2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Age structure

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) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Airports

28 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

total

3

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m

20 (2006)

Area

land

28,000 sq km

total

36,120 sq km

water

8,120 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Background

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 Guinea-Bissau

Birth rate

37.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$NA

revenues

$NA

Capital

geographic coordinates

11 51 N, 15 35 W

name

Bissau

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Coastline

350 km

Constitution

16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, NA 1996

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form

Guinea-Bissau

former

Portuguese Guinea

local long form

Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form

Guine-Bissau

Currency (code)

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code

XOF; GWP

Death rate

16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Disputes - international

attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's Casamance region

Economic aid - recipient

$115.4 million (1995)

Economy - overview

One of the 10 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. However, offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed revenue in the long run. 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, have resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06.

Electricity - consumption

53.96 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

58.02 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), note, since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005)

election results

Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Aristides GOMES (since 2 November 2005)

Exports

$116 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners

India 71.9%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Guinea-Bissau

Flag description

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 Economy Guinea-Bissau

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

62%

industry

12%

services

26% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$295.1 million (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.244 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Geography - note

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland People Guinea-Bissau

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

10% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

17,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

42.4% (1991)

lowest 10%

0.5%

Imports

$176 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Italy 24.8%, Senegal 18.2%, Portugal 15.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2% (2005)

Independence

24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

Industrial production growth rate

4.7% (2003 est.)

Industries

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Infant mortality rate

female

94.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

115.53 deaths/1,000 live births

total

105.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.gw

Internet hosts

5 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2002)

Internet users

26,000 (2005) Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

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)

Labor force

480,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

82%

industry and services

18% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

total

724 km

Land use

arable land

8.31%

other

84.77% (2005)

permanent crops

6.92%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Legal system

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years)

election results

percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

elections

last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008)

Life expectancy at birth

female

48.75 years (2006 est.)

male

45.05 years

total population

46.87 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

27.4% (2003 est.) Government Guinea-Bissau

male

58.1%

total population

42.4%

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis (2007)

vectorborne diseases

malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

297,295 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

287,542

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

161,033 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

152,681

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

19.6 years (2006 est.)

male

18.4 years

total

19 years

Military branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$9.46 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3.1% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Nationality

adjective

Guinean

noun

Guinean(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires

Natural resources

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Broad Republican Front or FRA (coalition formed by PAIGC, UM, PST, UPG, FCGSD, UE, PP, PDG, PDSG, PRP, and the International League for Ecological Protection); Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Progress Party or PP; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

1,442,029 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.07% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim Military Guinea-Bissau

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios

49,000 (1997)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

7,320 (Senegal) (2006) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Roadways

paved

965 km

total

3,455 km

unpaved

2,490 km (2002)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications

general assessment

small system

international

country code - 245

Telephones - main lines in use

10,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

67,000 (2005)

Television broadcast stations

NA (2005)

Televisions

NA

Terrain

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Total fertility rate

4.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Waterways

four largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2006)