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Malabo ( , ; formerly Santa Isabel) is the
capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of
Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
and the province of
Bioko Norte Bioko Norte () is the second-most populated of the eight provinces of Equatorial Guinea, after the Wele-Nzas province. Both the provincial capital, Rebola, and the national capital, Malabo are located here. Heavily forested with little urban d ...
. It is located on the north coast of the island of Bioko, ( bvb, Etulá, and as ''Fernando Pó'' by the Europeans). In 2018, the city had a population of approximately 297,000 inhabitants. Spanish is the official language of the city and of the country as well, but
Pichinglis Pichinglis, commonly referred to by its speakers as ''Pichi'' and formally known as Fernando Po Creole English (''Fernandino''), is an Atlantic English-lexicon creole language spoken on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. It is an offshoo ...
is used as a language of wider communication across Bioko island, including Malabo. Malabo is the oldest city in Equatorial Guinea. Ciudad de la Paz is a planned community under construction in mainland Equatorial Guinea which was designed to replace Malabo as the capital. The institutions of governance of Equatorial Guinea began the process of locating to Ciudad de la Paz in February 2017.


History


European discovery and Portuguese occupation

In 1472, in an attempt to find a new route to India, the Portuguese navigator
Fernão do Pó Fernão do Pó (; ''fl.'' 1472), also known as Fernão Pó, Fernando Pó or Fernando Poo, was a 15th-century Portuguese navigator and explorer of the West African coast. He was the first European to see the islands in the Gulf of Guinea around 14 ...
, encountered the island of Bioko, which he called ''Formosa''.Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLIO, USA, 2013, p. 174 Later, the island was named after its discoverer, Fernando Pó. At the beginning of the 16th century, specifically in 1507, the Portuguese Ramos de Esquivel made a first attempt at colonization on the island of Fernando Pó. He established a factory in ''Concepción'' (now Riaba) and developed plantations of
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
. With the treaties of San Ildefonso in 1777 and El Pardo in 1778, during the reign of the Spanish King Charles III, the Portuguese gave to the Spanish the islands of Fernando Pó,
Annobón Annobón ( es, Provincia de Annobón; pt, Ano-Bom), and formerly as ''Anno Bom'' and ''Annabona'', is a province (smallest province in both area and population) of Equatorial Guinea consisting of the island of Annobón, formerly also Pigalu a ...
, and the right to conduct trade in the mainland, an area of influence of approximately 800 000 km2 in Africa, in exchange for the Colonia del Sacramento in Río de la Plata and the Santa Catalina Island off the Brazilian coast (occupied by the Spaniards). The area stretched from the Niger Delta to the mouth of Ogooué River — in current Gabon — and included, besides the islands of Fernando Pó and
Annobón Annobón ( es, Provincia de Annobón; pt, Ano-Bom), and formerly as ''Anno Bom'' and ''Annabona'', is a province (smallest province in both area and population) of Equatorial Guinea consisting of the island of Annobón, formerly also Pigalu a ...
, the islets of Corisco and Elobeyes. Having failed its attempts to colonize these lands because they already had vast colonies in other parts of the world, Spain lost interest in Spanish Guinea in 1827 and authorized the British to use the island as a base for suppressing the slave trade.


