2011 Edition

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; he was assassinated in March 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was elected in an emergency election held in June 2009.

Area

36,125 sq km 28,120 sq km 8,005 sq km

total

36,125 sq km

water

8,005 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

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

Elevation extremes

Atlantic Ocean 0 m unnamed elevation in the eastern part of the country 300 m

highest point

unnamed elevation in the eastern part of the country 300 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands none of the selected agreements

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%) 113 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

113 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%)

Geographic coordinates

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Geography - note

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

724 km Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

border countries

Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

total

724 km

Land use

8.31% 6.92% 84.77% (2005)

arable land

8.31%

other

84.77% (2005)

permanent crops

6.92%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

12 nm 200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

Terrain

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Total renewable water resources

31 cu km (2003)

Age structure

40.4% (male 321,889/female 323,202) 56.4% (male 435,986/female 465,117) 3.2% (male 19,975/female 30,508) (2011 est.)

0-14 years

40.4% (male 321,889/female 323,202)

15-64 years

56.4% (male 435,986/female 465,117)

65 years and over

3.2% (male 19,975/female 30,508) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

35.15 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

17.2% (2008)

Death rate

15.27 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 83% of population rural: 51% of population total: 61% of population urban: 17% of population rural: 49% of population total: 39% of population (2008)

rural

49% of population

total

39% of population (2008)

urban

17% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

8.1% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.5% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,200 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

22,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.96 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

96.23 deaths/1,000 live births 106.11 deaths/1,000 live births 86.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

female

86.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

total

96.23 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Life expectancy at birth

48.7 years 46.8 years 50.67 years (2011 est.)

female

50.67 years (2011 est.)

total population

48.7 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 42.4% 58.1% 27.4% (2003 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

27.4% (2003 est.)

male

58.1%

total population

42.4%

Major cities - population

BISSAU (capital) 302,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

very high bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever malaria and yellow fever schistosomiasis rabies (2009)

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and yellow fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Maternal mortality rate

1,000 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)

Median age

19.5 years 18.9 years 20 years (2011 est.)

female

20 years (2011 est.)

male

18.9 years

total

19.5 years

Nationality

Guinean(s) Guinean

adjective

Guinean

noun

Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Physicians density

0.045 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

1,596,677 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.988% (2011 est.)

Religions

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 49% of population rural: 9% of population total: 21% of population urban: 51% of population rural: 91% of population total: 79% of population (2008)

rural

91% of population

total

79% of population (2008)

urban

51% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

9 years (2006)

total

9 years (2006)

Sex ratio

1.03 male(s)/female 1 male(s)/female 0.93 male(s)/female 0.66 male(s)/female 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.66 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.51 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Urbanization

30% of total population (2010) 3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

30% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Bissau 11 51 N, 15 35 W UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

11 51 N, 15 35 W

name

Bissau

time difference

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

Constitution

16 May 1984; amended several times

Country name

Republic of Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau Republica da Guine-Bissau Guine-Bissau Portuguese Guinea

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

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

none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

chief of mission

none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Executive branch

President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8 September 2009) Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008) NA president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 28 June 2009 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8 September 2009)

election results

Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 28 June 2009 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature

head of government

Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008)

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; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanaian flag

Government type

republic

Independence

24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law (influenced by the early French Civil Code) and customary law

Legislative branch

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) last held on 16 November 2008 (next to be held in 2012) percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

election results

percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

elections

last held on 16 November 2008 (next to be held in 2012)

National anthem

"Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This Is Our Beloved Country) Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He adopted 1974; a delegation from Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRA, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to struggle for independence

lyrics/music

Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He

name

"Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This Is Our Beloved Country)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Political parties and leaders

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Democratic Alliance or AD [Victor MANDINGA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA]; Electoral Union or UE [Joaquim BALDE]; 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 [Lancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy Party or PND; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Sory DJALO]; Progress Party or PP; Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco FADUL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$NA $NA

expenditures

$NA

revenues

$NA

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2010 est.) 15% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$82.6 million (2010 est.) -$120.1 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economy - overview

One of the poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau's legal economy depends mainly on farming and fishing, but trafficking narcotics is probably the most lucrative trade. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years. 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. 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. The combination of limited economic prospects, a weak and faction-ridden government, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe.

