2015 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 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 free and fair elections in 2014.

Area

land

28,120 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

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

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)

per capita

135.7 cu m/yr (2005)

total

0.18 cu km/yr (18%/6%/76%)

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

225.6 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (2)

Guinea 421 km, Senegal 341 km

total

762 km

Land use

arable land 8.2%; permanent crops 6.9%; permanent pasture 29.7%

agricultural land

44.8%

forest

55.2%

other

0% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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-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

Total renewable water resources

31 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

39.53% (male 340,575/female 341,747)

15-24 years

20.18% (male 172,787/female 175,511)

25-54 years

32.3% (male 277,820/female 279,762)

55-64 years

4.66% (male 30,010/female 50,354)

65 years and over

3.34% (male 21,671/female 35,933) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

33.38 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

57% (2010 est.)

total number

226,316

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.1% (2010)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

14.2% (2010)

Death rate

14.33 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7%

potential support ratio

17.7% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

78.4%

youth dependency ratio

72.8%

Drinking water source

urban: 98.8% of population

rural: 60.3% of population

total: 79.3% of population

urban: 1.2% of population

rural: 39.7% of population

total: 20.7% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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.)

Health expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.69% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,900 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

42,000 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

1 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

female

79.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

98.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

89.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Crioulo 90.4%, Portuguese 27.1% (official), French 5.1%, English 2.9%, other 2.4%

note

shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

52.31 years (2015 est.)

male

48.21 years

total population

50.23 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

48.3% (2015 est.)

male

71.8%

total population

59.9%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2013)

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

Major urban areas - population

BISSAU (capital) 492,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

549 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

female

20.4 years (2015 est.)

male

19.4 years

total

19.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Bissau-Guinean

noun

Bissau-Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.3% (2014)

Physicians density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

1,726,170 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.91% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim 45.1%, Christian 22.1%, animist 14.9%, none 2%, unspecified 15.9% (2008 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 33.5% of population

rural: 8.5% of population

total: 20.8% of population

urban: 66.5% of population

rural: 91.5% of population

total: 79.2% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

NA (2006)

male

NA

total

9 years

Sex ratio

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

0.6 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.6 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.23 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.13% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

49.3% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

11 51 N, 15 35 W

name

Bissau

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

promulgated 16 May 1984; amended 1991, 1993, 1996; note - constitution suspended following military coup in April 2012 and restored in 2014 (2015)

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

note

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" distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea

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, currently Ambassador James P. ZUMWALT, is accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

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

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Jose Mario VAZ (since 17 June 2014)

election results

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%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two 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

head of government

Prime Minister Carlos CORREIA (since 17 September 2015); the initial appointment of Baciro DJA in August was nullified by the Supreme Court and he resigned

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

note

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 (suspended), 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, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Suprema 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 with life tenure

subordinate courts

Appeal Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court

Legal system

mixed legal system of civil law which incorporated Portuguese law at independence and influenced by early French civil code and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PAIGC 48.0%, PRS 30.8%, other parties 21.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 57, PRS 41, other 4

elections

last held on 13 April 2014 (next to be held in 2018)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He

name

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

note

adopted 1974; a delegation from then 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

National symbol(s)

black star; national colors: red, yellow, green, black

Political parties and leaders

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 [Filomeno Mendes PEREIRA]

Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]

Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Chamber of Commerce of Agriculture, Industry, and Services [Braima CAMARA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$213.4 million (2014 est.)

revenues

$175.6 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009)

4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15% (31 December 2014 est.)

15% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$13 million (2014 est.)

-$45 million (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$1.095 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$941.5 million (31 December 2000 est.)

Economy - overview

Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. The legal economy is based on farming and fishing, but illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics are also important economic activities. 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 while trade in illegal logging, food, and fishing is also significant. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. 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% 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 new government of Guinea-Bissau has made progress paying salaries, settling domestic arrears, and gaining more control over revenues and expenditures. The IMF noted that the new government has taken the positive step of developing a long-term economic plan, while implementing sensitive economic reforms in the wake of the 2012 coup.

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

494.42 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

471.87 (2011 est.)

495.28 (2010 est.)

Exports

$171.9 million (2014 est.)

$152.8 million (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, shrimp; cashews, peanuts, palm kernels, raw and sawn lumber

Exports - partners

India 52.3%, Nigeria 20.7%, China 16.3%, Togo 5.5% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

15.5%

government consumption

12.1%

household consumption

92.3%

imports of goods and services

-25.2%

investment in fixed capital

5.4%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

43.9%

industry

13.6%

services

42.5% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,500 (2014 est.)

$1,400 (2013 est.)

$1,400 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.5% (2014 est.)

0.8% (2013 est.)

-1.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.111 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.532 billion (2014 est.)

$2.469 billion (2013 est.)

$2.449 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

9.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

2.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

-2.6% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28% (2002)

lowest 10%

2.9%

Imports

$227.5 million (2014 est.)

$182.8 million (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Portugal 20.6%, Senegal 17.5%, UK 16.1%, Spain 4.2%, India 4.2%, China 4.1% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

1.9% (2014 est.)

Industries

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-1% (2014 est.)

0.8% (2013 est.)

Labor force

632,700 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

82%

industry and services

18% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Stock of broad money

$480.9 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$393 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$160.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$185.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$392.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$330 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

460,100 Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

46.5 million kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

26,000 kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

50 million kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2,700 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

2,661 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.gw

Internet users

percent of population

3.3% (2014 est.)

total

56,100

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile cellular teledensity is roughly 50 per 100 persons

general assessment

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

international

country code - 245 (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

5,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

65 (2014 est.)

total

1.1 million

Television broadcast stations

1 (2007)

Airports

8 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2013)

over 3,047 m

1

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

3 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

2

total

6

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Roadways

paved

965 km

total

3,455 km

unpaved

2,490 km (2002)

Waterways

(rivers are partially navigable; many inlets and creeks provide shallow-water access to much of interior) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

372,171 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

370,790

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

212,277 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

205,460

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

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 (2012)

Military expenditures

1.85% of GDP (2012)

1.81% of GDP (2011)

1.85% of GDP (2010)

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 (2013)

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 en route to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations due to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography near the capital facilitates drug smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

8,601 (Senegal) (2014)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Guinea-Bissau is a source country 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 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 Senegal and Guinea

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; anti-trafficking efforts have stalled under the transitional government; despite enacting an anti-trafficking law and adopting a national action plan in 2011, authorities still have not taken action against trafficking offenders, provided protection to identified victims, or conducted any prevention activities; no progress has been made in implementing the national action plan (2014)