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28,520,000 personas

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46,940,000 personas

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11,330,000 personas

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11,510,000 personas

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50,340,000 personas

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127,600,000 personas

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3,194,000 personas

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4,314,767 personas

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19,116,201 personas

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5,094,118 personas

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10,847,910 personas

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17,643,054 personas

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17,915,568 personas

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9,904,607 personas

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6,624,554 personas

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32,971,854 personas

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3,473,730 personas

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1,402,985 personas

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Tostones are really popular in Puerto Rico

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"Peruvian food is often referred to as Criolla or Creole food because of the blend of Spanish, Asian, Incan and other European cuisine influences which are integrated into their cooking. Ingredients are based heavily on potatoes, beans, rice, beef, eggs, lamb, fish, corn, chicken and especially the Aji, or chili." When reading this exert I took from google you may find out that the food culture in Peru is more of a mix of other cultures than anything specific to themselves.

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The most famous food in Costa Rica is Gallo Pinto. It is a favorite rice-and-beans concoction that is commonly considered the national dish of Costa Rica.

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Arepas are a famous dish in Venezuela

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the most popular food in Dominican Republic is La Bandera. La Bandera is a dish that consitis of red beans, rice, and meat. its mostly used for a side dish.

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Chilaquiles is a really popular dish in mexico. It  features lightly fried corn tortillas cut into quarters and topped with green or red salsa.

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Cuban sandwich was from cuba then america took it and it made of pork cheese and whatever else you want on it  

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Cuban sandwich was from cuba then america took it and it made of pork cheese and whatever else you want on it  

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Cuban sandwich was from cuba then america took it and it made of pork cheese and whatever else you want on it

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Colombia’s national dish, without a doubt, is the bandeja paisa. Reigning from the Antioquia region (where Medellín is located, and where natives are referred to as paisas), the bandeja paisa is a feast that is not for the faint-hearted.

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Colombia’s national dish, without a doubt, is the bandeja paisa. Reigning from the Antioquia region (where Medellín is located, and where natives are referred to as paisas), the bandeja paisa is a feast that is not for the faint-hearted.

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mambo, chachachá, rumba and conga became the most important influences on the invention of salsa. The mambo first entered the United States in the early 40s. The first mambo, "Mambo" by Orestes "Cachao" Lopez, was written in 1938.

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"Peru music is a fusion of sounds and styles drawing on the country's Andean, Spanish, and African roots. Hundreds of years of cultural mixing in Peru has formed a broad musical landscape along with unique pre-Hispanic and mestizo dances to accompany the tunes." When reading this excerpt I took from google you may take notice that Peru uses their pre-Hispanic roots to from a historic muse.

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Musical forms such as the Bailecito, Kullawada, Tonada, Taquirari, Carnavalito, Lamento, Afro-Bolivian Saya, Tuntuna, Taki Taki and Cueca are prominently featured in Bolivia's cultural music.

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The traditional staples of Bolivian cuisine are corn, potatoes, quinoa and beans. You will find that at higher altitude the food is spicier and lunch is the main meal. In the lowlands the food is drier, less spicy and is filled out with plantain and boiled maize.

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Most important to the traditional outfit in Bolivia is the multi-layered skirt, or pollera, with five petticoats. Then comes the shawl and the bowler hat, or borsalino, in what Westerners might consider several sizes too small.

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The most popular music style in Costa Rica is Costa Rican calypso music. Wind instruments called ocarinas are used in ancient ceremonial songs that are still played today.

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The most popular genre in México  is rock followed by pop then Latin pop.

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a popular item of food in Puerto Rico is Empanadillas, which is a baked or fried turnover type pastry with a meat and vegetable filling, most commonly beef, peas, and graded carrots

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There are many different types of music in Puerto Rico, including Reggaetón, folk music, Bolero, and Puerto rican pop to name a few. most of there music, besides pop, is quite drum and string interment based

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Several styles of the traditional music of Venezuela, such as salsa and merengue, are common to its Caribbean neighbors. Perhaps the most typical Venezuelan music is joropo, a rural form which originated in the llanos, or plains.

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the dominican replubic is mostly known for its bachata and merengue music. there music is based off of European, West African, and Native Taino.

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traditionally, clothes Puerto Rico where what one would expect. women and girls wore loose fabriced dresses, and the boys/men wore matching colored shirts and pants. today they are known as dancing costumes, and are worn only for special occasions, parade dancers, and some holidays.

