Equatorial Guinea

Republic of Ecuatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial) was formerly known as Spanish Guinea. Originally inhabited by indigenous Pygmy tribes, the region saw an influx of migrating Bantu-speaking people between the 17th and 19th centuries. The island of Bioko off the coast was claimed by Portugal in 1472, and later most of the coastal areas of present day Guinea. Under the terms of the Treaty of El Pardo in 1778, the territory was ceded to Spain, who administered it through the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Briefly occupied by Great Britain from 1827 to 1843, the region was restored as Spanish territory in 1844; it became a Spanish protectorate in 1885, and a colony in 1900. Between 1926 and 1968, the country was officially named Spanish Guinea.

In September 1968, Francisco Macías Nguema was elected as the first president of Equatorial Guinea, and independence was recognised on October 12, 1968. In July 1970, Nguema created a single-party state, resulting in a reign of terror that led to the death or exile of up to one-third of the country's population (80,000 out of a total population of 300,000). Nguema was deposed on August 3, 1979, in a bloody coup d'état.

The Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial are the armed forces of Equatorial Guinea, consisting of the Army, Navy and Air Wing, with approximately 1300 active duty personnel. A Gendarmerie and National Police force are tasked with internal security and law enforcement respectively. A Presidential Guard of approximately 350 personnel is comprised primarily of Moroccans.

Camouflage Patterns of Equatorial Guinea

• While under administration of the Spanish government, responsibility for law and order as well as security for the territory was assumed by the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil). Some photographic evidence shows members of the GC wearing full camouflage uniforms in the Belgian "brushstroke" design during this time period. These uniforms were not typical Belgian military design, but may have been obtained through Belgian sources in Africa, or through a private contact with the manufacturer. Upon attaining independence, internal and external security became the responsibility of the new Guardia Territorial de Guinea (Territorial Guard), who continued to wear these camouflage uniforms for a short period of time.

• There is some additional evidence that Spanish military personnel serving at the very end of the colonial era, wore the Spanish "frogskin" design, at least for ceremonial purposes. Whether its use extended to indigenous units is unknown, but seems unlikely.

• A faithful copy of the US m81 woodland pattern has been worn by various units of the armed forces for some time.

• The Army have also worn a Chinese copy of the French lizard pattern, commonly found in West African nations and other Franchophone parts of Africa.

• For some years, the small Naval Force of this country has worn a lizard variant pattern using the same drawings as the standard Land Forces design but having a blue colorway. This design appears to have been discontinued.

• Since at least 2022, the Navy has begun wearing a blue-dominant woodland-derived camouflage design, presumably replacing the earlier lizard pattern.

• The Air Force of this nation consists of less than 200 personnel. Nevertheless, a blue-dominant DPM variant pattern camouflage uniforms has been deocumented in use since at least 2022.