British presence

In 1821, the British captain Nelly approached the island of Fernando Pó. He found it abandoned and founded the establishments of ''Melville Bay'' (now Riaba) and ''San Carlos'' (now Luba). Some years later, another British captain,
William Fitzwilliam Owen Vice Admiral William Fitzwilliam Owen (17 September 1774 – 3 November 1857), was a Kingdom of Great Britain, British naval officer and explorer. He is best known for his exploration of the west and east African coasts, discovery of the Sea ...
, decided to colonize the island and in the north of it — on the site of the present capital — erected a base for British ships hunting
slave traders The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Likewise, its victims have come from many different ethnicities and religious groups. The social, economic, and legal positions of en ...
. Thus, on 25 December 1827, ''Port Clarence'' was founded on the ruins of a previous Portuguese settlement.The name was chosen in honor of the Duke of Clarence, who later became King William IV. The Bubis indigenous to the island called it ''Ripotó'' (place of the foreigners). The population of the capital was increased by the arrival of slaves freed by the British. These freedmen were settled in Port Clarence before the establishment of Sierra Leone as a colony for freed slaves. The descendants of these freed slaves remained on the island. They joined other migrants who arrived as free workers from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon, and became the population group called Creole or
fernandinos Fernandinos are creoles, multi-ethnic or multi-racial populations who developed in Equatorial Guinea (Spanish Guinea). Their name is derived from the island of Fernando Pó, where many worked. This island was named for the Portuguese explorer F ...
, whose language was
Pichinglis Pichinglis, commonly referred to by its speakers as ''Pichi'' and formally known as Fernando Po Creole English (''Fernandino''), is an Atlantic English-lexicon creole language spoken on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea. It is an offshoo ...
, a Bantu-English Creole with some Spanish elements. During the British period, the British consul automatically became the governor of the colony, including Governor
John Beecroft John Beecroft (1790 – 10 June 1854) was an explorer, governor of Fernando Po and British Consul of the Bight of Benin and Biafra. Early life Beecroft was born in England near the port of Whitby, Yorkshire.Howard Temperley, 'Beecroft, John (1 ...
, a British
mulatto (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...
who modernized the capital, and whose work was later recognized by Spain with a monument in Punta Fernanda.


Spanish definitive control and new capital

In 1844, when Queen Isabella II of Spain ruled after the regency of her mother Maria Cristina and
Baldomero Espartero Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Álvarez de Toro (27 February 17938 January 1879) was a Spanish marshal and statesman. He served as the Regent of the Realm, three times as Prime Minister and briefly as President of the Congress of Deputies. ...
, in an attempt to modernize Spain and rescue its heritage, Spain let the UK know its desire to regain control of the colony and thus the island. It took another decade to implement this direct control. The capital already had more dynamic and Protestant religious missions which were very successful. Both factors helped to change the attitude of Spain, in addition to internal reasons already alluded. Spain again took control of the island in 1855 and the capital, Port Clarence, was renamed ''Santa Isabel'', in honor of Queen
Isabella II Isabella II ( es, Isabel II; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904), was Queen of Spain from 29 September 1833 until 30 September 1868. Shortly before her birth, the King Ferdinand VII of Spain issued a Pragmatic Sanction to ensure the successio ...
.The capital of the island of Fernando Pó became the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Its present name was given to the town in 1973 as part of the campaign of President Francisco Macías Nguema to replace place names of European origin with African names, in this case honoring Malabo Löpèlo Mëlaka, the last Bubi king. Malabo, the son of King Moka, surrendered to the Spaniards. His uncle Sas Ebuera, head of the Bubi warriors, claimed to represent legitimate Bubi rule and continued resisting, confronting the Spanish openly in 1898. After the Spanish killed Sas Ebuera, Malabo became the king unopposed, but with no authority. Bubi clans and settlements were slow to accept Spanish sovereignty over the island, and the full conquest and pacification of the island was not achieved until 1912.


Reign of Terror

During the so-called ''Reign of Terror'' of Macías Nguema, the dictator suppressed much of the intelligentsia of the country, initiating the process of taking over the positions of the public administration by part of the natives of Mongomo and clan Esangui. Many city residents had to leave. In the last years of his mandate, almost a fifth of the population fled. At that time (1968–1979), Equatorial Guinea received money from the Soviet Union in return for, inter alia, affording port facilities for Soviet naval craft, particularly submarines. The infamous Black Beach prison, also known as ''Blay Beach prison'' (or Playa Negra prison), sits at the mouth of the Cónsul River, beside the black beach and behind the Governor's Palace and barracks. Several people have been jailed there during the 35 years of dictatorship. Among those imprisoned and tortured are many political leaders such as Rafael Upiñalo (Movimiento), Fabián Nsue (UP), Felipe Ondo Obiang (FDR), Martín Puye of
Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island The Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island ( es, Movimiento para la Auto-determinación de la Isla de Bioko) is a proscribed political organization in Equatorial Guinea. It has its roots in the pre-independence Unión Bubi, which ...
(MAIB) or Plácido Micó Abogo of the Social Democratic
Convergence for Social Democracy Convergence for Social Democracy ( es, link=no, Convergencia para la Democracia Social, CPDS) is the opposition party in Equatorial Guinea. It was the only opposition party with parliamentary representation during 2013-2017. Structure The CPDS ...
(CPDS). A group of mercenaries was also jailed at Black Beach for an attempted coup against President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.