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salsa is very common

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Cumbia is perhaps the country's most popular music genre. It originated as a courtship dance among West African slaves. Bullerengue is a Cumbia-based style traditionally sung by women. Along with Cumbia, Vallenato is one of the most popular Colombian music genres.

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fire festival in Santiago early July
The Fiesta del Fuego is officially known as the Festival del Caribe and takes places each year in the first weeks of July in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Santiago was for a time Cuba's capital. It is situated on the eastern end of the island and is said to be the geographical heart of the Caribbean.

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Havana is like traveling back in time: the weathered buildings, the old classic cars and the rich history standing out as top lures on your visit to Cuba. It’s less known however, that at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cuban capital was spectacularly rich – not unlike Newport’s Gilded Age – in which Havana underwent an extraordinary boom period, architecturally enriching with international influences such as art nouveau, art deco and eclectic design.

To this day, Havana is one of the most architecturally diverse cities in the world, and safe to say, a city photographer’s paradise. Its buildings clearly mirror its social and political history ever since the Spanish colonial times, up to the more modern present day.

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Dancing: While the most common dance is salsa, Tico's also enjoy the hypnotic and rhythmic Latin beats combined with sensual movements in dances like cumbia.
Clothing: Costa Ricans like to dress in good stylish clothing, always clean and unwrinkled, especially the boys and men. Most people wear jeans, tee-shirts, and tennis shoes. More trendy and young people dare to dress in a more European style, in spite of the warm weather.
Celebrations: Tasks are distributed in the family in order to have the best celebration and enjoy together. The most remarkable holidays in Costa Rica are Mother´s Day, Christmas, Independence Day, New Year´s Eve, and Nicoya´s Annexation Day

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In Peru, people wear ponchos, dresses, blankets, sweaters, layered skirts, tunics, hats, chullos and other native pieces of clothing. The traditional costume of Peru is very colorful and bright, it is beautiful and very original although the clothes are quite thick. Based off what was mentioned above clothing in Peru is very colorful and bright whilst also being very thick knitted.

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merengue is a very popular dance in the Dominican republic. It's also a very important and big tradition there too. merengue is a sort of slow music/dance. something you'd play in a ball room instead of a party.

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The Joropo is the national dance of Venezuela.

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The most popular and well-known women's pieces of clothing in Mexico are huipil, quechquémitl, rebozo, Mexican skirts (they have various names in different regions – enredo, chincuete, posahuanco, refajo, enagua). Huipil is a sleeveless tunic, made from cotton or wool. It is worn with a skirt.

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One of the most popular Peruvian foods are ceviche. This is a dish made of chunks of raw fish marinated in freshly squeezed citrus fruits seasoned with vegitables and spices. People not only say it is delicious it even looks delicious.

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Multiple sources state that cumbia is one of Peruvians type of music. Th opera singer Juan Diego Florez is a very popular artist in Peru. Many sources also state that Peruvians music is all about identity and dancing.

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The jaguar, maned wolf, giant otter, Andean flamingo, spectacled bear, capybara, and Andean condor. The national animal in Bolivia is the llama.

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along the foundations of many buildings, their Incan heritage is clearly visible. Hallmarks of Spanish colonial architecture in Peru are a base of perfectly fitted Incan stones, European-style white stucco walls, baroque stonework around doors and windows, and intricately carved wooden balconies. Looking at the excerpt from above you can see that the architecture in Peru is heavily reliant on European and Spanish culture with hand carved wooden structuring.

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Most of the architecture is an enthralling mix of colonial and indigenous cultures.You have magnificent cathedrals, pyramids made during the pre-Hispanic times, historical buildings and modern structures.

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There is a unique architectural landscape present in Costa Rica that is reflective of the nation's history and vibrant culture. The homes are made of steel rods, concrete blocks and concrete all according to the anti-seismic codes here. Windows are usually made with aluminum or PVC frames to protect from the humidity. Another thing that comes as a shock to many foreigners is that Costa Ricans, do not use screens in their windows or doors.

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the architecture that the dominican republic shows is ornate designs and baroque structure

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The architecture of Costa Rica includes remains from the pre-Columbian Era, all the way to modern buildings that form part of the nation's contemporary infrastructure. There is a unique architectural landscape present in Costa Rica that is reflective of the nation's history and vibrant culture.

