MONETARY UNIT: The Communauté Financière Africaine franc (CFA Fr) replaced the Guinean peso (pg) as official currency in May 1997. The CFA franc, which was originally pegged to the French franc, has been pegged to the euro since January 1999 with a rate of 655.957 CFA francs to 1 euro. The CFA franc comes in coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 CFA francs, and notes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 CFA francs. CFA Fr1 = $0.00189 (or $1 = CFA Fr528.28) as of 2005.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is used.

HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Death of Amilcar Cabral, 20 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Anniversary of the Killing of Pidjiguiti, 3 August; National Day, 24 September; Anniversary of the Movement of Readjustment, 14 November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Korité (end of Ramadan) and Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice).

TIME: 11 am = noon GMT.

1 Location and Size

Situated on the west coast of Africa, Guinea-Bissau has a total area of 36,120 square kilometers (13,946 square miles), about 10% of which is periodically submerged by tidal waters. Comparatively, the area occupied by Guinea-Bissau is slightly less than three times the size of the state of Connecticut. Besides its mainland territory, it includes the Bijagós Archipelago (Archipélago dos Bijagós) and various coastal islands. Guinea-Bissau shares borders with Senegal and Guinea, with a total land boundary length of 724 kilometers (450 miles). The coastline (Atlantic Ocean) is 398 kilometers (247 miles).

The capital city, Bissau, is located on the country’s Atlantic coast.

GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Geographic Features

Area: 36,120 sq km (13,946 sq mi)

Size ranking: 133 of 194

Highest elevation: 300 meters (984 feet) at an unnamed location at the northeast corner of the country

Lowest elevation: Sea level at the Atlantic Ocean

Land Use*

Arable land: 8%

Permanent crops: 7%

Other: 85%

Weather**

Average annual precipitation: 202.3 centimeters (79.6 inches)

Average temperature in January: 24.4°c (75.9°f)

Average temperature in July: 26.3°c (79.3°f)

* Arable Land: Land used for temporary crops, like meadows for mowing or pasture, gardens, and greenhouses.

Permanent crops: Land cultivated with crops that occupy its use for long periods, such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, fruit and nut orchards, and vineyards.

Other: Any land not specified, including built-on areas, roads, and barren land.

** The measurements for precipitation and average temperatures were taken at weather stations closest to the country’s largest city.

Precipitation and average temperature can vary significantly within a country, due to factors such as latitude, altitude, coastal proximity, and wind patterns.

2 Topography

The country is swampy at the coast and low-lying inland, except in the northeast. There are no significant mountains, but there is a central plateau rising to a couple hundred feet in elevation. Where the plateau stretches to the eastern frontier, it is called the Planalto de Gabú. This region has the nation’s highest point, an unnamed point at 300 meters (984 feet). The lowest point is at sea level (Atlantic Ocean). The most important rivers include the Cacheu, Mansoa, Geba, and Corubal.

3 Climate

Guinea-Bissau has a hot, humid climate, with a rainy season from mid-May to mid-November and a cooler dry season the rest of the year. The average temperature in the rainy season ranges from 26 to 28°c (79 to 82°f). During the dry season, the harmattan (dust-laden wind) blows from the Sahara. Rainfall averages 202.3 centimeters (79.6 inches).

4 Plants and Animals

Guinea-Bissau has a variety of vegetation, with thick forest in the interior plains, rice and mangrove fields along the coastal plains and swamps, and savanna in the north. Parts of Guinea-Bissau are rich in game, big and small. Several species of antelope, buffalo, monkeys, and snakes are found.

5 Environment

One of the most significant environmental problems in Guinea-Bissau is fire, which destroys 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of land per year and accelerates the loss of the nation’s forests at a yearly rate of about 570 square kilometers (220 square miles). In addition, Guinea-Bissau had lost over 75% of its original mangrove areas by the mid-1980s. Another environmental issue is soil damage, caused by drought and erosion. The soil has become more acidic and salty because of acid rain and fertilizer use.

