What it's known for
Malabo is the oldest city in Equatorial Guinea. It was the national capital until a presidential decree on 2 January 2026 made Ciudad de la Paz the capital. The city's population doubled as oil production rose in the early 2000s.
Malabo
City in Equatorial GuineaMalabo lies on the north coast of Bioko, a volcanic island in the Gulf of Guinea about 32 km off the coast of Cameroon.
Fun facts
- The British founded the town on 25 December 1827 as Port Clarence, a base for ships hunting slave traders.
- Under Spanish rule it was called Santa Isabel, and in 1973 it was renamed after Malabo Löpèlo Mëlaka, the last king of the Bubi people.
- The Cathedral of Santa Isabel, built between 1897 and 1916 in the Gothic Revival style, still carries the city's old Spanish name.
Finding it on the globe
Find the inner corner of the Gulf of Guinea, where Africa's coast turns south at Cameroon. Malabo is on the north shore of Bioko, the island just off that coast.
Easy to mix up
Malabo is on an island, while the new capital, Ciudad de la Paz, lies inland near the centre of Río Muni, the mainland part of the country. Older maps still show Malabo as the capital.
Sources: Wikipedia: Malabo, Wikipedia: Bioko, Wikipedia: Ciudad de la Paz