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Colombia is the home of many colorful festivals and traditions taking place throughout the year, with many Colombia holidays largely dictated by the Catholic calendar. Carnivals are a major focus, with most cities and towns having at least one at some point in the year, that feature costumes, parades, music, food, wild parties, and dancing.

Carnaval del Diablo

The town of Rio Sucio hosts the Carnaval del Diablo (Festival of the Devil) on odd numbered years biannually, in a party to ward off sadness. The event is a synthesis of indigenous pagan and Catholic beliefs and features feasts, costumes, dancing, music, and poetry under the spell of sugar cane liquor. Festivities end with the reading of the testament, a burning of the devil and the burying of the gourd.

Carnaval de Negros y Blancos

The Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, or Festival of Blacks and Whites, is one of the major events in Southern Colombia, celebrated in Pasto over a week in early January. It has earned UNESCO designation for being a masterpiece in oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The first day of the celebration involves the Colonies Parade, a rock concert where farmers offer tributes of flowers and songs to the Virgin of Mercy in return for a good harvest. Day two is the Children’s Carnival followed by the Arrival of the Castaneda Family on the third, a colorful cartoon with all the stereotypes including a pregnant bride and a drunk priest. Day four and five are Blacks and Whites Day respectively followed by a Grand Parade on the fifth. The final day is devoted to Rural Culture and a Cuys Festival.

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Colombia's architectural heritage includes Spanish colonial architecture including Catholic churches. Its modern architecture represents various International Style architecture. In the postmodern architecture era a wave of innovate and striking buildings have been designed.

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Puerto Rico's architecture is a diverse mixture of different cultural and artistic influences, reflective of the island's history. You will find Spanish Colonial, Gothic, Neoclassical, and Baroque architecture styles in close proximity to each another.

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Baseball is by far the most popular; other popular sports and pastimes include boxing (Cuba is a dominant force in amateur boxing, consistently achieving high medal tallies in international competitions), volleyball, wrestling, basketball, sailing and trekking.

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Since I did not see a topic for today I chose animal life in Peru here is a list of some of the animals that reside in Peru

1. Jaguar.

2. Hummingbirds.

3. Blue morpho butterfly.

4. Alpacas and Llamas.

5. Frogs.

6. Giant river otter.

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Frescos, refrescos, and jugos naturales are popular drinks in Costa Rica. They are usually made with fresh fruit and milk or water.

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Peru isn't quite known for their pets but I found some information on a popular one. According to the FCI breed standard, the most important aspect of its appearance is its hairlessness. The dog may have short hair on top of its head, on its feet, and on the tip of its tail. In Peru, breeders tend to prefer completely hairless dogs. The full-coated variety is disqualified from Conformation showing. The color of skin can be chocolate-brown, elephant-grey, copper, or mottled. They can be totally one color or one color with tongue pink spots. Albinism is not accepted. The eye color is linked to the skin color. It is always brown, but dogs with light colors can have clearer eyes than darker-skinned dogs.

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Dogs, cats and fish were traditionally the most common pets in Cuba; but for some time now, other household pets have become popular, ones such as hamsters, squirrels and exotic birds.

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Chilaquiles is a really popular dish in mexico. music thay like are rock followed by pop then Latin pop. some architecture are magnificent cathedrals, pyramids made during the pre-Hispanic

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i like how you gave really good detail on the Celebrations

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Among Venezuelan animals, you'll find the crocodiles of the Orinoco Delta, the Spectacled Bear of the Andean highlands, the capybaras of the Llanos plains, the monkeys and sloths of the Amazon basin, and the Scarlet Ibis of the Caribbean coast.

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The most common/popular pet in México is a dog

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Many Costa Rican families now fill that space with more exotic pets. The Russian hamster, Peruvian cuilo and African hedgehogs, have captured the hearts of many. Spider Monkeys are one of the most common animals you'll see throughout Costa Rica.

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Orinoco crocodile

These mighty creatures are the largest species of crocodile and predator in the Americas. They are also critically endangered, having been mercilessly hunted for their skins in the 19th and 20th centuries. Seeing an Orinoco crocodile in the wild is extremely unlikely, and only really possible in the isolated Tuparro National park on the Venezuelan border. However, luckily for all budding herpetologists, there is a thriving Orinoco crocodile breeding and reintroduction programme at Wisirare Park in the eastern plains of Casanare department, where visitors can get up close and personal with some of the 17 feet (5.18 meter) giants.
Fun fact: Colombia is the second most biodiverse country on the planet and no. 1 in biodiversity per square mile. This South American nation has truly remarkable wildlife that dedicated naturalists can seek out and enjoy observing.

