Malabo

Malabo ( mə-LAH-boh, Spanish: [maˈlaβo] ; formerly Santa Isabel [ˈsantajsaˈβel] ) is a city in Equatorial Guinea, located in the province of Bioko Norte. It is located on the north coast of the island of Bioko (Bube: Etulá, historically known as Fernando Pó by the Europeans). In 2018, the city had a population of approximately 297,000 inhabitants. Spanish is the official language of the city and of the country as well, but Pichinglis is also used as a language of wider communication across Bioko island, including Malabo. Malabo is the oldest city in Equatorial Guinea and served as its former capital. Ciudad de la Paz became the new capital of Equatorial Guinea on 2 January 2026. The institutions of governance of Equatorial Guinea began the process of locating to Ciudad de la Paz in February 2017. The designation as capital would be returned many times, finally becoming permanent on 20 June 2026.