In 2006, threatened species included five types of mammals, one species of birds, one type of reptile, ten species of fish, and four species of plant. Threatened species include the Pygmy hippopotamus and the West African manatee.

6 Population

In 2005, the population of Guinea-Bissau was 1.5 million. The population is projected to be 2.8 million in 2025. The population density in 2005 was estimated at 55 per square kilometer (142 per square mile). Bissau, the capital city, had an estimated area population of 336,000 in that year.

7 Migration

In 1998, thousands of citizens fled the civil war, migrating to Senegal and The Gambia. In 2004, there were about 7,536 refugees in the country, mostly from Senegal. In 2005, the net migration rate was estimated at -1.54 migrants per 1,000 population.

8 Ethnic Groups

The principal African ethnic groups are the Balante (an estimated 30% of the African population), living mainly in the central region; the Fulani (20%), in the north; the Manjaca (14%); the Mandinga (13%); and the Pepel (7%), in the coastal areas. Other African ethnic groups constitute most of the remainder. The Cape Verdean mulatto (mixed-race) community, which originated in the Cape Verde Islands, accounts for about 2% of the total population of Guinea-Bissau. Citizens of Guinea-Bissau are generally called Guineans.

9 Languages

Each tribe has its own language, subdivided into numerous dialects. A Guinean “crioulo,” or Africanized Portuguese patois, is the most common spoken language, while Portuguese is the official language.

10 Religions

About 49% of the population has retained traditional religious beliefs. An estimated 38% of the population are Muslim. The Fulani and Malinké ethic groups are primarily Muslim. Between 5% and 13% of the population are Christians, with a majority being Roman Catholic.

11 Transportation

There is no rail line in Guinea-Bissau. In 2002, the country had an estimated 4,400 kilometers (2,735 miles) of roads. Only about 10% (453 kilometers/282 miles) were tarred. Bissau is the main port and the site of a modern international airport. In 2004, there were an estimated 28 airports in the country, of which only 3 had paved runways in 2005.

12 History

The earliest inhabitants, hunters and fishermen, were replaced by the Baga and other peoples who came from the east. The Portuguese explorer Nuno Tristão arrived in the region in June 1446 and established the first trading posts. The slave trade developed during the 17th century, centering around the port of Bissau. In 1879 the area was made a separate Portuguese dependency.

In 1951, Guinea-Bissau was made a Portuguese overseas province. In September 1956 a group of dissatisfied Cape Verdeans founded an underground movement aimed at achieving independence from Portugal. It was named the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (Partido Africano de Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde-PAIGC), and Amilcar Cabral became its secretary-general. By 1963, large-scale guerrilla warfare had broken out in the territory.

During the following years, PAIGC soldiers, fighting a Portuguese force of about 30,000, increased their hold on the countryside. When Cabral was assassinated on 20 January 1973, Aristides Pereira took over the leadership of the movement, which on 24 September 1973 proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. On 26 August 1974, the Portuguese government (under new leadership following a takeover earlier that year) and the PAIGC signed an agreement in Algiers providing for the independence of Guinea-Bissau effective 10 September.

The new government, under President Luis de Almeida Cabral, had to deal with extensive economic turmoil brought about by the war. On 14 November 1980 President Cabral, who was of mixed European and American Indian ancestry with close ties to Cape Verde, was overthrown by a group of Guinean blacks under João Bernando Vieira’s command. Vieira and the PAIGC ruled Guinea-Bissau as a one-party state for ten years. However, in 1990, he denounced single-party rule, and in April 1991, Guinea-Bissau formally began a multiparty system and adopted a new constitution.

After several postponements, legislative and presidential elections were finally held in July 1994, the first multiparty elections in the country’s history. The PAIGC won a decisive majority in the Assembly. Vieira was elected president.