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The food of Equatorial Guinea is a blend of native tribes tradition with that of their Spanish colonial past. The staple foods in Equatorial Guinea include cassava, bananas, rice and yam with chicken, meat (often locally hunted game) or fish.

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The food of Equatorial Guinea is a blend of native tribes tradition with that of their Spanish colonial past. The staple foods in Equatorial Guinea include cassava, bananas, rice and yam with chicken, meat (often locally hunted game) or fish. Popular national dishes include chicken served in cream sauce with boiled plantain, grilled fish cooked with pumpkin seeds and served in leaves, and guinea fowl paella. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale and local varieties often complement the meal. Tropical fruits such as mango, coconuts and pineapples are also widely available. Spices and chilis are common in Equatorial Guinea as is peanut sauce. For special occassions duck is often cooked. Osang tea, a special African tea is commonly served here. Popular local alcoholic drinks include palm wine, made from sap of palm trees and malamba, which is made from fermented sugarcane.

Restaurants in Equatorial Guinea are concentrated in the major cities like Malabo (on Bioko) and Bata. These, however, serve a lot of international and continental cuisine such as pizza. In Malabo, there is a restaurant in Hotel Bahia, Restaurant Bantu for Chinese food and the Pizza Place for pizza and pastas. In Bata there is the Golfo de Guinea restaurant and Mbini restaurant.

Return to the Equatorial Guinea Travel Guide

After traveling on her own for three or four years, Chaya met up with Wade Shepard, the editor of VagabondJourney.com. They were married in 2009, and continue to travel the world together with their young daughter. From time to time Chaya blogs about family travel and life on the road. Chaya Shepard has written 102 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

Chaya Shepard is currently in: Xiamen, China

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The food of Equatorial Guinea is a blend of native tribes tradition with that of their Spanish colonial past. The staple foods in Equatorial Guinea include cassava, bananas, rice and yam with chicken, meat (often locally hunted game) or fish.

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There is little popular music coming out of Equatorial Guinea. Pan-African styles like soukous and makossa are popular, as are reggae and rock and roll. Acoustic guitar bands based on a Spanish model are the country's best-known indigenous popular tradition, especially national stars Desmali and Dambo de la Costa.

Other musicians from Equatorial Guinea include Malabo Strit Band, Luna Loca, Chiquitin, Dambo de la Costa, Ngal Madunga, Lily Afro and Spain-based exiles like Super Momo, Hijas del Sol and Baron Ya Buk-Lu.

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Equatorial Guinea's culture has been less documented than most African countries, and commercial recordings remain scarce.

The national anthem of Equatorial Guinea was written by Atanasio Ndongo Miyone and adopted in 1968, when the country gained independence from Spain [1]. Equatorial Guinea was carved out of three former Spanish colonies: Río Muni, a strip of land between Cameroon and Gabon; Bioko, an island near Cameroon; and Annobón, an island in the Atlantic Ocean far from the mainland.

The largest ethnic group are the Fang (85.7% (1994 census) of a total 704,001 (July 2013 est.)), with 6.5% Bubi and smaller populations of Mdowe (3.6%), Annobonese (1.6%) and Bujeba (1.1%), including smaller groups such as the Ndowe, the Bisio and the Combe.

The Fang are known for their mvet, a cross between a zither and a harp. The mvet can have up to fifteen strings. The semi-spherical part of this instrument is made of bamboo and the strings are attached to the center by fibers. Music for the mvet is written in a form of musical notation that can only be learned by initiates of the bebom-mvet society. Music is typically call and response with a chorus and drums alternating. Musicians like Eyi Moan Ndong have helped to popularize folk styles.

A three- or four- person orchestra consisting of some arrangement of sanza, xylophone, drums, zithers and bow harps accompanies the many dances in Equatorial Guinea, such as the balélé and the risque ibanga.

Another popular instrument is the tam-tam, a wooden box covered with animal skin. In its center are bamboo keys installed with complete musical scales. A second type of tam-tam has two different levels of musical keys. Generally, wooden musical instruments are decorated with fauna images and geometric drawings. Drums are covered with animal skins or animal drawings.

There is little popular music coming out of Equatorial Guinea. Pan-African styles like soukous and makossa are popular, as are reggae and rock and roll. Acoustic guitar bands based on a Spanish model are the country's best-known indigenous popular tradition, especially national stars Desmali and Dambo de la Costa.