Geography

Malabo is situated in the north of the island of Bioko, at coordinates 3° 45' 7.43" North and 8° 46' 25.32" East. The south of Malabo is limited by the Cónsul River and just across the river, south-west, is the hospital. West of the city, located about 9 km from the center of Malabo, is renewed Malabo International Airport. In the coastal region north of the city are the
bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...
s and capes. The elder is the punta de la Unidad Africana located just behind the
Malabo Government Building The Malabo Government Building ( es, Palacio Presidencial de Malabo) is the residence of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the President of Equatorial Guinea. It is located in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatori ...
and which occupies the entire eastern part of the Bay of Malabo. Another cape of importance is punta Europa located in the west of the city near to the airport.


Climate

Malabo features a tropical monsoon climate ( Köppen ''Am''). Malabo receives on average of rain per year. The city has a pronounced, albeit short, sunnier (but still cloudy) dry season from December through February. January is normally its driest month with of rain falling on average. It also has a very long cloudy wet season that covers the remaining nine months from March to November. On average, the months hit hardest by the wet season are September and October, which receive of rain and showers between them. Daytime temperatures do not vary at all day to day, and only vary a few degrees throughout the entire year. At night, the average low temperature is in every month of the year but January to April have a slightly higher diurnal range because it is clearer. Nonetheless, with only 1,020 hours of sunshine per year, Malabo is one of the cloudiest, wettest and most lightning-prone capitals of the world, and experiences much
fog Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...
and haze even when it's not raining in the driest months.


Administration

The mayor is María Coloma Edjang Mbengono who establishes the municipal services prescribed by law, which are the responsibility of the municipality. These include drinking water and others public sources, lighting, paving of roads, cemeteries,
cleaning Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment. Cleaning is often performed for aesthetic, hygienic, functional, environmental, or safety purposes. Cl ...
and sanitation, the sanitary waste treatment and waste,
disinfecting A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores; it is less effective than st ...
, emergency first aid, health inspections and drinks, health inspection of poor housing, public banks,
slaughterhouse A slaughterhouse, also called abattoir (), is a facility where animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a packaging facility. Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is no ...
s,
markets Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: * Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand * Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market Geography *Märket, a ...
and the elimination of
stagnant water Water stagnation occurs when water stops flowing. Stagnant water can be a major environmental hazard. Dangers Malaria and dengue are among the main dangers of stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmi ...
.


Mayors since 1960


Cultural centres

Through the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development (AECID), are made several development projects at both regional and national level. Headquartered in the Technical Cooperation Office in Malabo (created in 1984), carried out actions for the development of the culture, health, education and institutional strengthening. Stressing the Cultural Center of Spain in Malabo (CCEM), founded in 2003, where young people are encouraged to feel a cultural space where they can unleash their creative freedom. It also has three geographical axes, in order to capture the largest number of people in the region and contribute to its development. Activities include the training, art, film, theater, music and
game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
s, with the two main festivals: Traveling Film Festival of Equatorial Guinea (FECIGE) and the International Festival of Hip Hop in Malabo. Another important center is the Hispano-Guinean Cultural Center, from 2012 Equatorial Guinean Cultural Center began as headquarters of Institute Cardinal Cisneros, and then archive, museum and library. It was built in the 1950s. The
Museum of Modern Art Equatorial Guinea Below is a list of museums in Equatorial Guinea. List * Claretian Mission Ethnological Museum * Museum of Modern Art Equatorial Guinea See also * List of museums External links Museums in Equatorial Guinea {{DEFAULTSORT:Museums in Equatoria ...
has traditional and contemporary art of the country and the continent. The city also hosts the National Library, built in 1916.


