1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoon-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Coastline
350 km
Comparative area
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Disputes
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has rendered its decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary (in favor of Senegal)--that decision has been rejected by Guinea-Bissau
Environment
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
724 km total; Guinea 386, Senegal 338 km
Land use
11% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 43% meadows and pastures; 38% forest and woodland; 7% other
Natural resources
unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates; fish, timber
Terrain
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
36,120 km2; land area: 28,000 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
43 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
19 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
about 99% African (30% Balanta, 20% Fula, 14% Manjaca, 13% Mandinga, 7% Papel); less than 1% European and mulatto
Infant mortality rate
127 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
403,000 (est.); 90% agriculture, 5% industry, services, and commerce, 5% government; 53% of population of working age (1983)
Language
Portuguese (official); Criolo and numerous African languages
Life expectancy at birth
44 years male, 48 years female (1990)
Literacy
34% (1986)
Nationality
noun--Guinea-Bissauan(s); adjective--Guinea-Bissauan
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
only one trade union--the National Union of Workers of Guinea-Bissau (UNTG)
Population
998,963 (July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990)
Religion
65% indigenous beliefs, 30% Muslim, 5% Christian
Total fertility rate
5.9 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
9 regions (regioes, singular--regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Capital
Bissau
Communists
a few Communists, some sympathizers
Constitution
16 May 1984
Diplomatic representation
Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL; Chancery (temporary) at the Guinea-Bissauan Permanent Mission to the UN, Suite 604, 211 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 661-3977; US--Ambassador William L. JACOBSEN; Embassy at 17 Avenida Domingos Ramos, Bissau (mailing address is C. P. 297, Bissau); telephone [245] 212816, 21817, 213674
Elections
President of Council of State--last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 19 June 1994); results--Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo Vieira was reelected without opposition by the National People's Assembly; National People's Assembly--last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 15 June 1994); results--PAIGC is the only party; seats--(150 total) PAIGC 150, appointed by Regional Councils; Regional Councils--last held 1 June 1989 (next to be held 1 June 1994); results--PAIGC is the only party; seats--(473 total) PAIGC 473, by public plebiscite
Executive branch
president of the Council of State, vice presidents of the Council of State, Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Flag
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Cape Verde which has the black star raised above the center of the red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell
Independence
24 September 1973 (from Portugal; formerly Portuguese Guinea)
Judicial branch
none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President of the Council of State Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980 and elected President of Council of State on 16 May 1984); First Vice President Col. Iafai CAMARA (since 7 November 1985); Second Vice President Vasco CABRAL (since 21 June 1989)
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Long-form name
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Member of
ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IRC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Political parties and leaders
only party--African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo Vieira, leader; the party decided to retain the binational title despite its formal break with Cape Verde
Suffrage
universal at age 15
Type
republic; highly centralized one-party regime since September 1974
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for over 50% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 80% of employment; rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food; fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited
Aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $519 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $68 million
Budget
revenues $20 million; expenditures $25 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)
Currency
Guinea-Bissauan peso (plural--pesos); 1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos
Electricity
22,000 kW capacity; 28 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1--650 pesos
Exports
$15 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels; partners--Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Cape Verde, China
External debt
$465 million (December 1989 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$152 million, per capita $160 (1988); real growth rate 5.6% (1987)
Imports
$49 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--capital equipment, consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, foods, petroleum; partners--Portugal, USSR, EC countries, other Europe, Senegal, US
Industrial production
growth rate - 1.7% (1986 est.)
Industries
agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Overview
Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita GDP below $200. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic activities, with cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels the primary exports. Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. The government's four-year plan (1988-91) has targeted agricultural development as the top priority.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
37 total, 18 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
2 major transport aircraft
Highways
3,218 km; 2,698 km bituminous, remainder earth
Inland waterways
scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce
Ports
Bissau
Telecommunications
poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000 telephones; stations--1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP); Army, Navy, and Air Force are separate components
Defense expenditures
3.2% of GDP (1987)
Military manpower
males 15-49, 215,552; 122,824 fit for military service