Other musicians from Equatorial Guinea include Malabo Strit Band, Luna Loca, Chiquitin, Dambo de la Costa, Ngal Madunga, Lily Afro and Spain-based exiles like Super Momo, Hijas del Sol and Baron Ya Buk-Lu.

Guinea Ecuatorial [2]

Dominguez, Manuel. "Malabo Blues". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 477-479. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0

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Equatorial Guinea's culture has been less documented than most African countries, and commercial recordings remain scarce. The national anthem of Equatorial Guinea was written by Atanasio Ndongo Miyone and adopted in 1968, when the country gained independence from Spain [1].

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The balélé is the most traditional dance repeated throughout Guinea: a traditional dance that the women usually take up at any ceremony or festival, usually accompanied by a musical group comprised of three or four men.

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As in the rest of Africa, music and dance form part of daily life, of the culture closest to the people, of the games of the children and of any festival or ritual. The wealth of ethnic groups and culture of Guinea causes the country to reflect exactly the same wealth and variety in the diversity of its cultural expressions, especially in the aspect of music.

The sound of the forests let themselves be heard through the instruments made with natural materials coming from the exuberant jungles of Guinea. The greatest variety is found in the percussion instruments, for example, in the wooden drums, or those of wood with leather; but also in the canes that are knocked together or in the magic xylophones made exclusively of wood and strings, that offer, however, a clearly metallic sound. In addition, the sanza or piano of bamboo tongues, the harp of ligatures and the zither are especially representative.

The most representative musical specialty is that of the local choruses that can be found especially in the entire continental area, and that usually are formed by women, with precious voices and dances that are harmonized together, and songs that praise the festivals or the most special moments of this villages. The balélé is the most traditional dance repeated throughout Guinea: a traditional dance that the women usually take up at any ceremony or festival, usually accompanied by a musical group comprised of three or four men.

Apart from the balélé, the country is especially rich in dances, different for each ethnic group and different according to the occasion: from the dances mokom, ndong, biben, mbaa, and akoma mbaa of the Fang, to the cachá of the bubis or the ivanga of the Ndowes with the faces of the dancers painted white.

As for modern music, the panorama is very wide for a small-sized country like Equatorial Guinea, and we can find numerous singers/songwriters, singers and groups of different styles, in which the folklore tradition of Africa is mixed with the most modern styles, such as hip-hop or rap. Among the voices most consolidated for some years we can mention the Hijas del Sol, Alex Morris, David Bass, Juana Sineppy, Mastho Ribocho, Cheri Malé and Sita Richi. Among the youngest, Luis Mbomio, Fifi LaMiré, el Nene Bantú, Majo Star, Selin Samourai el Curandero, Sandra Estar, Amistad Internacional, etc.

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MUSIC AND CULTURE - Official Web Page of the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea

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As in the rest of Africa, music and dance form part of daily life, of the culture closest to the people, of the games of the children and of any festival or ritual. The wealth of ethnic groups and culture of Guinea causes the country to reflect exactly the same wealth and variety in the diversity of its cultural expressions, especially in the aspect of music.

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Equatorial Guinea’s historic architecture could be an added attraction for tourists. Bioko Island is dotted with interesting churches and houses from the Spanish colonial era. One building is a beautiful, wooden cathedral in the small village of Batete, about 40 miles from Malabo.

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By Bryan Schiller

On the western coast of Central Africa, just north of the Equator, lies the only country on the continent where Spanish is an official language. Many of the Embassy Malabo's Foreign Service officers-including the ambassador and deputy chief of mission-are also veterans of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a hidden gem featuring lush rainforests, pristine beaches, breathtaking waterfalls, rare wildlife, tropical weather, and unique, fascinating culture.

Equatorial Guinea is roughly the size of Hawaii but with a much smaller population. The country has two main regions, an insular (island) region and an area on the continental mainland of Africa. Like the Hawaiian Islands, the country's five inhabited islands form a volcanic island arc. The capital city of Malabo is located on the largest of these islands, Bioko. At Embassy Malabo, 11 U.S. direct hires and more than 120 locally engaged staff strive to protect U.S. citizens and significant business interests, foster greater respect for democracy and human rights, and support efforts to diversify and grow the economy through increased foreign investment, transparency, accountability, and investment in human capital.

