GeoRealityMatch
Peaceful road lined with palm trees in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.Scenic aerial view of Zacatecoluca in El Salvador during a beautiful summer sunset with lush greenery and distant smoke.

Equatorial Guinea

Africa · Middle Africa

High safetyMedium development

Life expectancy is short.

Safety

38th most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
1.729lower is more peacefulHigh safety
#38 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$5,890national income per person, US dollarsModerate
World Bank · 2025

Income and inflation over time

Income per person fell 35% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and fell 57% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$20K$40K$16,133 PPP$6,615Inflation, % a year8%0200620102015202020252006, $10,185 a person, $23,511 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2007, $12,617 a person, $26,611 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2008, $18,211 a person, $30,523 at PPP, inflation 6.6%2009, $13,233 a person, $29,722 at PPP, inflation 4.7%2010, $13,720 a person, $26,168 at PPP, inflation 7.8%2011, $17,198 a person, $27,242 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2012, $17,309 a person, $30,012 at PPP, inflation 3.7%2013, $16,304 a person, $27,910 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2014, $15,549 a person, $27,177 at PPP, inflation 4.3%2015, $9,069 a person, $19,479 at PPP, inflation 1.7%2016, $7,453 a person, $16,649 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2017, $7,809 a person, $18,435 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2018, $8,102 a person, $18,413 at PPP, inflation 1.1%2019, $6,804 a person, $16,451 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2020, $5,764 a person, $13,677 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2021, $6,946 a person, $16,821 at PPP2022, $7,589 a person, $18,137 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2023, $6,788 a person, $16,997 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2024, $7,004 a person, $17,072 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2025, $6,615 a person, $16,133 at PPP$0$20K$40KInflation, % a year8%0200620102015202020252006, $10,185 a person, $23,511 at PPP, inflation 4.4%2007, $12,617 a person, $26,611 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2008, $18,211 a person, $30,523 at PPP, inflation 6.6%2009, $13,233 a person, $29,722 at PPP, inflation 4.7%2010, $13,720 a person, $26,168 at PPP, inflation 7.8%2011, $17,198 a person, $27,242 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2012, $17,309 a person, $30,012 at PPP, inflation 3.7%2013, $16,304 a person, $27,910 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2014, $15,549 a person, $27,177 at PPP, inflation 4.3%2015, $9,069 a person, $19,479 at PPP, inflation 1.7%2016, $7,453 a person, $16,649 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2017, $7,809 a person, $18,435 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2018, $8,102 a person, $18,413 at PPP, inflation 1.1%2019, $6,804 a person, $16,451 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2020, $5,764 a person, $13,677 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2021, $6,946 a person, $16,821 at PPP2022, $7,589 a person, $18,137 at PPP, inflation 4.8%2023, $6,788 a person, $16,997 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2024, $7,004 a person, $17,072 at PPP, inflation 2.9%2025, $6,615 a person, $16,133 at PPP

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Among the shortest life expectancies

Life expectancy
63.9years, at birthVery low
#173 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
49WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100Very lowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
27.3PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageHighWHO · 2023
Work and internet
Unemployment rate
8.3%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Scenic aerial view of Zacatecoluca in El Salvador during a beautiful summer sunset with lush greenery and distant smoke.
How it changed

Equatorial Guinea's Human Development Index

0.674Medium human development

133rd of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 12th of 54 in Africa.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #130India0.685
  2. #132El Salvador0.678
  3. #133Equatorial Guinea0.674
  4. #135Cape Verde0.668
  5. #136Namibia0.665
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 2000

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.508 in 2000 to 0.674 in 2023.

0.450.570.700.6742000201020232000: 0.5082001: 0.5212002: 0.5362003: 0.5412004: 0.5522005: 0.5662006: 0.5912007: 0.6032008: 0.6132009: 0.6152010: 0.6122011: 0.6242012: 0.6352013: 0.6442014: 0.6522015: 0.6562016: 0.6592017: 0.6612018: 0.6632019: 0.6672020: 0.6682021: 0.6712022: 0.6772023: 0.6740.450.570.702000201020232000: 0.5082001: 0.5212002: 0.5362003: 0.5412004: 0.5522005: 0.5662006: 0.5912007: 0.6032008: 0.6132009: 0.6152010: 0.6122011: 0.6242012: 0.6352013: 0.6442014: 0.6522015: 0.6562016: 0.6592017: 0.6612018: 0.6632019: 0.6672020: 0.6682021: 0.6712022: 0.6772023: 0.674

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 24 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
63.9 years2024at birthUp 8.1 years from 55.8 years in 2005
Internet users
63%2024of people onlineUp 62 points from 1% in 2006
Urban population
72%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 28 points from 44% in 2006
Births per woman
4.122024births per womanDown 1.44 from 5.56 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
4%2022of energy usedDown 3 points from 7% in 2004
Access to electricity
65%2024of people with electricityLevel with 2005
Infant mortality
482024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 43 from 91 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
2.5 t2024of CO2 per person a yearDown 4.2 t from 6.8 t in 2005
Forest area
86%2023of land under forestDown 6 points from 92% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

Oil-rich tiny state with high GDP per capita on paper; extreme inequality, authoritarian. The case against is short lives, patchy access to essential health services and polluted air.

About Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest and least visited countries in Africa, a Central African nation with a mainland portion and islands in the Gulf of Guinea, covered in dense tropical rainforest and remarkable biodiversity. The culture blends Bantu African and Spanish colonial influences in a way rarely seen elsewhere on the continent. It is essentially for dedicated wildlife researchers and the most adventurous of independent travellers.

Practical facts

  • CapitalCiudad de la Paz
  • LanguagesFrench, Portuguese, Spanish
  • CurrencyCentral African CFA franc (XAF)
  • Area28,050 km²
  • Plug typeType C/E
  • Drives on theright
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Quick answers

What is Equatorial Guinea's Human Development Index?

Equatorial Guinea's Human Development Index is 0.674 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #133 of 193 by UNDP.

Is Equatorial Guinea safe?

Equatorial Guinea scores 1.73 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #38 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

What is life expectancy in Equatorial Guinea?

Life expectancy at birth in Equatorial Guinea is 63.9 yrs (World Bank), ranked #173 of 195 countries.