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

Land boundaries
Total: 762 km
Border countries (2): (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
Highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 70 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)
Forest: 75% (2023 est.)
Other: 0% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 km² (2012)

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 is low-lying inland

Population
Total: 2,132,325 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,042,910
Female: 1,089,415
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
Growth rate: 2.54% (2024 est.)

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

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

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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 83.2 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 77.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 17.6 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 17.8 years
Female: 18.9 years

Population growth rate: 2.54% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 36 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
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
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 62.2 years
Female: 66.8 years

Total fertility rate: 4.62 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18.8% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.7% (2024 est.); 2.7% (2023 est.); 2.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Bissau
Geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea

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

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

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025)
Head of government: Interim Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
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
Most recent election date: 23 November 2025
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)
Expected date of next election: 2025
Note: elections were held on 23 November 2025; a military coup on 26 November suspended the election process, arrested the sitting president, swore in a transitional president, and appointed a cabinet for one year

Legislative branch
Legislature name: People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 102 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 11/23/2025
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%
Expected date of next election: November 2,029

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

National anthem
Title: 'Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada' (This is Our Beloved Country)
Lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He
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

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 4.8% (2024 est.); 4.5% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.8% (2024 est.); 4.5% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 77% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 12.5% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 36.8% (2024 est.)
Industry: 16.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 42.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 845,300 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 2.7% (2024 est.); 2.7% (2023 est.); 2.7% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 2.7% (2024 est.); 2.7% (2023 est.); 2.7% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $269.794 million (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $450.953 million (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $284.5 million (2023 est.); $280.065 million (2022 est.); $334.904 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $592.095 million (2023 est.); $577.899 million (2022 est.); $518.162 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 79.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 37.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 61%
Access electrification - rural areas: 15.8%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2.76 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 7,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 7 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 20 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5