Equatorial Guinea, situated on the west coast of Central Africa, is the continent’s only Spanish-speaking nation, reflecting its colonial legacy under Spain from the late 18th century until independence in 1968. The country comprises a mainland region, Río Muni, and several islands, including Bioko—where the capital, Malabo, is located. Before European colonization, the area was inhabited by Bantu-speaking peoples, primarily the Fang on the mainland and the Bubi on Bioko. After independence, Equatorial Guinea experienced decades of authoritarian rule, marked initially by the brutal dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema, whose regime was notorious for widespread human rights abuses and economic mismanagement. In 1979, he was overthrown by his nephew, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who consolidated power and remains president to this day. In the 1990s, the discovery of vast offshore oil reserves transformed Equatorial Guinea into one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest oil producers, dramatically increasing national revenues but also exacerbating issues of corruption, inequality, and lack of political freedoms. Despite its resource wealth, much of the population still faces poverty, and calls for democratic reforms persist amid ongoing restrictions on dissent.