Malabo 48823 222873383 2008-07-01T15:05:29Z Thijs!bot 1392310 robot Adding: [[hu:Malabo]] {{Infobox Settlement | official_name = Malabo | nickname = | motto = | image_skyline = Malabo a 13-oct-01.jpg | image_flag = | image_seal = | pushpin_map = Equatorial Guinea | map_caption = Location in Equatorial Guinea | subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Province]] | subdivision_name = [[Equatorial Guinea]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Bioko Norte Province]] | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1827 | established_title2 = Current name | established_date2 = Since 1973 | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | area_magnitude = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_urban_km2 = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | population_as_of= | population_footnotes = | population_total = | population_urban = | population_metro = | population_density_sq_mi = | population_density_km2 = | timezone = [[West Africa Time|WAT]] | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | latd = 3 | latm = 45 | lats = 7.43 | latNS = N | longd = 8 | longm = 46 | longs = 25.32 | longEW = E | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_ft = 0 | elevation_m = 0 | website = | footnotes = }} '''Malabo''' ({{pronEng|ˈmæləboʊ}}) is the [[capital]] and largest city of [[Equatorial Guinea]], located on the northern coast of [[Bioko]] Island (formerly Fernando Pó) on the rim of a sunken volcano.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050252/Malabo Malabo at britannica.com]</ref>. Its population has grown rapidly over the past ten years to about 100,000.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} ==History== The city was first founded by the British in 1827, who leased the island from [[Spain]] during the colonial period. Named '''Port Clarence''', it was used as a naval station in the effort to suppress the slave trade. Many newly freed slaves were also settled there, prior to the establishment of [[Sierra Leone]] as a colony for freed slaves. While many of them later relocated to Sierra Leone, some of their descendants, called [[Fernandinos]], can still be found in Malabo and the surrounding area, where they constitute a distinct ethnic group, speaking their own Afro-Portuguese pidgin dialect. When the island reverted to complete Spanish control, Malabo was renamed '''Santa Isabel'''. It was chosen to replace the mainland town of [[Bata, Equatorial Guinea|Bata]] as the capital of the country in 1969, and was renamed Malabo in 1973 as part of President [[Francisco Macías Nguema]]'s campaign to replace European place names with "authentic" African ones. During his "reign of terror," Macías Nguema led a near-genocide of the country's [[Bubi]] minority, which formed the majority on Bioko Island, and brought many of his own tribespeople, the [[Beti-Pahuin#Fang|Fang]], to Malabo. In the final years of his rule, when Equatorial Guinea was sometimes known as the "[[Auschwitz]] of [[Africa]]," much of the city's population fled as, indeed, did about one-third of the country's population. Malabo has yet to recover from the scars of that period. ==Climate== With an average temperature of 77 °F (25 °C) and an annual rainfall of 75 inches (1,900 mm), it has an [[Equatorial climate]]/[[Monsoon]] climate. <ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050252/Malabo Malabo at britannica.com]</ref>. ==Layout== Despite its status as the capital of Equatorial Guinea for several decades, Malabo's street network remains poorly developed. Malabo itself has few paved roads leading into it, and less than one hundred paved and developed streets. Many of the street names reflect an [[African nationalism|African nationalist]] or anti-colonial theme, with names such as "Independence Avenue" or "[[Patrice Lumumba]] Road" being main roads. The few large roads not named for an African nationalist ideal or person are named for cities in Equatorial Guinea or other places or countries in [[Africa]], as well as the