Our Series on Tiny Disputes takes us to the Atlantic shores of Central Africa.
Corisco Bay is a small bay on the border of two states: Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Three islands, Corisco, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico, have long been under the control of Spain, and more recently of the independent republic of Equatorial Guinea. Further South, a tiny sand island called Mbanié is closer to Gabon than to Equatorial Guinea. Gabon claims sovereignty on the basis of proximity of the mainland, while Equatorial Guinea claims it is part of a larger group of islands that are under its own sovereignty. While of little value itself, the island is of great importance in the delimitation of territorial waters in an area that is very rich in mineral resources, particularly oil. This is the source of continual tension between the two states. As of today, Gabon administers Mbanié and maintains a military presence on the island.
More on Mbanié Island
The Mbanié Island Dispute