Tourism

The tourism sector is seeing significant expansion. Since the discovery of oil, numerous infrastructural developments have been made. Since the first African meeting in the country, there has been a marked change in all aspects of tourism promotion. One of them is the famous city of Sipopo which is designed to house business and remunerative tourism. The city of Malabo is a focal point for tourism in
Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
. Firstly, it has a direct connection with the main tourist attractions of Bioko Island, from amazing places to the highlighted below. and secondly, it has a wide range of hotels for all types of public. Among the main tourist places accessible from this city you can highlight the following: * San Antonio de Ureca: This small town located in the south of the island is rich in primates and birds. In addition, it stands out for its impressive virgin beaches and for its natural waterfalls where it is possible to bathe. During the months of November to February, it is possible to observe the spawning of leatherback sea turtles during the night. * Ilachi or Iladyi Waterfalls: They are the largest waterfalls in the country with more than 250 meters of fall. They are approximately a 45-minute walk from the city of Moka. You have to access them by walking through the jungle crossing several rivers. *
Pico Basilé (formerly or Clarence Peak), located on the island of Bioko, is the tallest mountain of Equatorial Guinea. With an altitude of 9,878 ft (3,011 m), it is the summit of the largest and highest of three overlapping basaltic shield volcanoe ...
: It is the highest mountain in
Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
, it belongs to the volcanic shield next to Mount Cameroon and to the great caldera of Luba. With more than 3000 meters high it is visible from all over the city of Malabo. Its access is relatively simple because there are roads in very good condition. At the top we will find the incredible church and the statue of Mother Bisila. The sculpture was created by the Spanish sculptor Modesto Gené Roig in 1968. Numerous entities such as Rumbo Malabo, Guinea Tourism and other companies, make known to the world the tourism sector of the country as well as the virtues and more tourist places.


Demographics

Malabo has a relatively young population. Approximately 45% of the population is under 15. Only about 4% of the population is more than 65 years old. Most of the population lives in rural areas of the island.


Economy

Malabo is the commercial and financial center. Malabo's economy is based on the administration and other services. Trade is also one of the most prominent and important economic activities, especially since the arrival of US companies which exploit
oil well An oil well is a drillhole boring in Earth that is designed to bring petroleum oil hydrocarbons to the surface. Usually some natural gas is released as associated petroleum gas along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce only gas may ...
s close to the coast. This trade also comes from the presence of other Americans, Mexicans, Nigerians, Cameroonians, Spanish and other Central Africans; The building that was originally built by the Banco Popular Español, but after independence became the seat of Banco de Guinea Ecuatorial. The main industry in the city is fishing, while
cacao Cacao is the seed from which cocoa and chocolate are made, from Spanish cacao, an adaptation of Nahuatl cacaua, the root form of cacahuatl ("bean of the cocoa-tree"). It may also refer to: Plants *''Theobroma cacao'', a tropical evergreen tree ** ...
and coffee are the main products of export. Malabo has a high-tonnage port, connected mainly with the ports of Douala, (Cameroon) and Bata, and an air link via an international airport. There are about 300 hotel beds, of which only 50 are of quality.


Education

The National University of Equatorial Guinea (UNGE) and the National Distance Education University (UNED), the latter Spanish-language, have headquarters in the city. The Colegio Nacional Enrique Nvó Okenve, another of the country's universities, has one of its two campuses in the city. International schools: *
Colegio Español Don Bosco Colegio Español Don Bosco is a private Spanish international school in Barrio Elá-Nguema, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. It serves levels ''Educación Infantil'' through ''Bachillerato'' (senior high school/sixth form college).Lycée Français de Malabo Lycée Français de Malabo "Le Concorde", previously École Française "Le Concorde", is a French international school in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. It serves primary school through ''lycée'' or ''bachillerato/instituto'' (senior high school).
* Equatorial Guinea Turkish International College
Royal International College


Attractions

Malabo has preserved buildings from the colonial era, such as the Presidential Palace and the Palace of Justice of Malabo. Other colonial buildings are also found downtown, although they are worn; for example the wooden 19th-century buildings on Nigeria and Rey Boncoro streets. Notable buildings include the Cathedral of Santa Isabel, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malabo. It is a church in the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style, built between 1897 and 1916. Its architect was Luis Segarra Llairadó, paid by contributions from the government of Spain and the donations of the faithful. It has two spires 40 meters high. In January 2020 a fire due to an electrical failure caused the calcination of part of its structure, currently there are work ongoing for an early restoration in November 2021. Other points of interest are ''La Gaditana'', known as ''Finca Amilivia'' prior to 1918, the casa Teodolita, built in 1902 and one of the oldest homes in the city, the City Hall building in Malabo, the Church of Elá Nguema, Independence Square, the Casa de España and the bay of the harbor.


