Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and
Senegal
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
36,120 sq km
land area:
28,000 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
Guinea-Bissau and Senegal signed an agreement resolving their maritime
boundary in 1993
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 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%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing
natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season; brush fires
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
Wetlands; signed, but not ratifed - Biodiversity, Climate Change
@Guinea-Bissau, People
Population: 1,098,231 (July 1994 est.) Population growth rate: 2.37% (1994 est.) Birth rate: 40.75 births/1,000 population (1994 est.) Death rate: 17.03 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.) Infant mortality rate: 120 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.44 years male: 45.79 years female: 49.15 years (1994 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.51 children born/woman (1994 est.) Nationality: noun: Guinea-Bissauan(s) adjective: Guinea-Bissauan Ethnic divisions: African 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, African languages Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 36% male: 50% female: 24% Labor force: 403,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5% note: population of working age 53% (1983)
@Guinea-Bissau, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form:
Guinea-Bissau
local long form:
Republica de Guine-Bissau
local short form:
Guine-Bissau
former:
Portuguese Guinea
Digraph:
PU
Type:
republic formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital:
Bissau
Administrative divisions:
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence:
10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Constitution:
16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to
liberalize popular participation in the government)
Legal system:
NA
Suffrage:
15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President of the Council of State Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed
power 14 November 1980 and was elected President of Council of State
on 16 May 1984); election last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 3
July 1994); results - Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without
opposition by the National People's Assembly
Council of State:
this body is elected by the National People's Assembly from among its
own members to legislate between sessions of the National People's
Assembly
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
unicameral
National People's Assembly:
(Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 15 June 1989 (next
to be held 3 July 1994); results - PAIGC was the only party; seats -
(150 total) PAIGC 150
Judicial branch:
none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers
Political parties and leaders:
African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
(PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; Democratic Social
Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos
Fernandes GARNER, leader; Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES,
leader
note:
PAIGC is still the major party (of 10 parties) and controls all
aspects of the government
Member of:
ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL
chancery:
918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006
telephone:
(202) 872-4222
FAX:
(202) 872-4226
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Roger A. McGUIRE
embassy:
Barrio de Penha, Bissau
mailing address:
C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
telephone:
[245] 25-2273, 25-2274, 25-2275, 25-2276
FAX:
[245] 25-2282
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 of roughly $800. 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.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $860 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
NA
National product per capita:
$800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
55% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$33.6 million
expenditures:
$44.8 million, including capital expenditures of $570,000 (1991 est.)
Exports:
$20.4 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
partners:
Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria
Imports:
$63.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and
equipment
partners:
Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal
External debt:
$462 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0.1% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
22,000 kW
production:
30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
30 kWh (1991)
Industries:
agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Agriculture:
accounts for over 45% 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:
recipient:
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:
1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 11,850 (December 1993), 10,082
(1993), 6,934 (1992), 3,659 (1991), 2,185 (1990), 1,810 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Guinea-Bissau, Communications
Highways: total: 3,218 km paved: bituminous 2,698 km unpaved: earth 520 km Inland waterways: scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce Ports: Bissau Airports: total: 32 usable: 16 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 5 Telecommunications: poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV
@Guinea-Bissau, Defense Forces