U.S. Ambassador Susan Stevenson discusses what it is like to serve in Equatorial Guinea. Video by Isaac D. Pacheco

When President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo took power in 1979, the country was one of the poorest in Africa. It was underdeveloped and reeling from the gross human rights violations of the previous regime when many of the country's educated citizens had fled or been killed. The infrastructure was ravaged, and the educational system was practically nonexistent. As one of Africa's wealthiest countries during the colonial era due to its cocoa production, this was a dire development.

For more than a decade, the country remained one of the poorest in the region. In the 1990s, however, American wildcatters, led by Walter International, succeeded where the Spanish had failed-as the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea (GREG) repeatedly reminds Embassy officials-and discovered oil in Equatoguinean waters. Soon, Mobil Energy (now Exxon Mobil) and other American gas and oil companies entered the Equatoguinean market, including Marathon, Hess Oil, Noble Energy, and Kosmos Energy.

The discovery of oil and natural gas led to a remarkable economic boom that transformed the country and opened a new chapter in Equatoguinean history. By 2010, Equatorial Guinea was the third-largest oil and gas producer in Africa and had the highest per capita income on the continent. U.S. energy companies have invested an estimated $20 billion in the country's economy. With profits from the industry, the GREG has made enormous investments in infrastructure, building roads, ports and airports, as well as parks, a new university, and dynamic, ocean-front public spaces. The new infrastructure has linked villages and towns to major cities and transport hubs.

For more than 10 years from the mid-1990s, the United States did not have an embassy in Malabo. Instead, the U.S. ambassador to Cameroon, based in Yaounde, also served as the U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. The oil companies lobbied Congress to re-establish an embassy in Malabo to protect the interests of U.S. companies. Embassy Malabo reopened in 2006, and by the end of 2013, its staff moved into a modern new embassy compound. Today, the mission's officers have a close relationship with the GREG, as well as with U.S. companies there, meeting with their executives regularly to ensure that U.S. business interests are protected.

"One of our most important initiatives is teaming up with U.S. businesses to prepare for unexpected crises and contingencies," said Consular Section Chief Sami Jenkins.

After 40 years in power, President Obiang is the longest-serving non-royal head of state in the world. The political party he founded, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, dominates all branches of government. In this climate, a significant priority of the embassy is to protect human rights and promote democracy.

"When it comes to human rights and ensuring a truly democratic system," said Political-Economic Officer Sam Rotenberg, "we see some positive engagement from both the government and civil society, but there is a lot of work to be done."

Unfortunately, poor governance and corruption have inhibited economic growth, and spending on human capital has fallen far behind spending on capital infrastructure. President Obiang says that corruption must be reduced; the embassy is also focused on this issue. One area of success has been convincing government agencies to accept electronic fund transfers instead of cash for the embassy's routine administrative transactions.

"This removes the middle-man and reduces the opportunity for graft," said Management Officer Theresa Sondjo. "Senior officials in the government of Equatorial Guinea welcome this."

The embassy is working to support and help develop civil society in Equatorial Guinea through grants and cultural exchanges. One such grant was for the nonprofit MOSART Music School to purchase musical instruments and educational materials. The embassy worked with the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs to bring the American music group, Freedom's Boombox,to the school in 2019 to conduct a series of workshops. The group also collaborated with local artists to give several concerts at various venues, attracting youth and the general public to the wildly popular cultural exchanges. The embassy supports multiple other nonprofit organizations as well, working on a wide range of issues, including women's empowerment, youth motivation, environmental protection, and LGBTI rights.

The oil and gas production that rocketed Equatorial Guinea's economic development slowed down in 2014 with a decrease in the price of oil, though Equatorial Guinea remains a middle-income country. Since the hydrocarbon sector accounts for the majority of the country's gross domestic product, more than 80 percent of government revenue, and 96 percent of the country's exports, this slowdown has hurt the entire economy. The government of Equatorial Guinea recognizes that it relies heavily on the hydrocarbon sector and wants to diversify its economy. Another mission priority is to help the government in this effort for the mutual benefit of U.S. businesses and the Equatoguinean people.

Given the natural beauty of the country, an obvious way to diversify the economy is to develop the nascent tourism industry. Equatorial Guinea has an amazing range of biodiversity. Bioko Island has one of Africa's greatest concentrations of endangered small primates, and four species of sea turtles nest on its pristine beaches. Equatorial Guinea's bird life is also diverse and captivating.