Since 1989, Guinea-Bissau and neighboring Senegal have disputed over their border, which had been determined by Portugal and France

in 1960. In 1992, the dispute erupted into violence as Senegalese bombers attacked the bases of Senegalese separatists located in Guinea-Bissau. In 1995, Senegal again bombed Guinea-Bissau, although it claimed the bombing was done in error. In March 1996, the two governments reached an agreement to end the hostilities.

In June 1998, tens of thousands fled north to Senegal, as civil war broke out in Bissau. The rebellion was led by Brigadier Ansumane Mané, a former army official whom President Vieira had dismissed on suspicion of arming separatist rebels in southern Senegal. Senegal and Guinea sent three thousand troops to restore order. In November, the Abuja peace agreement was signed with the stipulation that presidential and legislative elections be held before March 1999.

In May 1999, following the dismissal of General Ansumane Mané, troops loyal to the general stormed the presidential palace. Some 70 people died in the assault. Vieira renounced the presidency. Malam Bacai Sanha presided over

BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE

Name: Joao Bernardo Vieira

Position: President of a republic

Took Office: 1 October 2005

Birthplace: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

Birthdate: 27 April 1939

Education: Trained as an electrician

Of interest: He is known as “Nini” and was a key player in the country’s guerrilla war against Portuguese colonial rule.

the interim government, which ended the 11-month civil war.

In November 1999, National Assembly elections took place, and in January 2000, Sanha lost to Koumba Yala in presidential elections judged free and fair. Despite the elections, the country had a parallel government in the form of the military junta. In November 2000 fighting erupted between forces loyal to the government and supporters of the junta. After regaining control, loyalist forces announced on 30 November that Mané had been killed.

Yala announced in December 2001 that his government had prevented another coup attempt. In November 2002, Yala dissolved the parliament and named Mario Pires prime minister. Yala arrested his defense minister on 30 April 2003 on charges of plotting a coup. In June, he held emergency talks with unhappy military leaders and key ministers to prevent the collapse of his government. By July 2003, Yala’s government owed six months in back pay to the army and civil service. Instead of receiving money, government workers were receiving payment in rice. In September, an agreement was reached between the military and political parties to hold presidential and legislative elections. In the legislative elections of March 2004, the PAIGC won. In the presidential election in July 2005, the former military ruler Joao Vieira, who had returned from exile in Portugal, was elected to a five-year term with 52% of the vote.

13 Government

The constitution adopted in April 1991 established a multiparty system of government. The National People’s Assembly and the regional councils are the nation’s representative governmental bodies. The popularly elected councils in turn elect the 100-member assembly from among their own ranks. The assembly then elects a 15-member Council of State as the nation’s executive body. The president of this council becomes head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the armed forces. The president appoints prime minister who presides over a Council of Ministers.

Guinea-Bissau has 8 regions, not including the capital, and 37 sectors. Each region has an elected council, as does the capital.

14 Political Parties

Formerly, the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (Partido Africano de Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde-PAIGC) was the sole legal party. However, opposition parties were legalized by a new constitution adopted in April 1991. The most important opposition party is Bafata, the Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Bafata Movement.

Other parties represented in the government as of the 2004 elections included the Social Renovation Party (Partido da Renovacao Social or PRS), the United Social Democratic Party (PUSD), the Electoral Union, the United Popular Alliance (APU), and 13 others.

Yearly Growth Rate

This economic indicator tells by what percent the economy has increased or decreased when compared with the previous year.

15 Judicial System

The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over serious crimes and serves as an appeals court for the regional military courts. In rural areas, persons are often tried outside the formal system by traditional law.

16 Armed Forces

In 2005, the armed forces numbered approximately 9,700 in all services. The army numbered 6,800, the navy 350, and the air force 100. The defense budget in 2005 was $8.6 million.

17 Economy

About 82% of the population relies on agriculture and fishing. In 2002, about 88% of the population lived below the poverty line. Guinea-Bissau relies to a great extent upon foreign aid.