Transport


Public transport system

Public buses make the journey between downtown Malabo and the neighborhood of Ela Nguema. Taxis circulate in the city and outlying areas, and there is car hire from
Avis Avis is Latin for bird and may refer to: Aviation *Auster Avis, a 1940s four-seat light aircraft developed from the Auster Autocrat (abandoned project) *Avro Avis, a two-seat biplane *Scottish Aeroplane Syndicate Avis, an early aircraft built by ...
and Europcar.


Maritime transport

The port of Malabo can theoretically reach a treatment capacity of 200,000 tons/year. The main maritime links are with national destination to Bata and international to Spain and Douala in Cameroon.


Aviation

The Malabo International Airport serves the city. It is located 7 km from the centre in Punta Europa, Bioko. It serves long-distance direct flights to Europe and some African capitals as per the list below: * Madrid (Spain): Ceiba Intercontinental (4 flights per week) * Paris (France): Air France (3 flights per week) * Frankfurt (Germany): Lufthansa (3 flights per week) *
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
(Morocco): Royal Air Maroc (2 flights per week) * Istanbul (Turkey): Turkish Airlines (1 flight per week) *
Cotonou Cotonou (; fon, Kútɔ̀nú) is a city in Benin. Its official population count was 679,012 inhabitants in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area. The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The ci ...
(Benin): Cronos Airlines (2 flights per week) * Abidjan (Ivory Coast): Ceiba Intercontinental (3 flights per week) *
Accra Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
(Ghana): Ceiba Intercontinental (3 flights per week); * São Tomé (São Tomé and Príncipe): Ceiba Intercontinental (3 flights per week); * Douala (Cameroon): Ethiopian Airline (3 flights per week); Cronos Airlines (3 flights per week) *
Libreville Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Occupying in the northwestern province of Estuaire, Libreville is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904. The area has been inh ...
(Gabon): Royal Air Marroc (2 flights per week) * Port Harcourt (Nigeria): Cronos Airlines (2 flights per week) * Addis Ababa (Ethiopia): Ethiopian Airlines (3 flights per week) From Malabo airport, one can fly to any of the other airports in the country. These airports are located in the region of
Annobón Annobón ( es, Provincia de Annobón; pt, Ano-Bom), and formerly as ''Anno Bom'' and ''Annabona'', is a province (smallest province in both area and population) of Equatorial Guinea consisting of the island of Annobón, formerly also Pigalu a ...
, Bata, Mongomoyen, and
Corisco Corisco, Mandj, or Mandyi, is a small island of Equatorial Guinea, located southwest of the Río Muni estuary that defines the border with Gabon. Corisco, whose name derives from the Portuguese word for lightning, has an area of , and its highe ...
.


Places of worship

Among the places of worship, they are predominantly
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches and temples ( Catholic: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Malabo, Protestant, Evangelical Christian:
Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
).
Malabo Mosque Malabo Mosque ( es, link=no, Mezquita de Malabo) also known as Malabo Central Mosque ( es, link=no, Mezquita Central de Malabo) is a mosque in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. It is the largest mosque in Equatorial Guinea and can accommodate two thousa ...
was established in 2015.


