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Equatorial Guinea is a country located in Central Africa. With an area of 28,000 km² it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It has a population estimated at half a million. It comprises two parts: a Continental Region (Rio Muni), including several small offshore islands like Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico; and an Insular Region containing Annobon island and Bioko island (formerly Fernando Po) where the capital Malabo is situated.

Annobon is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the east is the mainland region. Equatorial Guinea is bordered by Cameroon on the north, Gabon on the south and east, and the Gulf of Guinea on the west, where the island nation of Sao Tome and Principe is located between Bioko and Annobon. Formerly the colony of Spanish Guinea, its post-independence name is suggestive of its location near both the equator and the Gulf of Guinea. It is one of the few territories in mainland Africa where Spanish is an official language, besides the Spanish exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Equatorial Guinea is the third smallest country in continental Africa in terms of population. It is also the second smallest United Nations (UN) member from continental Africa. The discovery of sizeable petroleum reserves in recent years is altering the economic and political status of the country. Equatorial Guinea has been cited as an example of the 'natural resource curse'; gross domestic product (GDP) per capita ranks 31^st in the world; however, most of the country's considerable oil wealth actually lies in the hands of only a few people. For example, despite its high GDP per capita rank, Equatorial Guinea ranks 115^th in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI) worldwide.