Total area:
36,120 km2
Land area:
28,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
724 km; Guinea 386, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 12 November 1991 rendered its
decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary in favor of Senegal
Climate:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoon-type rainy season (June to
November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with
northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Natural resources:
unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates; fish, timber
Land use:
arable land 11%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 43%; forest and
woodland 38%; other 7%
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
:Guinea-Bissau People
Population:
1,047,137 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
18 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
124 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
45 years male, 48 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
5.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guinea-Bissauan(s); adjective - Guinea-Bissauan
Ethnic divisions:
African about 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel
7%); European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:
indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%
Languages:
Portuguese (official); Criolo and numerous African languages
Literacy:
36% (male 50%, female 24%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
403,000 (est.); agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%,
government 5%; population of working age 53% (1983)
Organized labor:
only one trade union - the National Union of Workers of Guinea-Bissau (UNTG)
:Guinea-Bissau Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Type:
republic; highly centralized multiparty since mid-1991; the African Party
for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) held an
extraordinary party congress in December 1990 and established a two-year
transition program during which the constitution will be revised, allowing
for multiple political parties and a presidential election in 1993
Capital:
Bissau
Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama,
Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence:
10 September 1974 (from Portugal; formerly Portuguese Guinea)
Constitution:
16 May 1984
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Executive branch:
president of the Council of State, vice presidents of the Council of State,
Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Judicial branch:
none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President of the Council of State Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed
power 14 November 1980 and elected President of Council of State on 16 May
1984)
Political parties and leaders:
3 parties - African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape
Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; PAIGC is still the
major party and controls all aspects of the Government, but 2 opposition
parties registered in late 1991; Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael
BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader;
Democratic Front, Aristides MENEZES, leader; other parties forming
Suffrage:
universal at age 15
Elections:
National People's Assembly:
last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 15 June 1994); results - PAIGC is
the only party; seats - (150 total) PAIGC 150, appointed by Regional
Councils
President of Council of State:
last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results - Brig. Gen. Joao
Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without opposition by the National People's
Assembly
Member of:
ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL; Chancery at 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine
Suite, Washington, DC 20006; telephone (202) 872-4222,
:Guinea-Bissau Government
US:
Ambassador William L. JACOBSEN, Jr.; Embassy at 17 Avenida Domingos Ramos,
Bissau (mailing address is 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau);
telephone [245] 20-1139, 20-1145, 20-1113
Flag:
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the
flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star raised above the center of the
red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell
:Guinea-Bissau Economy
Overview:
Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per
capita GDP below $200. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic
activities. Cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels are the primary exports.
Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a
weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. The government's
four-year plan (1988-91) has targeted agricultural development as the top
priority.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $162 million, per capita $160; real growth rate
5.0% (1989)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $22.7 million; expenditures $30.8 million, including capital
expenditures of $18.0 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$14.2 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
partners:
Portugal, Senegal, France, The Gambia, Netherlands, Spain
Imports:
$68.9 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
commodities:
capital equipment, consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, foods, petroleum
partners:
Portugal, Netherlands, Senegal, USSR, Germany
External debt:
$462 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate - 1.0% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP (1989 est.)
Electricity:
22,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Agriculture:
accounts for over 50% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of employment;
rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew
nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food;
fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $68
million
Currency:
Guinea-Bissauan peso (plural - pesos); 1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100
centavos
Exchange rates:
Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 1987.2 (1989), 1363.6 (1988), 851.65
(1987), 238.98 (1986)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Guinea-Bissau Communications