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Welcome » » » Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Malabo is located on the volcanic island of Bioko and is the capital of Equatorial Guinea. The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, south of Nigeria and west of Cameroon. Malabo is situated at the northern side of the island, in a region called Bioko Norte. With an average temperature of 77 °F (25 °C) and an annual rainfall of 75 inches (1,900 mm), it has an Equatorial/Monsoon climate.
The soil of this region is very fertile and produces a great variety of products such as timber and some of the world finest cocoa, which used to be the primary source of employment and export of the Island.
The city was first founded by the British in 1827, who leased the island from Spain during the colonial period. Named Port Clarence, it was used as a naval station in the effort to suppress the slave trade. Many newly freed slaves were also settled there, prior to the establishment of Sierra Leone as a colony for freed slaves. While many of them later relocated to Sierra Leone, some of their descendants, called Fernandinos can still be found in Malabo and the surrounding area, where they constitute a distinct ethnic group, speaking their own Afro-Portuguese pidgin dialect.
When the island reverted to complete Spanish control, Malabo was renamed Santa Isabel. It was chosen to replace the mainland town of Bata as the capital of the country in 1969, and was renamed Malabo in 1973 as part of a campaign to replace European names with "authentic" African ones.
Malabo is unique among African cities. Equatorial Guinea (E.G.) is the only Spanish speaking nation in Africa, making Malabo the only African capital where Spanish is the official language. Most regional nations are French speaking, and the national first job provider industry (Energy sector) uses English as the business language; therefore, a high percentage of Malabo’s population is trilingual.
According to the 1996 census, Malabo had an estimated population of 65.000 inhabitants. Today, due the large immigration from agricultural areas, as well as the large amounts of foreigner oil industry employees from all over the world, the population of Malabo has increased dramatically. Today, the population has reached approximately 250,000.
Unlike many cities in the region, Malabo is known and appreciated for its sense of safeness and security. Visitors need not feel threatened any time of night or day.
Malabo is full of business opportunities. It is open to anyone wanting to establish a business regardless of nationality, religion, gender or race.
Today, the energy sector is the largest employer in Malabo, followed by the Government. Other key sectors include construction, communication, and education.
The goal of the E.G. government is to make Malabo as well as the entire nation a regional reference.
The agenda of the Mayor of Malabo is to instill the National Development and Social plan by 202 which will enable a better way of life, better infrastructures and services, better utility providers and health care for everyone. The goal is to bring a longer life expectancy and well being for all people living in Malabo.
Malabo is a proud member of WECP and will keep working and learning from fellow city members, waiting for the time and opportunity to prove its capabilities.
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