Map of Guinea-Bissau | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite eventually 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, multiparty 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 a free and fair election in 2014. Beginning in 2015, a political dispute between factions in the ruling PAIGC party brought government gridlock. It was not until April 2018 that a consensus prime minister could be appointed, the national legislature reopened (having been closed for two years), and a new government formed under Prime Minister Aristides GOMES. In March 2019, the government held legislative elections, voting in the PAIGC as the ruling party; however, President VAZ continues to perpetuate a political stalemate by refusing to name PAICG President Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA Prime Minister.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 36,125 km²
Land: 28,120 km²
Water: 8,005 km²
Rank: 138
Comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries
Total: 762 km
Border countries: (2) Guinea 421 km; , Senegal 341 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

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

Elevation
Mean elevation: 70 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest point: unnamed elevation in the eastern part of the country 300 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.8% (2011 est.)
Forest: 55.2% (2011 est.)
Other: 0% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

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


top of page


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 other, mainly rural, regions: 1,833,247 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 153
Growth rate: 2.48% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 23
Below poverty line: 67% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)
Adjective: Bissau-Guinean

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.)

Languages: Crioulo (lingua franca), Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo

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

Demographic profile: Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.Guinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking. With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing.

Age structure
0-14 years: 43.55% (male 400,666 /female 397,704)
15-24 years: 20.23% (male 181,286 /female 189,515)
25-54 years: 29.9% (male 259,762 /female 288,300)
55-64 years: 3.29% (male 27,621 /female 32,611)
65 years and over: 3.04% (male 24,331 /female 31,451) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.4 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 75.2 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.2 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 19.3 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.8 years (2018 est.)
Male: 17.2 years
Female: 18.5 years
Rank: 216

Population growth rate: 2.48% (2018 est.)
Rank: 23

Birth rate: 37.3 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 13

Death rate: 8.5 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 79

Net migration rate: -4 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 185

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 other, mainly rural, regions

Urbanization
Urban population: 43.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.41% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 579,000 BISSAU (capital) (2019)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (rampant felling of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 54.8 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 61 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 48.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 20

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 61.4 years (2018 est.)
Male: 59.2 years
Female: 63.6 years
Rank: 204

Total fertility rate: 4.81 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 18

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 16% (2014)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.2% of population
Rural: 39.7% of population
Total: 20.7% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 6.1% (2016)

Physicians density: 0.2 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 1 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 66.5% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 91.5% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 79.2% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 3.5% (2018 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 17
People living with hivaids: 44,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 64
Deaths: 1800 (2018 est.)
Deaths rank: 48

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever (2016)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
Animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.5% (2016)
Rank: 144

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17% (2014)
Rank: 34

Education expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 168

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 59.9%
Male: 71.8%
Female: 48.3% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
Local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
Local short form: Guine-Bissau
Former: Portuguese Guinea
Etymology: 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, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea

Government type: semi-presidential republic

Capital
Name: Bissau
Geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution
History: promulgated 16 May 1984; note - constitution suspended following military coup in April 2012 and restored in 2014
Amendments: 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; amended 1991, 1993, 1996 (2017)

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

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: yes
Citizenship by descent only: yes
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jose Mario VAZ (since 17 June 2014)
Head of government: (vacant)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; election last held on 13 April 2014 with a runoff on 18 May 2014 (next to be held on 24 November 2019); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National Peoples Assembly; note - the president cannot apply for a third consecutive term, nor during the 5 years following the end of the second term
Election results: Jose Mario VAZ elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Jose Mario VAZ (PAIGC) 41%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (independent) 25.1%, other 33.9%; percent of vote in second round - Jose Mario VAZ 61.9%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM 38.1%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Peoples Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; 100 members directly elected in 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 2 elected in single-seat constituencies for citizens living abroad (1 for Africa, 1 for Europe); all members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 10 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 35.2%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 21.1%, other 22.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 47, Madem G-15 27, PRS 21, other 7; composition - men 88, women 14, percent of women 13.7%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de 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 for life
Subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court

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]Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 [Braima CAMARA]National People’s Assembly - Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB [Nuno Gomes NABIAM]New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO]Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC
From the us: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Flag description:

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

National anthem
Name: Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada (This Is Our Beloved Country)
Lyricsmusic: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He: note: adopted 1974; a delegation from then 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 struggle for independence

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. 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.Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. 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% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities.The government was deposed in August 2015, and since then, a political stalemate has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support.The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau’s poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 188

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 36

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 212

Gross national saving:
Rank: 168

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 83.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 12% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 4.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 26.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -26.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 50% (2017 est.)
Industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 36.9% (2017 est.)

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

Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Rank: 117

Labor force: 731,300 (2013 est.)
Rank: 151
By occupation agriculture: 82%
By occupation industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 67% (2015 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.9%
Highest 10: 28% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: 246.2 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 263.5 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 86

Taxes and other revenues: 18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 162

Public debt:
Rank: 87

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 60

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 94

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 134

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 166

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 170

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 182

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance:
Rank: 75

Exports:
Rank: 185
Partners: India 67.1%, Vietnam 21.1% (2017)
Commodities: fish, shrimp; cashews, peanuts, palm kernels, raw and sawn lumber

Imports:
Rank: 206
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Partners: Portugal 47.8%, Senegal 12.1%, China 10.4%, Netherlands 8.1%, Pakistan 5.4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 163

Debt external:
Rank: 164

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access population without electricity: 2 million (2017)
Access electrification total population: 14.7% (2016)
Access electrification urban areas: 29.8% (2016)
Access electrification rural areas: 4% (2016)
Production: 39 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 208
Consumption: 36.27 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 208
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 145
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 157
Installed generating capacity: 28,300 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 200
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 24
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 104
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 176
Generation sources other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 154

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 146
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 134
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 138
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 142

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 154
Products consumption: 2,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 190
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 163
Products imports: 2,625 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 186

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 143
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 156
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 118
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 136
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 144

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 397,900 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 188

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines: 0
Fixed lines rank: 220
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,434,822
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 80 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 155

Telephone system
General assessment: small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile cellular communications; 2 mobile network operators (MTN and Orange) (2018)
Domestic: fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile cellular teledensity is roughly 70 per 100 persons (2018)
International: country code - 245; ACE submarine cable connecting Guinea-Bissau with 20 landing points in Western and South Africa and Europe (2019)

Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) 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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .gw
Users total: 66,169
Users percent of population: 3.8% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 183

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 629 (2017 est.)
Rank: 194


top of page


Military expenditures:
Rank: 71

Military and security forces: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional); Guard Nacional (2019)

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)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J5 (2016)

Airports: 8 (2013)
Rank: 160
With paved runways total: 2 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 6 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 4,400 km (2018)
Paved: 453 km (2018)
Unpaved: 3,947 km (2018)
Rank: 146

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

Merchant marine
Total: 9
By type: general cargo 5, other 4 (2018)
Rank: 156

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim


top of page


Disputes international: a longstanding low-grade conflict continues in parts of

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 10,000 (Senegal) (2018)

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