiyín)
- Litoral (Bata)
- Wele-Nzas (Mongomo)
The provinces are further divided into 19 districts and 37 municipalities.[2]
Districts and municipalities
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.
| Provinces | Districts | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Annobón | San Antonio de Palé | San Antonio de Palé |
| Bioko Norte | Malabo | Malabo |
| Baney | Baney | |
| Rebola | ||
| Bioko Sur | Luba | Batete |
| Luba | ||
| Moka | ||
| Riaba | Riaba | |
| Centro Sur | Akurenam | Akurenam |
| Evinayong | Bicurga | |
| Evinayong | ||
| Teguete | ||
| Niefang | Niefang | |
| Nkimi | ||
| Nkumekien | ||
| Djibloho | Djibloho | Djibloho |
| Kié-Ntem | Ebebiyín | Bidjabidján |
| Ebebiyín | ||
| Micomeseng | Micomeseng | |
| Ncue | ||
| Nsang | ||
| Nsok-Nsomo | Nsok-Nsomo | |
| Litoral | Bata | Bata |
| Machinda | ||
| Río Campo | ||
| Mbini | Bitica | |
| Mbini | ||
| Cogo | Cabo San Juan | |
| Cogo | ||
| Corisco | ||
| Wele-Nzas | Aconibe | Aconibe |
| Añisok | Añisok | |
| Ayene | ||
| Mongomo | Mengomeyén | |
| Mongomo | ||
| Nzangayong | ||
| Nsork | Nsork |
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.[5] According to a 2013 United Nations report, there were 716 village councils and 344 neighbourhood communities in Equatorial Guinea.[6]
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][7]
References
- ^ a b Fundamental Law of Equatorial Guinea, Article 3 (PDF) (in Spanish). 16 February 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Signing of Equatorial Guinea-Gabon agreement". Equatorial Guinea Press and Information Office. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Entidades Locales Menores en la República de Guinea Ecuatorial [Minor local entities in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea] (PDF) (Law 6) (in Spanish). 15 November 2012. pp. 4, 18.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Guinea Ecuatorial en Cifras 2019 [Equatorial Guinea in Figures 2019] (PDF) (in Spanish). Malabo: INEGE. 2018. p. 9. Retrieved 30 November 2020.