Electricity - consumption

65.1 million kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

70 million kWh (2008 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 495.28 (2010) 472.19 (2009) 493.51 (2007) 522.59 (2006)

Exports

$126 million (2010 est.) $117.5 million (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

India 76.9%, Nigeria 16.6% (2010)

GDP - composition by sector

55.2% 12.8% 32% (2010 est.)

agriculture

55.2%

industry

12.8%

services

32% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,100 (2010 est.) $1,100 (2009 est.) $1,100 (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (2010 est.) 3% (2009 est.) 3.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$837 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.784 billion (2010 est.) $1.724 billion (2009 est.) $1.674 billion (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.9% 28% (2002)

highest 10%

28% (2002)

lowest 10%

2.9%

Imports

$206.1 million (2010 est.) $202.3 million (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Senegal 21.8%, Portugal 20.5%, Brazil 5.6%, Cuba 4.1% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

4.7% (2003 est.)

Industries

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2010 est.) -1.7% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

12.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

632,700 (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

82% 18% (2000 est.)

agriculture

82%

industry and services

18% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports

2,565 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.) $168.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$258.1 million (31 December 2010 est.) $209.3 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$95.33 million (31 December 2010 est.) $42.56 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$238.5 million (31 December 2010 est.) $192.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station and a second station, RTP Africa, is operated by Portuguese public broadcaster Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code

.gw

Internet hosts

82 (2010)

Internet users

37,100 (2009)

Telephone system

small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile-cellular communications fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 35 per 100 in 2009 country code - 245 (2008)

domestic

fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 35 per 100 in 2009

general assessment

small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile-cellular communications

international

country code - 245 (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

5,000 (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

594,100 (2010)

Airports

9 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2010)

over 3,047 m

1

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

3 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

7

under 914 m

3 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Roadways

3,455 km 965 km 2,490 km (2002)

total

3,455 km

unpaved

2,490 km (2002)

Waterways

(rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior) (2009)

Manpower available for military service

370,790 372,171 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

372,171 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

370,790

Manpower fit for military service

205,460 212,277 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

212,277 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

205,460

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

17,639 17,865 (2010 est.)

female

17,865 (2010 est.)

male

17,639

Military branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional); Presidential Guard (2011)

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP)

Army, Navy, National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional); Presidential Guard (2011)

Military expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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 (2010)

Disputes - international

in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs

increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons

7,454 (Senegal) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

7,454 (Senegal) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

Guinea-Bissau is a country of origin for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the scope of the problem of trafficking women or men for forced labor or forced prostitution is unknown; boys reportedly were transported to southern Senegal for forced manual and agricultural labor; girls may be subjected to forced domestic service and child prostitution in Senegal Tier 3 - Guinea-Bissau is not making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government acknowledged that human trafficking is a problem in the country and took steps to enact legislation outlawing all forms of trafficking; Guinea-Bissau did not increase efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to proactively identify victims and lacked resources to provide victim services directly, but provided some resources to NGOs that care for victims (2011)

current situation

Guinea-Bissau is a country of origin for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the scope of the problem of trafficking women or men for forced labor or forced prostitution is unknown; boys reportedly were transported to southern Senegal for forced manual and agricultural labor; girls may be subjected to forced domestic service and child prostitution in Senegal

tier rating

Tier 3 - Guinea-Bissau is not making significant efforts to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government acknowledged that human trafficking is a problem in the country and took steps to enact legislation outlawing all forms of trafficking; Guinea-Bissau did not increase efforts to prosecute and punish trafficking offenders; the government did not take steps to proactively identify victims and lacked resources to provide victim services directly, but provided some resources to NGOs that care for victims (2011)