Since 2007, Philadelphia-based Drexel University has run the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP) with the National University of Equatorial Guinea. The BBPP is dedicated to the research and conservation of Bioko Island's biodiversity, especially its critically endangered primates and nesting marine turtles. The embassy has issued small grants to this program and brought speakers from the United States who are experts in bird watching, national parks, and entrepreneurship to share examples of how Equatoguineans could turn the natural beauty of the country into employment and economic development. The country has the potential to develop an ecotourism and adventure travel industry similar to that of neighboring São Tomé and Príncipe.

Equatorial Guinea's historic architecture could be an added attraction for tourists. Bioko Island is dotted with interesting churches and houses from the Spanish colonial era. One building is a beautiful, wooden cathedral in the small village of Batete, about 40 miles from Malabo. The Spanish built the church exclusively with local timber in the 1920s. It is a rare example of Spanish modernist ecclesiastical architecture in a wooden structure. Time and the elements, however, have taken a heavy toll on the church. Its walls bend outward, its exterior is damaged, and its roof leaks. The embassy has secured a grant through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation to restore the church, an effort that will extend over the next two years.

U.S. citizens can travel to Equatorial Guinea without a visa, and the opportunity to see exotic wildlife and historic architecture is sure to attract many, so long as the region remains safe. Toward that end, the embassy is working to help address regional security concerns in the Gulf of Guinea and Central Africa in general, which has included helping Equatorial Guinea secure its borders, airports, and seaports. The embassy will soon send members of the country's security forces to the International Law Enforcement Academy training program in San Salvador.

"We try to bring our knowledge and our law enforcement standards and best practices to other countries and have them adopt our standards as their own," said Regional Security Officer Jose Mercado.

For American diplomats and their families, life in Malabo is surprisingly comfortable. There are on-compound fitness classes as part of the Health Unit's wellness program, a close-knit embassy community, and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. The magnificent parks, beaches, and oceanside promenades are open to all and have a family-friendly atmosphere.

"Equatorial Guinea is a beautiful, relatively safe place," said Jarahn Hillsman, the deputy chief of mission, "You can go bike riding. You can run in the park. The country has a lot to offer."

"My family and I love to go to the beaches," said Rose Quinones-Mercado, an eligible family member who works in the Public Affairs Section. "We are surrounded by unique nature; things you're not going to see anywhere else."

Equatorial Guinea is a place of pristine beauty and untold potential.

"Mission Malabo provides a unique opportunity for responsibility and access early in one's career. Our section heads regularly interact with government ministers," said Ambassador Susan Stevenson. "Equatorial Guinea boasts a mix of indigenous, colonial, and regional influences. It's a small country, so it's easier to make a difference."
Bryan Schiller is the public affairs officer at Embassy Malabo

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By Bryan Schiller On the western coast of Central Africa, just north of the Equator, lies the only country on the continent where Spanish is an official language. Many of the Embassy Malabo's Foreign Service officers-including the ambassador and deputy chief of mission-are also veterans of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

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In addition to many of Africa's best known animals, such as elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees, Equatorial Guinea has many native species found few other places on the planet. One such animal is the Bioko Allen's Bushbaby, a type of primate with large eyes and a long bushy tail. Other primates abound, such as the drill, a relative of the baboon and closer relative of the mandrill. This endangered monkey is nomadic, and little is known about its behavior in the wild. Additionally, Pennant's red colobus, a small, slow monkey, and four types of guenons -- monkeys with long tails -- call Equatorial Guinea home.

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The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is home to a variety of wildlife, including many endangered species. Located north of the equator on Africa's west coast, the turbulent country includes islands as well as land on the continent. The recent discovery of petroleum could further threaten the animals in the country.

In addition to many of Africa's best known animals, such as elephants,

gorillas and

chimpanzees, Equatorial Guinea has many native species found few other places on the planet. One such animal is the Bioko Allen's Bushbaby, a type of primate with large eyes and a long bushy tail. Other primates abound, such as the drill, a relative of the baboon and closer relative of the

mandrill. This endangered monkey is nomadic, and little is known about its behavior in the wild. Additionally, Pennant's red colobus, a small, slow monkey, and four types of guenons -- monkeys with long tails -- call Equatorial Guinea home.

Equatorial Guinea also has several unusual species of reptiles, including two skinks, one of which has no forelimbs and only two toes on its rear limbs. The other, a lidless skink, looks like a snake with legs. The country also has other lizards, including different geckos and snakes.

