According to petwithsupplies, the largest city and capital of Equatorial Guinea is Malabo. Located on the island of Bioko, Malabo is a vibrant port city that serves as the heart of the nation’s economy. The city has a population of over 200,000 and is home to a number of colonial-era buildings, monuments and parks. Malabo also has a number of cultural attractions including the National Museum of Equatorial Guinea and the Cathedral of San Isidro Labrador. Bata is the second largest city in Equatorial Guinea with a population of over 160,000. Bata is located on the mainland portion of Equatorial Guinea and serves as an important commercial center for the nation. The city has a number of government buildings, hotels, banks, shops, restaurants and nightclubs which attract visitors from around the world. Bata also has several historical monuments such as Fort Santa Isabel which was built by Spanish colonists in 1843. Evinayong is another large city in Equatorial Guinea with a population of over 40,000 people. Evinayong is located on Bioko Island near Malabo and serves as an important agricultural center for the nation. The city is home to several universities such as Universidad Nacional de Evinayong as well as numerous churches, parks and other tourist attractions. Mongomo is also one of the largest cities in Equatorial Guinea with a population estimated at around 33,000 people. Mongomo lies close to both Cameroon and Gabon borders making it an important trading post between those two nations. The city also contains several historical sites such as La Escuela de Bellas Artes which was founded in 1912 by Spanish missionaries. Finally, Luba is another large city located on Bioko Island with an estimated population close to 30,000 people. Luba serves as an important fishing port for Equatorial Guinea and its surrounding countries like Cameroon and Gabon due to its close proximity to their border regions. The city also contains various cultural sites such as La Iglesia de San Juan Bautista which was built by Portuguese colonists in 1596 AD making it one of oldest churches in West Africa today. Equatorial Guinea is a small, oil-rich nation located on the west coast of Central Africa, bordered by Cameroon and Gabon. The country gained independence from Spain in 1968 and has since been ruled by the authoritarian regime of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Since coming to power in 1979, Obiang has maintained an iron grip on Equatorial Guinea, severely limiting civil liberties and suppressing dissent. In 2008, Equatorial Guinea was an autocratic state with no meaningful political opposition or civil society organizations. Political parties were prohibited from campaigning and the only legal party was Obiang’s ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE). All other opposition parties were banned or forced to operate clandestinely with little to no public support. Human rights abuses were rampant throughout the country under Obiang’s rule. Freedom of speech, press and assembly were severely limited while government censorship was widespread. In addition, there were reports of torture, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings committed by security forces with impunity. The economy of Equatorial Guinea was heavily reliant on oil exports which accounted for over 90% of total exports in 2008. The revenues generated from oil production had enabled the ruling elite to enrich themselves while leaving most of the population in poverty despite having some of the highest per capita income levels in Africa. In terms of foreign policy, Equatorial Guinea had close ties with other African countries such as Cameroon and Gabon as well as China who provided it with economic assistance in exchange for access to its oil resources. The country also had good relations with other Western countries such as France and Spain who provided it with military aid in exchange for cooperation on security matters such as counter-terrorism efforts. Check eningbo for Equatorial Guinea in 2012.