|
|
|
Unlike most of the African states, Equatorial Guinea is not cut all in one piece in the continent. She(it) looks like rather the details(rooms) of a puzzle thrown(cast) in the bay of Guinea inserted between Cameroon, in the North, and Gabun in the South. So in more than 5000 km as the crow flies of Europe, and in around thirty kilometres of the Cameroonian coasts, spreads(displays) the island of BioKb (Ex - Fernando Poo), the vast parallelogram 72 km in length on 35 of wide where is Malabo the capital. More in the South extends the continental region ( Rio Muni) between the South of Cameroon and the North of the Gabun, little over the equator. It is a big trapeze 200 km in length on 130 of the width, the sinuous coast of which offers very numerous beaches. Depending administratively on Rio Muni, the small archipelagoes of Elobeys (2,46 Km2) and Corisco (15 km2) are at the end of the estuary of Rio Muni in the South. The island of Annobon (17 km2), very excentrée, is situated as for her(it) under the equator in 600 km in the South of Malabo and in 355 km in the wide of cap Lopez in the Gabun. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
Rio Muni and especially the island of BioKb is subjected to a wet equatorial climate in any seasons which are characterized by often important rains and of violent thunderstorms. This phenomenon of monsoon explains himself by the presence in the Atlantic Ocean in the South of the equator, the anticyclone of St. Helena (high) which generates air masses wet fortifying northward: trade winds. These gather(reunite) in this region to be thwarted the influence of the Saharan anticyclone, in the North, which brings dry winds as the harmattan southward. So the climate remains wet and unstable on all the rib(coast) of the Gabun in Cameroon by way of Equatorial Guinea and islands of the bay of Guinea. It is necessary however to note that rainy season is more marked on the island of BioKb, particularly from the beginning of July to the end of October ( big rainy season) and from the beginning of March to the end of April ( small rainy seasons). Whereas in Rio Muni, big rainy season extends of advantage from February till May and the girl lasts only two months in October and November. According to the meteorologists, the southwest of the island of BioKb, more particularly exposed(explained) to the monsoon would be with more than 10 metres of haste a year, one of the rainiest regions of the globe. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
Numerous volcanoes appeared during the " line of Cameroon ", as well in the sea as on lands. So was born the rosary of island of the bay of Guinea: BioKb, Sao Tome, Principle... Of all the volcanoes, only remain still active the mountain Cameroon. On the island of BioKb, the former(ancient) three volcanoes are today put out(switched off) and took the shape of well in the collapsed crater, as the one that dominates Luba, in the southwest of the island, where the sports tourists come to cross(go through) Grande Caldera. Quant Pico Basile, who dominates Malabo, he gives sometimes the illusion to smoke, but it is only about a crown of clouds, who takes on an aura there almost permanently his summit, in 3011m. The continental region, Rio Muni, is much less damaged: the small mountainous chain of Niefang the crossbar according to a north-south direction(management) peaking in the mountain Chocolate (on 1108 m), Alen 1100m and Miitra 1200m, whereas ' in the East clocks(points,sticks) mountain Chime (on 1800 m) and Nzas's Piedra (on 1200 m). Real water tower, the volcanic wells of the island of BioKb generate a multitude of small " Rio ", rainy torrents which go downhill towards the sea through thick equatorial vegetation. Sometimes they fall sheer under the shape of beautiful falls which one begins to use for hydro-electric power. Rio Muni, the biggest river is Rio Welle, or Rio Benito (300 km) who cuts in 2 the continental region by pouring of is in the West. It(he) takes the source in the North Gabun where one calls it Woleu. Two other small coastal rivers serve of borders with the bordering countries: Ntem in the North with Cameroon and the Provided in the South with the Gabun. On a hydrographic card of the equatorial guinée, one can notice the numerous ramifications of these rivers, tributaries of which uncountable spray the territory of Rio Muni. Crossing the big equatorial forest, they are most of the time blocked by islands and by sandbanks which prevent navigation, at least until the mouth; what, during the history limited European penetration inside the country. Towards the Atlantic coast, estuaries and rib(coast) are invaded with the mangrove swamp, typical vegetable forming(training) of tropical and equatorial Africa characterized with palétuviers, small trees in roots in arceaux half immersed. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