The biodiversity of Equatorial Guinea includes a variety of birds, as well as two unique species. The Fernando Po Speirops is a small, dark songbird found only on the island of Bioko. The Annobon White-eye, a small, olive-green bird, lives only on the nearly seven-square-mile island of Annobon.

The waters of Equatorial Guinea also offer a range of biodiversity. A type of scorpionfish, scorpaena annobonae, is known only because of a single specimen caught off of Annobon. The West

African manatee also frequents the waters of the country, as it lives in the rivers along the coast. The West African manatee is the least-seen and least-studied type of manatee, and like many animals in Africa, its greatest threat is humans.

Equatorial Guinea hosts some of the most unusual, and threatened, creatures in the world. With primates, birds and reptiles found few other places, it has biodiversity worth protecting.

Click here for a list of endangered animals in Equatorial Guinea.

Even-toed ungulates in Equatorial Guinea

White-bellied duiker Blue duiker Ogilby's duiker Yellow-backed duiker African buffalo Common hippopotamus Bongo Marshbuck Bushbuck Bates' pygmy antelope Water chevrotain Red river hog Peter's duiker Bay duiker

Carnivores in Equatorial Guinea

African palm civet Spotted hyaena Marsh mongoose Black-footed mogoose Slender mongoose Leopard Long-nosed mongoose Honey badger Striped polecat African civet Panther genet Servaline genet African linsang Speckle-throated otter African golden cat

Dolphins, porpoises, and whales in Equatorial Guinea

Atlantic hump-backed dolphin Atlantic spinner dolphin Fraser's dolphin Pygmy killer whale

Bats in Equatorial Guinea

Zenker's fruit bat Peter's dwarf epauletted fruit bat Nut-colored yellow bat Moloney's flat-headed bat Greater long-fingered bat Sierra leone free-tailed bat Spurrell's free-tailed bat Mauritian tomb bat Railer bat Benito roundleaf bat Sundevall's roundleaf bat Short-tailed roundleaf bat Little collared fruit bat Cyclops roundleaf bat Noack's roundleaf bat Little free-tailed bat Bate's slit-faced bat Large slit-faced bat Hairy slit-faced bat Large-eared slit-faced bat Dwarf slit-faced bat Hammer-headed fruit bat Straw-coloured fruit bat Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat Tiny pipistrelle Franquet's epauletted fruit bat Halcyon horseshoe bat Lander's horseshoe bat Pel's pouched bat Woermann's bat

Hyraxes in Equatorial Guinea

Western tree dassie

Pangolins in Equatorial Guinea

Three-cusped pangolin Giant ground pangolin Black-bellied pangolin

Primates in Equatorial Guinea

Allen's bushbaby Gorilla Southern talapoin monkey Collared mangabey Moustached guenon Red-eared guenon De brazza's monkey Greater spot-nosed guenon Crowned guenon Preuss's guenon Eastern black-and-white colobus Pennant's red colobus Black colobus Chimpanzee Potto gibbon Gray-cheeked mangabey Elegant galago Northern needle-clawed bushbaby Drill Golden angwantibo Mandrill

Elephants in Equatorial Guinea

African elephant

Rodents in Equatorial Guinea

Shining thicket rat Silent dormouse Target rat African smoky mouse Red-legged sun squirrel Greater cane rat Pygmy mouse Peter's mouse African pygmy squirrel Bioko hybomys Peters' hybomys Beaded hylomyscus African wading rat Allen's hylomyscus Giant rat Stella hylomyscus Rufous-nosed rats Long-eared flying squirrel Congo forest mouse Pygmy scaly-tailed flying squirrel Green bush squirrel Baifran palm squirrel Fire-bellied brush-furred rat Jackson's praomys Rusty-bellied brush-furred rat Cameroon praomys Tullberg's praomys Lord derby's flying squirrel Big-eared swamp rat Thomas's rope squirrel Dwarf scaly-tailed squirrel Forest giant squirrel Lady burton's rope squirrel Ribboned rope squirrel African brush-tailed porcupine Natal multimammate mouse Red-cheeked rope squirrel Fire-footed rope squirrel

Dugongs, manatees, and sea cows in Equatorial Guinea

African manatee

Information about the animals living in Equatorial Guinea is brought to you by"List of countries of the world", your first stop in discovering all countries and animals of the world.

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The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is home to a variety of wildlife, including many endangered species. Located north of the equator on Africa's west coast, the turbulent country includes islands as well as land on the continent. The recent discovery of petroleum could further threaten the animals in the country.