World Facts Index
 Since
independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable
political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established
authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting
a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was
characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of
political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed
to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free
elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to
VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned
over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in
transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA
was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA
was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was
re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national
reconciliation.
Geography of Guinea-Bissau
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering
the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal |
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Coordinates:
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12 00 N, 15 00 W |
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Area:
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total: 36,120 sq km
water: 8,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km |
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Area comparative:
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slightly less than three
times the size of Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 724 km
border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km |
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Coastline:
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350 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; generally hot and
humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly
winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds |
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Terrain:
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mostly low coastal plain
rising to savanna in east |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
country 300 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, timber, phosphates,
bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry, dusty harmattan
haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires |
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Environment current issues:
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deforestation; soil
erosion; overgrazing; overfishing |
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Geography - note:
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this small country is
swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland
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Population of Guinea-Bissau
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Population:
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1,503,182 (July 2008 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 41.4% (male 297,623/female 298,942)
15-64 years: 55.6% (male 384,559/female 417,811)
65 years and over: 3% (male 18,048/female 25,046) |
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Median age:
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19 years |
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Growth rate:
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2.07% |
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Infant mortality:
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105.21 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 46.87 years
male: 45.05 years
female: 48.75 years |
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Fertility rate:
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4.86 children born/woman |
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Nationality:
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noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean |
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Ethnic groups:
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African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca
14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% |
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Religions:
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indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%,
Christian 5% |
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Languages:
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Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African
languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 42.4%
male: 58.1%
female: 27.4%
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of
Guinea-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea |
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Government type:
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republic, multiparty since mid-1991 |
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Capital:
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Bissau |
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Administrative divisions:
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9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao);
Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may
have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos |
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Independence:
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24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 24 September (1973) |
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Constitution:
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16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December
1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996 |
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Legal system:
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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino'
VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos CORREIA
cabinet: NA
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term
limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime
minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the
legislature. |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of
four years). |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of
nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals
in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of
appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over
$1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil
cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases) |
Economy
One of the five poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends
mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in
recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production.
Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts,
palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However,
intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a
military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused
widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in
GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade
reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's
structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of
monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to
reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum,
phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. Offshore
oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to
commercially viable crude deposits. The inequality of income distribution is
one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors
continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably
low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step
in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for
2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and
indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw
material prices boosted growth to 3.7% in 2007.
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GDP:
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$826.4 million (2007 est.) |
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GDP growth rate:
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2.3% |
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GDP per capita:
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$800 |
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GDP composition by sector:
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agriculture: 62%
industry: 12%
services: 26% |
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Inflation rate:
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4% |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 82%
industry and services: 18% |
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Electricity production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% |
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Industries:
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agricultural products processing, beer,
soft drinks |
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Agriculture:
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rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca),
cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish |
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Exports:
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cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels,
sawn lumber |
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Export partners:
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India 68.9%, Nigeria 17.5%, Ecuador 4.6% |
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Imports:
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foodstuffs, machinery and transport
equipment, petroleum products |
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Import partners:
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Senegal 35.7%, Italy 18.8%, Portugal 12.8% |
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States;
previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
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