Whaling This one was especially practised in a craft way. The fishermen embarked aboard frail dugouts with for only weapon a harpoon. A timbre published(edited) with Guinea Ecuatorial's Correros commemorates their exploits: one sees there several dugouts in Annobon's wide encircling a whale and the fishermen to be incensed against the big cetaceans. Tracked down by the lookouts posted on the island, whales were then harpooned since dugouts. Every harpoon was fastened either to the boat, or in big visible ballcocks from a great distance, offering a practical means to wait for the end of the agony of the cetacean and to avoid the redoubtable knocks of tail of the wounded animal. This one being able to struggle during one hours in big depth and go back up(raise) in surface to die from exhaustion or under the knocks of assegais. These big maritime mammals are rorquals, the biggest and the biggest of the alive animals on the planet. They can measure until 30 metres in length and weigh until 130 tons. Today a plan of protection aiming to protect this sort, Annabonais has to content themselves with the small peach(fishing) and with the agriculture. The island of the " good year " Big as a handkerchief of pocket, 6 km in length on 2 km of wide, Annobon is a big pebble basaltique which appears from the ocean of hardly 17 km2. Dominated with four summits in the abrupt(steep) hillsides, the island of which Mazefin's Picos (831 m) and of Foga (600 m), owes its name to the Portuguese navigators Joâo of Escobar's Santarem and Pedro who discovered her(it) on @ January first in 1471 or 1472. Quite happy to approach an earth(ground) also far from the African coasts (300 km from the Gabun), they wished warmly the good year in Portuguese " anno bonus " and decided to call so this new earth(ground) which became in the course of times Annobon. During centuries, she(it) became populated scantily of migrants come from Angola or from the other islands of the bay of Guinea, as Sâo Tomé, Principle, as well as Bubi of the island of BioKb. The wild affection of Annabonais in their insularity likes certainly their insulation. Although this one does not possess important wealth, numerous European powers tried to throw(cast) to it their devolved, as Spain and Holland. But in every landing on the island, they were pushed away(repelled) manu militari by the population. And so the Spanish count of come Arjepelos to claim the property of the island in the name of Spain, would have found there the death. A picturesque king The attempts of colonization and of évangélisation failing alternately, the island remained more or less abandoned to its lot(fate). So Annabonais they gave themselves several kings during the history, of which King Tom who reigned at the beginning of XIX-th century, picturesque person of whom the navigators approaching Annobon's coasts to trade left the with a ruddy complexion portrait of an old man very concerned the bottle. Since Pale's village, main conglomeration everything in the North of the island, one can organize several excursions, of which main clause will be the ascent of Goes(takes) Up Santiago, former(ancient) volcano receiving a crater lake: Lago has Jar. But the island of Annobon is difficult of access because of its estrangement of Rio Muni and island of BioKb: 600 km. There is no airport on this hook basaltique, and the only ones of the cargo boats of the goods harm(serve) him(it). © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
It is situated in 16 miles
of the estuary of Rio Muni. She(it) makes about 17 km2 of
the surface and 6100 m of circumference. The island counts today about 150 inhabitants. Then, in 1815 , the congress of Vienna promulgates the end of the slave trade. Nevertheless, the Spaniards continue this(they) shameful traffic, where from the reprisals of the English in 1840 against Corisco. One still finds some vestiges of the former(old) colonial houses. It is not rare that the inhabitants, by cultivating fields find necklaces and slaves' chains. In 1815, an American Protestant mission settles down in the island of Corisco. Then, in 1856 is lawful first catholic mission. Slaves' business Corisco was the equal of Gorée, small island of Senegal in the wide of Dakar, in the sinister business of the "ebony". Since the beginning of XV-th century, the Portugueses collect in Corisco's stores the Africans razziés in Cameroon, in the Gabun and in Rio Muni who are then embarked towards the plantations of Brazil, the Antilles and North America. They are Benga which served of intermediaries between the realms of central Africa, which pulled down(reduced) the slaves, the Europeans making the draft. They abandoned quickly their traditional way of life for that of the Europeans, of which they adopted clothes, houses and religion. This fruitful traffic lasted still until the XIX, century, when the British squadrons anti-esclavagistes, installed(settled) to Fernando Poo (current BioKb) began to chase vessels slave traders. Although Spain agreed to give up the draft on its territories from 1871, the business persisted indeed beyond, because the Spaniards came in Africa very late contenting previously with claiming on the paper all the " properties of the Crown ". Repeatedly, the Britishs suggested buying them to them, but in front of the last refusal of Spain in 1840, Great Britain took excuse of the existence of bases of drafts négrières to Corisco to destroy completely the island, including its factoreries. What obliged the traffickers of slaves to curl up on Gabun. The island of the Amur Little raised(brought up) and covered with the forest, Corisco possesses several beautiful beaches of fair sand which ask only to be highlighted. The biggest problem to be resolved into house access. The island not possessing an airfield, it is necessary necessarily to go(surrender) to it by boat. Big power-driven dugouts leave of Cogo at the edge of the estuary of Rio Muni and make the crossing of 40 km in about three hours. Bonkoro 1-st king of Benga It is for Corisco that reigned the king of Benga, Bonkoro 1-st. It(he) signed in 1843 a treaty of allegiance to Spain with the commander(major) Lerena there Baty, who gave up him(her) all the lands understood(included) between Rio Benito and cap Santa Clara in the Gabun, including the islands Elobey and Corisco. At the beginning of XIX-th century, numerous catholic and Protestant missions had settled down in this small island of 14 km2, where developed also an intense commercial and maritime activity. In the XX, century, the island entered decline and today, it is relatively little populated. Most of his(her) inhabitants are fishermen who live in small villages. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