Components of the Economy

This pie chart shows how much of the country’s economy is devoted to agriculture (including forestry, hunting, and fishing), industry, or services.

The country has offshore oil reserves, which may become a source of income. Cashews are the biggest cash crop; the country is the world’s sixth-largest producer of cashews. Fishing prospects are also excellent.

18 Income

In 2005, Guinea-Bissau’s gross domestic product (GDP) was $1.1 billion, or $800 per person. The annual growth rate in gross domestic product (GDP) was at 2%. In 2002, the inflation rate was at 4%. In 2003, remittances from citizens working abroad totaled about $18 million, or about 7.5% of the GDP for that year.

19 Industry

Manufacturing constitutes a very minor part of Guinea-Bissau’s economy. Industries include a sugar refinery, and a rice and groundnut (peanut) processing plant. Guinea-Bissau ranks sixth in the world in cashew production. Brewing and urban construction are represented. In 2004, industry accounted for 12% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

20 Labor

In 2002, there were about 480,000 members of the labor force, with about 82% of workers involved in subsistence agriculture. The constitution grants workers the freedom to join and form trade unions. There were 11 registered labor unions in 2002.

The lowest legal monthly wage in 2002 was $20, and this did not support a family. The minimum working age is 14 years, but this is not enforced. Many children work as street vendors or on farms in rural areas.

21 Agriculture

Only 8% of the total land area is under permanent or seasonal cultivation. Rice is the major staple crop. Corn, millet, and sorghum are also produced and consumed very widely. In 2004, Guinea-Bissau produced 127,000 tons of rice, 22,000 tons of millet, 20,000 tons of peanuts, 45,000 tons of coconuts, 81,000 tons of cashew nuts, and 8,000 tons of palm kernels. Palm kernels, cashew nuts, and peanuts are the most important export crops. In 2004 trade in agricultural products consisted of $40.5 million in imports and $62.3 million in exports.

22 Domesticated Animals

Despite the damage caused by the tsetse fly (a disease-carrying insect), cattle raising is a main occupation, especially in the center of the country. In 2005, there were an estimated 530,000 head of cattle, 370,000 hogs, 300,000 sheep, and 335,000 goats.

23 Fishing

Fishing is slowly growing into a viable industry. Agreements allow the European Union countries to fish in national waters. Guinea-Bissau’s own catch was an estimated 5,000 tons in 2003, with mullet accounting for 44%.

24 Forestry

Guinean forests and savanna woodland, covering about 60% of the country, primarily supply wood and timber for domestic consumption and fuel and construction material. In 2004, round-wood (unsawed timber as in poles) production was about 592,000 cubic meters (21 million cubic feet), with 71% used as fuel wood. Timber has become a leading export, accounting for $719,000 in 2004.

25 Mining

Mining activities have been limited to small-scale production of basalt, cement, clay, gold, limestone, salt, and sand. Bauxite, diamonds, and phosphate were economically promising minerals being explored.

26 Foreign Trade

Cashew nuts account for 70% of export revenue, followed by fish, peanuts, palm kernels, and sawn lumber. Imports include industrial and commercial supplies, fuels and lubricants, and transport equipment, as well as imported foods, beverages, and tobacco. Principal export partners include India, the United States, and Nigeria. The main import partners are Senegal, Portugal, and China.

Yearly Balance of Trade

The balance of trade is the difference between what a country sells to other countries (its exports) and what it buys (its imports). If a country imports more than it exports, it has a negative balance of trade (a trade deficit). If exports exceed imports there is a positive balance of trade (a trade surplus).

27 Energy and Power

In 2002, electric power production was 56 million kilowatt hours. The country has no known proven reserves of oil or natural gas.

28 Social Development

Provision of health services, maternal and child care, nutrition programs, sanitation, and basic education is the principal social goal of the Guinea-Bissau government. There is no national social security system in place. Women have little access to education. Women also perform most of the work on family farms. Domestic abuse of women remains a problem and certain ethnic groups prohibit women from owning property.

