Ciudad de la Paz

Ciudad de la Paz, also known as La Paz, is the new capital city of Equatorial Guinea. It became the capital on January 2, 2026, replacing Malabo. Before that, the city was called Djibloho or Oyala.

The city was planned carefully. Its location was chosen because it is easier to reach and has a milder climate than the old capital. It is also far from the coast, which helps keep it safe.

Ciudad de la Paz was designed by a Portuguese team of architects and urban planners. The city is expected to be home to about 200,000 people. It will have a new Parliament building and several homes for the president, covering a large area of land.

The idea to build this new capital came from President Teodoro Obiang. Some people in the government opposed the plan, but work on the city began in early 2017.

Geography

La Paz is in the middle of Río Muni, the mainland part of Equatorial Guinea. It is between the cities of Bata and Mongomo, just 20 km from the airport of Mengomeyén. The city's electricity comes from the 120 MW Djibloho Dam in the Djibloho Evinayong area.

Ciudad de la Paz has a warm tropical climate. It is close to both a tropical monsoon climate and a tropical savannah climate. Though it isn’t a tropical rainforest climate, the area gets a lot of rain—about 2,142 mm each year. Rain falls most of the year, from September through June, with a short dry time in July and August. December and January are a bit drier but still wet. Temperatures stay warm all year, though they are a little cooler than you might expect for a place near the equator.

Planning and construction

In the middle of the rain forest, the government planned to build a new city to be the future home of government. It would be the headquarters of the president, government, police, and military, replacing the old capital Malabo. The city was designed for 160,000 to 200,000 people in an area of 81.5 km².

A golf course, a university, a luxury hotel, and a six-lane highway were finished in 2013. Other planned buildings include government offices, a financial district, and homes. Three bridges and highways have been built or are still under construction. A road connects the city to the new airport in Mengomeyen.

Funding for construction came from AICEP Portugal Global. The plans were made by a Portuguese architectural office. The building work had support from China, Poland, Brazil, and North Korea. Construction had delays, like when President Obiang asked to move a building because he did not like its look. Many special parts were imported, but the city used local materials for basic building. This was done by starting local quarrying operations to get stone and other needed materials.

The city became the country's capital on 2 January 2026, and the president set a one-year goal to move public services there.

Design

The city was designed by a Portuguese company called FAT – Future Architecture Thinking. At first, plans expected about 65,000 people to live there. Now, the city might grow to hold between 160,000 and 200,000 people. The city covers a large area of 8,150 hectares, which is about 81.5 km² or 20,100 acres.

Progress

In 2021, a video showed parts of the new city of Ciudad de la Paz that were still being built. It included a partly built overpass and a tall tower for the ministry of infrastructure, among other structures.

By 2022, some important buildings like two glass towers, a university campus, several administrative buildings, and a large hotel were nearly finished. This hotel can hold up to 1,200 people for meetings and has a golf course and a wellness center. On January 2, 2026, the capital of Equatorial Guinea was officially moved from Malabo to Ciudad de la Paz.

Participating companies

Many companies helped build Ciudad de la Paz. Some worked on roads and highways, like CSCEC, Vinci SA, and Egis Route. Others worked on bridges, such as Bouygues, Besix, and Vinci SA. Some companies built important buildings, like universities, a parliament building, and a presidential palace.