Introduction :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite eventually 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, multiparty election. 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 overthrown in a bloodless military coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was elected in an emergency election held in June 2009, but he passed away in January 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup in April 2012 prevented Guinea-Bissau's second-round presidential election - to determine SANHA's successor - from taking place. Following mediation by the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power in 2012 and remained until Jose Mario VAZ won a free and fair election in 2014. A long-running dispute between factions in the ruling PAIGC party has brought the government to a political impasse; there have been five prime ministers since August 2015.
Geography :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
12 00 N, 15 00 W
Africa
total: 36,125 sq km
land: 28,120 sq km
water: 8,005 sq km
country comparison to the world: 138
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
total: 762 km
border countries (2): Guinea 421 km, Senegal 341 km
350 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets
mean elevation: 70 m
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation in the eastern part of the country 300 m
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
agricultural land: 44.8%
arable land 8.2%; permanent crops 6.9%; permanent pasture 29.7%
forest: 55.2%
other: 0% (2011 est.)
250 sq km (2012)
approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland
People and Society :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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1,792,338 (July 2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)
adjective: Bissau-Guinean
Fulani 28.5%, Balanta 22.5%, Mandinga 14.7%, Papel 9.1%, Manjaco 8.3%, Beafada 3.5%, Mancanha 3.1%, Bijago 2.1%, Felupe 1.7%, Mansoanca 1.4%, Balanta Mane 1%, other 1.8%, none 2.2% (2008 est.)
Crioulo (lingua franca), Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo
Muslim 45.1%, Christian 22.1%, animist 14.9%, none 2%, unspecified 15.9% (2008 est.)
Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.
Guinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking. With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.
Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing.
0-14 years: 39.03% (male 349,256/female 350,327)
15-24 years: 20.18% (male 179,389/female 182,242)
25-54 years: 32.77% (male 292,736/female 294,526)
55-64 years: 4.57% (male 32,156/female 49,761)
65 years and over: 3.46% (male 22,574/female 39,371) (2017 est.)
population pyramid:
Africa
::GUINEA-BISSAU
Population Pyramid
A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
total dependency ratio: 80.4
youth dependency ratio: 75.2
elderly dependency ratio: 5.2
potential support ratio: 19.3 (2015 est.)
total: 20.1 years
male: 19.7 years
female: 20.6 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
1.86% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
32.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
13.9 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions
urban population: 50.8% of total population (2017)
rate of urbanization: 3.69% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
BISSAU (capital) 492,000 (2015)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.62 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
549 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
total: 85.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 95.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 76 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
total population: 51 years
male: 48.9 years
female: 53.1 years (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 223
4.09 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
16% (2014)
5.6% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 123
0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
1 beds/1,000 population (2009)
improved:
urban: 98.8% of population
rural: 60.3% of population
total: 79.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.2% of population
rural: 39.7% of population
total: 20.7% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 33.5% of population
rural: 8.5% of population
total: 20.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 66.5% of population
rural: 91.5% of population
total: 79.2% of population (2015 est.)
3.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
36,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
2,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2016)
9.5% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 144
17% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 35
2.2% of GDP (2013)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.9%
male: 71.8%
female: 48.3% (2015 est.)
Government :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea
etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; "Bissau," the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea
semi-presidential republic
name: Bissau
geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
history: promulgated 16 May 1984; note - constitution suspended following military coup in April 2012 and restored in 2014
amendments: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one-third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 1991, 1993, 1996 (2017)
mixed legal system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence and influenced by early French civil code and customary law
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Jose Mario VAZ (since 17 June 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Umaro SISSOCO Embalo (since 18 November 2016)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 13 April 2014 with a runoff on 18 May 2014 (next to be held in 2019); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly
election results: percent of vote in first round - Jose Mario VAZ (PAIGC) 41%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (independent) 25.1%, other 33.9%; Jose Mario VAZ elected president in second round - Jose Mario VAZ 61.9%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM 38.1%
description: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; members directly elected in 2 single- and 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 13 April 2014 (next to be held in 2018)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 48.0%, PRS 30.8%, other 21.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 57, PRS 41, other 4
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Suprema da Tribunal Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers); note - the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life
subordinate courts: Appeal Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA]
Democratic Convergence Party or PCD [Vicente FERNANDES]
New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO]
Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]
Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]
Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]
Chamber of Commerce of Agriculture, Industry, and Services [Braima CAMARA]
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC
the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and a military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanaian flag
black star; national colors: red, yellow, green, black
name: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This Is Our Beloved Country)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He
note: adopted 1974; a delegation from then Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to struggle for independence
Economy :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. The combination of limited economic prospects, weak institutions, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe.
Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. The country’s climate and soil make it feasible to grow a wide range of cash crops, fruit, vegetables, and tubers; however, cashews generate more than 80% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities.
With renewed donor support following elections in April-May 2014 and a successful regional bond issuance, the Government of Guinea-Bissau began to make progress paying salaries, settling domestic arrears, and gaining more control over revenues and expenditures, but it was deposed by the president in August 2015. A political stalemate since then has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support.
The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau’s poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort.
$2.875 billion (2016 est.)
$2.701 billion (2015 est.)
$2.542 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 188
$1.152 billion (2016 est.)
5.1% (2016 est.)
5.1% (2015 est.)
1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
$1,700 (2016 est.)
$1,700 (2015 est.)
$1,600 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
country comparison to the world: 214
14% of GDP (2016 est.)
11.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
8.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
household consumption: 85.9%
government consumption: 10.8%
investment in fixed capital: 11%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 28%
imports of goods and services: -35.8% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 44.7%
industry: 13.2%
services: 42.1% (2016 est.)
rice, corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
0.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
731,300 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
agriculture: 82%
industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)
NA%
67% (2015 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 28% (2002)
revenues: $181.6 million
expenditures: $252.3 million (2016 est.)
15.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
-6.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
46.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
46.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
calendar year
1.5% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
4.25% (31 December 2009)
4.75% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 92
5.3% (31 December 2016 est.)
5.15% (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$525.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$454.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
$560 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$514.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
$241 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$206.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$NA
$11 million (2016 est.)
$39.4 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
$278.6 million (2016 est.)
$258.7 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
fish, shrimp; cashews, peanuts, palm kernels, raw and sawn lumber
India 64.6%, Vietnam 9.4%, Belarus 9.4%, Nigeria 4.7% (2016)
$221.8 million (2016 est.)
$229.3 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Portugal 44.2%, Senegal 19.2%, China 7.2%, Pakistan 6.7%, Netherlands 4.4% (2016)
$1.095 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
$941.5 million (31 December 2000 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
593.01 (2016 est.)
593.01 (2015 est.)
591.45 (2014 est.)
494.42 (2013 est.)
510.53 (2012 est.)
Energy :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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population without electricity: 1,300,000
electrification - total population: 21%
electrification - urban areas: 37%
electrification - rural areas: 6% (2013)
34 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
31.62 million kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
28,000 kW (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
country comparison to the world: 182
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
2,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
2,423 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
country comparison to the world: 187
500,000 Mt (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Communications :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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total subscriptions: 0
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
total: 1,285,835
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 73 (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
general assessment: small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile cellular communications
domestic: fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile cellular teledensity is roughly 70 per 100 persons
international: country code - 245 (2015)
1 state-owned TV station and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, is operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)
.gw
total: 66,169
percent of population: 3.8% (July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Transportation :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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J5 (2016)
8 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 160
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2013)
total: 3,455 km
paved: 965 km
unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)
country comparison to the world: 161
(rivers are partially navigable; many inlets and creeks provide shallow-water access to much of interior) (2012)
major seaport(s): Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Military and Security :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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1.76% of GDP (2015)
1.94% of GDP (2014)
2.11% of GDP (2013)
2.46% of GDP (2012)
1.58% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 45
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional); Presidential Guard (2012)
18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2013)
Transnational Issues :: GUINEA-BISSAU
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a longstanding low-grade conflict continues in parts of
refugees (country of origin): 8,572 (Senegal) (2017)
current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the extent to which adults are trafficked for forced labor or forced prostitution is unclear; boys are forced into street vending in Guinea-Bissau and manual labor, agriculture, and mining in Senegal, while girls may be forced into street vending, domestic service, and, to a lesser extent, prostitution in Guinea and Senegal; some Bissau-Guinean boys at Koranic schools are forced into begging by religious teachers
tier rating: Tier 3 - Guinea-Bissau does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; despite enacting an anti-trafficking law and adopting a national action plan in 2011, the country failed to demonstrate any notable anti-trafficking efforts for the third consecutive year; existing laws prohibiting all forms of trafficking were not used to prosecute any trafficking offenders in 2014, and only one case of potential child labor trafficking was under investigation; authorities continued to rely entirely on NGOs and international organizations to provide victims with protective services; no trafficking prevention activities were conducted (2015)
increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations due to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography near the capital facilitates drug smuggling