Sports

The main sports facility of Malabo, and the country, is the Estadio de Malabo, with a capacity of 15,250 spectators. The stadium is home to the Equatorial Guinea national football team and hosted matches during the
2012 Africa Cup of Nations The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football ( ...
. Notably, the Spain national football team, at the time World Champions, played a friendly at this stadium. The stadium also is home to the
CD Elá Nguema Sony Elá Nguema is an Equatoguinean football club based in the city of Malabo. The club won 8 titles in a row, from 1984 to 1991. Achievements *Equatoguinean Premier League: 16 ::1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2000, 200 ...
, the main club of the country. Also located in Malabo is the
Estadio Internacional Estadio Internacional is a multi-purpose stadium in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. It is currently used mostly for football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, th ...
. The Estadio Internacional has a 6,000 seat capacity. The Equatorial Guinea national football team played here until the Nuevo Estadio was opened. The
2012 Africa Cup of Nations The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, also known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, was the 28th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football ( ...
was organized jointly by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. One of the four venues for the tournament was the Estadio de Malabo, the main stadium of the country, constructed in 2007. In Malabo were disputed six matches of the group stage (one match of Group A and five of group B), and one cross of quarterfinals The 16 November 2013, the Spain national football team played a friendly match against the Equatorial Guinea national football team. It was the first visit of a European team in the country, and the match was criticized by several organizations, including the president of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, Javier Tebas, due to the political situation of the country and the government of Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Some of the top clubs in the country, who have won several times the
Equatoguinean Primera División The Liga Nacional de Fútbol (formerly known as Liga Semiprofesional and Primera División de Honor) is the top division of the Equatoguinean football league system. It was founded in 1979. Prior to independence, two separate leagues existed, on ...
are from the city of Malabo. The club with the most league titles is the
CD Elá Nguema Sony Elá Nguema is an Equatoguinean football club based in the city of Malabo. The club won 8 titles in a row, from 1984 to 1991. Achievements *Equatoguinean Premier League: 16 ::1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2000, 200 ...
with 14. Other clubs from the city that have been proclaimed league champions are the
Renacimiento FC Renacimiento Fútbol Club is an Equatoguinean football club based in the city of Malabo. From 2004 to 2007, the club won 4 national titles. It was disestablished between 2009 and 2011, but returns for the 2012 season in Second Division. Honours ...
, the
Atlético Malabo Club Atlético de Malabo, commonly known as Atlético de Malabo, is an Equatoguinean football club based in Malabo that plays in the National League First Division. The club have won the NLFD on three occasions and 6 Equatoguinean Cups. Achieveme ...
or
Cafe Bank Sportif Café Band Sportif, commonly known as Café Sportif, is an Equatoguinean football club based in Malabo that plays in the Equatoguinean Second Division. In 1996 the team has won Equatoguinean Premier League. Achievements *Equatoguinean Premier L ...
. Another club of the city is the
Atlético Semu Atlético Semu is an Equatoguinean Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link= ...
, once champion of
Equatoguinean Cup The Equatoguinean Cup (Spanish: ''Copa de Su Excelencia'') is the top knockout tournament of the Equatoguinean football. Its full name is Equatoguinean Cup - King's Cup Abudunal Sun. It was created in 1974. Winners *1978 : Union (Mongomo) *1979 : ...
. Another important club from the city is the Malabo Kings of basketball, which was champion of the country, and in 2013 was proclaimed champion Central Zone of Africa Basketball Championship, winning in
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
at Talia from Gabon. The Malabo Kings had already finished second in 2011, Yaoundé (Cameroon). In 2013 held in Malabo on I Campus of Basketball Ciudad de Malabo organized by the Equatorial Guinea Basketball Federation and Club de Baloncesto Conejero from Spain. Malabo was originally to host the
2019 African Games The 12th African Games was held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. This was the first time that the African Games were hosted by Morocco following the country's readmission to the African Union in January 2017. Bidding process The 12th ...
but due to economic problems they decide to withdraw its hosting rights and was replaced by
Casablanca Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda ( ar, الدَّار الْبَيْضَاء, al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, ; ber, ⴹⴹⴰⵕⵍⴱⵉⴹⴰ, ḍḍaṛlbiḍa, : "White House") is the largest city in Morocco and the country's econom ...
, Morocco.


Discovery of oil

Malabo has been significantly affected by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's growing co-operation with the petroleum industry. The country's production has reached , an increase which led to a doubling of the city's population, but for the vast majority, very little of that wealth has been invested in development.


International relations


Twin towns – sister cities

*
Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...
, Mexico *
Celaya Celaya (; ) is a city and its surrounding municipalities of Mexico, municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 3 ...
, Mexico *
Acayucan Acayucan is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz, located in the state's southeast, in the Olmeca region. It serves as the municipal seat for the Acayucan Municipality. At the 2005 INEGI Census, Acayucan reported a population of 49,945. Ref ...
, Mexico


Gallery

File:Malabo coast line.jpg, Malabo coast line


References


External links

* {{Authority control Bioko Weather extremes of Earth Populated places in Bioko Norte Capitals in Africa Populated coastal places in Equatorial Guinea Populated places established in 1827 Port cities in Africa Former British colonies and protectorates in Africa 1827 establishments in the British Empire 1827 establishments in Africa