These cessions were made so that Spain would have access to slaves for Spanish America and at the same time, it recognized the rights of the Portuguese west of the 50° W meridian in present-day Brazil.

[1] Spain controlled its new territory, called Spanish Guinea, from its Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata based in Buenos Aires.

[1] In 1827, Spain leased the island of Fernando Po to the British Royal Navy who required a base to watch for slavers after they abolished the slave trade in 1807.

In early 1968, the Spanish government suspended autonomous political control over the territory and proposed a national referendum over a new constitution.

[3] In March 1977, Spain suspended diplomatic relations with Equatorial Guinea due to repression by President Nguema and his verbal attacks against the Spanish government.

[4] In October 1978, relations between both nations dipped to an all-time low when President Nguema, who took absolute power in the country, began to send entire families and villages to their execution or to migrant camps.

[8] Relations between both nations almost severed again due to debt renegotiation in 1983 and the fact that Equatorial Guinea owed Spain over 6 million Spanish pesetas.

Spain's main exports to Equatorial Guinea include: drinks, furniture and lamps, mechanical equipment, automobiles and trucks, and electronic material.