road leading to the presidential palace. The palace and grounds consume a substantial part of the eastern side of Malabo, and are off-limits. The heart of the city is the colonial cathedral at Independence Place. The south of Malabo is bordered by the ''Rio Consul''. Across this lies the hospital to the southeast. To the west is the recently renovated [[Malabo Airport|airport]]. The coastal northern region of the city is pierced by headlands and bays. The largest headland is the crescent-shaped ''Tip of African Unity'' behind the presidential palace. Encompassing the entire eastern side of Malabo Bay, it is almost as long as Malabo is tall. Malabo is part of a wider bay that represents most of the northern coast of Bioko; it stretches from ''Europe Point'' in the west (home to the airport), to barren lands in the east. Notable buildings in Malabo include [[Malabo Cathedral]] and the [[Malabo Court Building]]. The city is served by [[Malabo International Airport]], while [[ferry|ferries]] sail from its [[port]] to [[Douala]] and [[Bata, Equatorial Guinea|Bata]]. ==Discovery of oil == Malabo has been significantly affected by [[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]]'s growing cooperation with the [[oil industry]]. The country's production has reached 360,000 barrels/day as of 2004, an increase which led to a doubling of the city's population, but for the vast majority, very little of that wealth has been invested in development.<ref> {{cite news | last= Cobb | first= Charles | url= http://allafrica.com/stories/200212160112.html | title= Obiang Sure to Win As Opposition Quits Poll | publisher= AllAfrica | date= 16 December 2002 }} </ref> Hospitals sit without medications or doctors, schools languish in disrepair with no money for books or resources, electrical supply is sporadic at best, the vast majority of citizens still have no access to clean water or sanitation, and HIV and hosts of other STDs have become rampant with the burgeoning prostitution trade while infant mortality rates are among the highest in Africa. Obiang's health continues to fail and much tension exists regarding the identity of his successor. The two likely candidates are his sons Teodorino or Gabriel. ==Air travel== Malabo is well served by several international carriers including [[Iberia Airlines|Iberia]], Swiss, [[Spanair]], [[Air France]], [[KLM]], [[Astraeus]] (charter to [[Gatwick]]) and [[Lufthansa]] (as of May 2008) as well as a few regional airlines offering service to surrounding counties as well as to the mainland (Bata). Travel on these internal carriers should be duly considered, as there is no capability of enforcing airworthiness standards in Equatorial Guinea and [[air traffic control]] is marginal at best. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Gallery== <center><gallery> Image:Bioko.png|Island of Bioko Image:Malabo coast line.jpg|Coastline Image:Malabo waterfront.jpg|Waterfront </gallery></center> ==External links== * [http://malabo.usembassy.gov/ U.S. Embassy in Malabo] {{coor title dm|3|45|N|8|47|E|type:city}} {{African capitals}} [[Category:Capitals in Africa]] [[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Equatorial Guinea]] [[Category:Settlements established in 1827]] [[Category:Port cities in Africa]] [[Category:Malabo| ]] [[am:ማላቦ]] [[ar:مالابو]] [[br:Malabo]] [[bg:Малабо]] [[ca:Malabo]] [[da:Malabo]] [[de:Malabo]] [[el:Μαλάμπο]] [[es:Malabo]] [[eo:Malabo]] [[eu:Malabo]] [[fa:مالابو]] [[fr:Malabo]] [[ga:Malabo]] [[gd:Malabo]] [[gl:Malabo]] [[ko:말라보]] [[hy:Մալաբո]] [[hr:Malabo]] [[io:Malabo]] [[id:Malabo]] [[is:Malabó]] [[it:Malabo]] [[he:מלאבו]] [[sw:Malabo]] [[ht:Malabo]] [[la:Malabo]] [[lb:Malabo]] [[lt:Malabas]] [[ln:Malabo]] [[hu:Malabo]] [[nl:Malabo]] [[ja:マラボ]] [[no:Malabo]] [[nn:Malabo]] [[nov:Malabo]] [[oc:Malabo]] [[pms:Malabo]] [[pl:Malabo]] [[pt:Malabo]] [[ksh:Malabo]] [[ru:Малабо]] [[simple:Malabo]] [[sk:Malabo]] [[sr:Малабо]] [[fi:Malabo]] [[sv:Malabo]] [[tl:Malabo]] [[vi:Malabo]] [[tg:Малабо]] [[uk:Малабо]] [[vec:Malabo]] [[zh:馬拉博]]