|
RIo Muni, located just north of the equator, is made up of lowland along the coast, which gradually rises in the interior to a maximum height of c.3,600 ft (1,100 m). RIo Muni includes three major rivers : the Campo, which forms part of the northern boundary; the Benito, located in the center; and RIo Muni, which forms part of the southern boundary. There are forests of okume, mahogany, and walnut along the coast and the rivers. Bioko is made up of three extinct volcanoes, the loftiest of which is c.9,870 ft (3,010 m) high. The island has abundant fertile volcanic soil. Corisco and the Elobey islands are located near the RIo Muni estuary.
The great majority of the inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea speak a Bantu language. The main ethnic group in RIo Muni, where most of the population lives, is the Fang. The population of Bioko is primarily made of the Bubi (the oldest of the modern-day inhabitants), descendants of slaves from W Africa liberated by the British in the 19th cent., and Nigerians and Fangs who migrated there in the 20th cent. Spanish is the official language. Also spoken are pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, and Igbo. The population is at least nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; some indigenous religions are practiced.
Sections in this article:
|
