Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is located slightly north of the Equator, comprising the Rio Muni mainland and 5 volcanic offshore islands. It's notably a Spanish-speaking country - formerly a colony of Spain, it was known as Spanish Guinea until independence in 1968. The capital city of Malabo has plenty of beautiful architecture dating from it's Spanish colonial days and is a hub for the country’s prosperous oil industry - while the rest of the country's islands and interiors are filled with natural wonders, making them one of the region's best kept secrets. After the discovery of large oil reserves in 1996, the country quickly became wealthy overnight - but the wealth hasn't been spread equally and many parts of Equatorial Guinea remain impoverished.
Our trip to Equatorial Guinea begins in the country's capital city of Malabo. Located on Bioko island, this key port city is filled with Spanish colonial architecture, with one of the best examples being the impressive neo-Gothic, twin-towered Santa Isabel Cathedral, seen below looking over Independence Square.
Malabo is located at a strategic point on the Bight of Biafra - it's in close proximity to a number of important oil fields that give Equatorial Guinea so much of it's wealth. The Punta Europa refinery is one of the country's most important refineries and processes much of the country's oil production.
Towering over Malabo is one of the country's most impressive natural features - the massive peak of Pico Basilé, the country's highest point. With an altitude of 9,878 ft, it is the summit of the largest and highest of three overlapping basaltic shield volcanoes which form the island. While many other volcanoes in the region have long been dormant, Pico Basilé is still active - although the last eruption came in the 1920s. However, steam vents have been observed in recent years along with seismic activity - so you never know when it might blow again.
The landscapes surrounding Pico Basilé are truly spectacular, and are one of the continent's best kept secrets. During rainy season, the Moka Valley comes alive with countless dazzling waterfalls cascading off it's sheer slopes - known as the Iladyi Cascades, these are some of the continent's most impressive falls.
After exploring the wonders of Bioko, we catch a plane and head towards Equatorial Guinea's other primary region on the mainland - Rio Muni. We've arrived in Bata, the country's other important coastal port - home to over 170,000 people, it's also the country's largest city. However, much of the city is filled with slums as much of the country's oil wealth hasn't been evenly distributed over the decades.
We trek further into Equatorial Guinea's mainland - and there are plenty of wonders to behold in Monte Alen National Park. A protected area covering 2000 sq km, the park is an excellent place to experience lush flora. In the interior are a series of lakes and waterfalls, with the landscape climbing to an elevation of 1200m. In the park it's possible to spot whole range of animals as well as myriad birds and insects. It's also home to the world's biggest frog - the massive goliath frog.
Our tour concludes in the heart of the central Rio Muni mainland - where the newly planned capital city of Oyala is being built. The city's location was chosen for its easy access and more favorable climate - it is most notably on the mainland, while the current capital city Malabo is on the island of Bioko. Projected to have over 200,000 people, it will soon become the country's largest city and aims to become the first global capital city entirely dependent on renewable and sustainable energy.
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-korver
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