2020 Edition

Background

For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire. Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him, but a military mutiny and civil war in 1999 led to VIEIRA's ouster. In 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was then elected president, but he passed away in 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup blocked the second round of the election to replace him, but after mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president in a free and fair election, and in 2019, he became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in 2019, but he did not take office until 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.

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

highest point

Dongol Ronde 277 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

70 m

Geographic coordinates

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km

total

762 km

Land use

agricultural land

29.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)

forest

75% (2023 est.)

other

0% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

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

Population distribution

approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map

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

Age structure

0-14 years

42.3% (male 453,513/female 448,514)

15-64 years

54.6% (male 561,868/female 602,280)

65 years and over

3.1% (2024 est.) (male 27,529/female 38,621)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

35.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.2% (2019)

women married by age 15

8.1% (2019)

women married by age 18

25.7% (2019)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.8% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59% (2019 est.)

Death rate

6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

17.6 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

83.2 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

77.5 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 73.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.26 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

8.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

40.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

52 deaths/1,000 live births

total

45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo

Life expectancy at birth

female

66.8 years

male

62.2 years

total population

64.5 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

52.2% (2022 est.)

male

77.3% (2022 est.)

total population

63.9% (2022 est.)

Major urban areas - population

664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

18.9 years

male

17.8 years

total

18.5 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Bissau-Guinean

noun

Bissau-Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

-3.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

9.5% (2016)

Physician density

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

1,089,415

male

1,042,910

total

2,132,325 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

2.55% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 23.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 45.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 72.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.71 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.5% (2025 est.)

male

13.2% (2025 est.)

total

6.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

45.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea

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 only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

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

history

promulgated 16 May 1984

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form

Guinea-Bissau

etymology

the country is partly named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea; the name itself is derived from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning "black people;" Bissau, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea and is derived from the local Bijuga people

former

Portuguese Guinea

local long form

Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form

Guine-Bissau

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022)

email address and website

dakarACS@state.gov https://gw.usmission.gov/

mailing address

2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

918 16th Street, NW (Mezzanine Suite) Washington DC 20006

chief of mission

Ambassador Maria Da Conceição NOBRE CABRAL (since 18 September 2024)

FAX

[1] (202) 872-4226

telephone

[1] (202) 872-4222

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president

chief of state

Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025)

election results

2025: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) and Fernando DIAS da Costa (PRS) both claimed victory in first round; a coup prevented the release of election results after ballots were destroyed 2019: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5% (2019)

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly

expected date of next election

2025

head of government

Interim Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025)

most recent election date

23 November 2025

Flag

description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; a five-pointed black star is centered in the red band meaning: yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design

Government type

semi-presidential 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 (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers)

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

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

Legal system

mixed system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence; influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

November 2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

most recent election date

11/23/2025

number of seats

102 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Inclusive Alliance Platform/Terra Coalition (54); Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM G.15) (29); Party for Social Renewal (PRS) (12); Bissau-Guinean Workers’ Party (6); Other (1)

percentage of women in chamber

9.8%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1974; a delegation from 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 fight for independence

lyrics/music

Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He

title

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

National color(s)

red, yellow, green, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (n)

total World Heritage Sites

1 (natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

National symbol(s)

black star

Political parties

African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC  Democratic Convergence Party or PCD  Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15  National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB  New Democracy Party or PND  Party for Social Renewal or PRS  Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID  Union for Change or UM 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$450.953 million (2023 est.)

revenues

$269.794 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$14.128 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$146.64 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$160.169 million (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$896.812 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

606.345 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$334.904 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$280.065 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$284.5 million (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023)

Exports - partners

India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

12.5% (2024 est.)

government consumption

17.8% (2024 est.)

household consumption

77% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.2% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.8% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

36.8% (2024 est.)

industry

16.6% (2024 est.)

services

42.1% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.12 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

33.4 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

26.1% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.4% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$518.162 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$577.899 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$592.095 million (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023)

Imports - partners

Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

8% (2024 est.)

Industries

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.4% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

845,300 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

50.5% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

57.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$5.399 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$5.64 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$5.912 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$2,700 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

11% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

9.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

2.7% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2% (2024 est.)

male

3.4% (2024 est.)

total

2.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

79.8 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

29,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

6 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

15.8%

electrification - total population

37.4% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

61%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

total

7,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.gw

Internet users

percent of population

33% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

0 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

126 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2.76 million (2023 est.)

Airports

7 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

J5

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5

total

20 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Bissau, Rio Cacheu

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

2

Military - note

the Armed Forces (FARP) are focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties; the FARP and the paramilitary National Guard have been influential in the country’s politics since independence and have attempted several coups; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN (2025)

Military and security forces

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force Ministry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FARP is outfitted mostly with Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary) (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

54 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

144 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

11.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

34.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

289,500 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.1% (2022 est.)