Appearing in the vast
estuary of Rio Muni, island Elobey is not bigger than a
handkerchief of pocket and has a surface of 2,46 km2. For that reason, they would have
been able to keep(preserve) the name of "islands - mosquitoes". Very competed and abandoned islands The Portugueses took ownership of it from
the XV-th century and gave up them to the Spaniards in the end of XVIII-th century, as
well as most of their possessions in the bay of Guinea. Activities in sleep Today, the inhabitants of Elobey lost a lot of their ancient(former) magnificence: Elobey Chico is completely left. Plentiful one equatorial
vegetation completely invaded the vestiges of the former(old) factoreries
German, French and British, as well as barracks, schools, as well as former(ancient) seat
of the Spanish sub-government of the district of the South of Rio
Muni. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
In comparison with his(her) big neighbours, as Nigéria which counts more than 100 million inhabitants, Cameroon, more than 10 millions or even Gabun, a little more than a million, Equatorial Guinea with his(her) 500 000 inhabitants seems well little populated. Population density is very weak on a territory of 28 052 km2: 16 inhabitants in km2. This weak peup1ement explains himself partially by numerous exiles during " black years " 1969-79. Today a democracy, Equatorial Guinea saw bringing in some of its national taken refuge in Cameroon, in the Gabun or in Spain. On these 500 000 inhabitants, a third(third party) about lives in big cities, Malabo ( 45 000 inhabitants), Bata (60 400) and in villages as Baney and Luba on the island part or still Ebebiyin, border crossing between the Gabun and Cameroon and Evinayong in the heart of the continental region. It is necessary besides to note that the tenth nine of the population live in the continental part of the country. When one looks at a demographic card of Equatorial Guinea, one notices that the distribution of the population of the country is well-balanced, drift from the land not having provoked an alarming imbalance between cities and wilderness. Not of mégapoles overpopulated, with suburbs growing disorderly as one often sees him(it) in cities African as Lagos, Abidjan, Douala or Kinshasa, not to quote that they. No left campaigns, but a constellation of small villages and villages, forming a belt in the islands of BioKb and Annobon, and a net in the more cowardly stitches in Rio Muni. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
In part Bata or Malabo which(who) cross(exceed) the bar of the 40 000 inhabitants, the other conglomerations count only some hundreds in several thousand inhabitants. An opening on the sea is not the only condition of the urban growth in Equatorial Guinea. Indeed, many cities of the inside are in several hundred kilometres of coasts, but remain expanding, because situated well on road main trunk roads, even in crossroads as Niefang, Evinayong, Mongomo or Ebebiyin. This last one enjoying a particular situation: she(it) is on the border of three countries, Gabun, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, what represents a trump card for the commercial development among these. So Equatorial Guinea it keeps(preserves) this image of " Africa of villages " which tends to disappear in all the region. © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
With the exception of Pygmies, almost totality of the 500 000 Equato-Guinéens are Bantous. Under this name which would be the plural of " mu-ntu " ( the man) are regrouped about sixty million individuals living in central, oriental and southern Africa, which has a common history as well as very close spoken languages. Originally, first Bantous would have credibly come of Nigeria or pond of the lake Chad (the North Cameroon), then would have migrated to southern Africa at the beginning of the Christian era, by letting every time of the groups make tree stump in the crossed regions. They are Bantous which based the realm of Monomotapa in Zimbabwe, Zulu chefferies in South Africa and the realm of Kongo which covered Angola, Zaire and Congo. Among these peoples bantous, it is necessary to count Fang, widely majority in Equatorial Guinea. Arrived by waves for the XII-th century, they populated bit by bit the South of Cameroon, the continental region of Equatorial Guinea and the rib(coast) of the Gabun where the French colonizer imposed them a limit not to be overtaken: The superior class(course) of Ogooué and Ivindo. Called also Pahouin, Fang of Equatorial Guinea has cousins in all central Africa, as Beti and Boulou of Cameroon or Betsi, Maké and Nzaman of the Gabun. On the whole, the number of alive Fang in central Africa is estimated(esteemed) today about a million persons. In Equatorial Guinea, they are divided into two big linguistic families: Fang Okak, in the South of Rio Muni and Fang Ntoumou in the North of the limit formed with Rio Welle ( Benito). © Copyright, Equatorial Guinea April 2002
|
