Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea became independent from Spain on 12 October 1968 after 190 years of colonial rule. 

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled the country since 1979 after coming to power in a coup.

Although nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996, 2002, and 2009 presidential elections, and the 1999, 2004, and 2008 legislative elections were widely seen as flawed.

Equatorial Guinea has a mixed system civil and customary law. 
Equatorial Guinea has a constitution dating from 1991 which was amended in 1995.