Located on the west coast of central Africa, the small nation of Equatorial Guinea has a linguistic history that it doesn’t share with any other countries on the continent.
The country is home to a particular blend of cultural influences that make it stand out from all others on the continent. Remnants of its time under colonial rule are now deeply embedded in its fabric; Spanish is Equatorial Guinea’s official language, as are Portuguese and French. The country was a Portuguese colony from 1472 to 1778, then it was handed over to Spain, which held power from 1778 until October 12, 1968. Though France never colonized the small West African nation, Equatorial Guinea chose to adopt French as one of its official languages to maintain its Francophone relationships with its mainland neighbors, Gabon and Cameroon.
Equatoguineans also largely speak native languages, with two of the most widely spoken being Fang and Bube (also known as Bubi).
The country’s “Continental Region” is its mainland, known as Río Muni. The “Insular Region” comprises five islands (Bioko, Corisco, Great Elobey, Little Elobey, and Annobón). Equatorial Guinea relocated its capital earlier this year, transitioning from Malabo on Bioko Island to Ciudad de la Paz in Río Muni. According to the World Population Review, the coastal African country has a population of around 2 million. The mainland coast sits on the Gulf of Guinea.
Should Travelers Visit Equatorial Guinea?
In addition to the chance to learn about the country’s unique African history while on the ground, the Spanish-speaking nation offers exceedingly rich biodiversity and cultural fusion. Equatorial Guinea’s tourism sector is growing, though part of that work is still establishing proper infrastructure to welcome visitors on a larger scale. In terms of a formal hospitality sector, the country has much room to grow.
A major point: Equatorial Guinea is under the leadership of Africa’s longest-serving president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who’s been in office since 1979. According to the Associated Press, the political figure is “accused of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.” Moreover, his son, Teodoro “Teddy” Nguema Obiang, Equatorial Guinea’s current vice president, has also been accused of corruption and was convicted of embezzling and laundering public funds in a French court.
The U.S. State Department last updated its travel advisory for Equatorial Guinea in October 2025. The authority classifies the small African nation as a “Level 2” travel zone, meaning visitors should exercise increased caution. Regarding the State Department’s concerns, it lists risk indicators for crime, health, and arbitrary enforcement of laws in Equatorial Guinea that tourists should be mindful of. Notably, the Level 2 advisory falls on a scale of 1 to 4, with Level 4 being the highest, classifying those areas as “do not travel” zones.
At this time, the United Kingdom’s government notes on its designated foreign travel advice webpage for Equatorial Guinea that “no travel can be guaranteed safe.” The Canadian government advises travelers to the African nation to “exercise a high degree of caution.”
