Military of Equatorial Guinea

The military of Equatorial Guinea was reorganized in 1979. It consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has 1,400 soldiers, the police 400 paramilitary men, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about120 members. There is a Gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea. Overall the military is poorly trained and equipped. It has mostly small arms, rocket launched grenades, and mortars. Almost none of its soviet-style light-armored vehicles or trucks are operational.

In 1988, the United States donated a 68-foot patrol boat to the Equatorial Guinean navy to patrol its exclusive economic zone. The U.S. patrol boat "Isla de Bioko" is no longer operational. U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997 (the year of the last Joint Combined Exchange Training Exercise). Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. The government spent 6.5% of its annual budget on defense in 2000 and 4.5% of its budget on defense in 2001. It recently acquired some Chinese artillery pieces, some Ukrainian patrol boats, and some Ukrainian Helicopter Gunships. The Equatoguineans rely on foreigners to operate and maintain this equipment as they are not sufficiently trained to do so.

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Rapid Intervention Force, National Police

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 105,420 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 53,564 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.6% (FY97/98)

See also : Equatorial Guinea