Selected Social Indicators

The statistics below are the most recent estimates available as of 2006. For comparison purposes, data for the United States and averages for low-income countries and high-income countries are also given. About 15% of the world’s 6.5 billion people live in high-income countries, while 37% live in low-income countries.

Indicator	Guinea-Bissau	Low-income countries	High-income countries	United States
sources: World Bank. World Development Indicators. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, 2006; Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 2006; World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.
Per capita gross national income (GNI)*	$690	$2,258	$31,009	$39,820
Population growth rate	3.0%	2%	0.8%	1.2%
People per square kilometer of land	55	80	30	32
Life expectancy in years: male	44	58	76	75
female	46	60	82	80
Number of physicians per 1,000 people	0.1	0.4	3.7	2.3
Number of pupils per teacher (primary school)	n.a.	43	16	15
Literacy rate (15 years and older)	36%	65%	>95%	99%
Television sets per 1,000 people	36	84	735	938
Internet users per 1,000 people	20	28	538	630
Energy consumed per capita (kg of oil equivalent)	n.a .	501	5,410	7,843
CO² emissions per capita (metric tons)	0.19	0.85	12.97	19.92
* The GNI is the total of all goods and services produced by the residents of a country in a year. The per capita GNI is calculated by dividing a country’s GNI by its population and adjusting for relative purchasing power.
n.a.: data not available >: greater than <: less than

29 Health

The health care system in Guinea-Bissau is inadequate. Aid from the United Nations International Children’ Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization has enabled the country to strengthen its health care systems. The emphasis is on preventive medicine, with small mobile units serving the rural areas. As of 2004, there were an estimated 10 physicians, 109 nurses, 1 dentist, and 1 pharmacist per 100,000 people.

Life expectancy in 2005, was 45 years. The infant mortality rate that year was 107 deaths per 1,000 live births. An estimated 20% of all births are low birth weight. As of 2004, the number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) was estimated at 17,000. Deaths from AIDS in 2003 were estimated at 1,200.

30 Housing

Most traditional housing units are made of adobe, mud, and/or quirinton, a combination of woven branches and straw. Though most of the population lives in rural areas, recent migration to urban areas has accounted for urban housing shortages.

31 Education

Education is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 13. As of 2001, only about 45% of primary-school-age children actually attended school. The same year, only 9% of secondary-school-age children were in school. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level averages 44 to 1. The pupil-teacher ratio for secondary school is about 14 to 1.

Amilcar Cabral University, the first public university in the nation, was established in 2003. The University of Clinas de Boe, a private university, also opened in 2003. As of 2005, the adult literacy rate was estimated at 36%.

32 Media

In 2003, there were an estimated eight mainline telephones and one mobile phone in use for every 1,000 people.

One national television station broadcasts from 7 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and 5 p.m. to midnight on weekends. In 2002, there were five radio stations. In 2003, there were an estimated 178 radios and 36 television sets for every 1,000 people. The same year, about 20 of every 1,000 people had access to the Internet.

The government-owned daily newspaper, Voz da Guine, (in Portuguese) had an estimated circulation of 6,000 in 2002. There are a few privately owned newspapers publishing once or twice a week.

33 Tourism and Recreation

Game shooting, a major attraction for many travelers in Africa, is popular in Guinea-Bissau.

The island of Bubaque and the town of Bolama are cited for their charm and beauty.

34 Famous Guineans

The best-known Guinean of recent years was Amilcar Cabral (1921–1973), a key figure in the war for independence. Luis de Almeida Cabral (b.1931), his younger brother, subsequently became the first president of Guinea-Bissau. João Bernardo Vieira (b.1939), leader of the Revolutionary Council, came to power in the 1980 coup and remained president until 2000. He was exiled in 1999, but came back to win the presidency gain in 2005.