Guinea-Bissau

Republic of Guinea-BissauRepublica da Guine-Bissau

republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guinea-Bissau as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 104 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBissau

Position12 00 N, 15 00 W

Area36,120 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

1.29 million July 2000 est. · 998,963 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.4% 2000 est. · 2.38% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

49.04 years 2000 est. · 47.03 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.27 children per woman 2000 est. · 5.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

112.25 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 127 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$900 1999 est. · $210 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

9.5% 1999 est. · 2.3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal, the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held. An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil war in 1998, created hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. The president was ousted by a military junta in May 1999. An interim government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader Koumba YALLA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated by a crippled economy devastated by civil war and the military's predilection for governmental meddling.

Geography

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

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Area

36,120sq km

land: 28,000 sq kmwater: 8,120 sq kmslightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Coastline

350km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

724km

border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Irrigated land

17sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references

Africa

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point:: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use

arable land:: 11%
permanent crops:: 1%
permanent pastures:: 38%
forests and woodland:: 38%
other:: 12% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation;
soil erosion;
overgrazing;
overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

People

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Population

1,285,715

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 2.4% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

39.63Death

15.62Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)49.04

46.77 · 51.37

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1997 est.)53.9%

67.1% · 40.7%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

indigenous beliefs 50%Muslim 45%Christian 5%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 42% (male 271,100; female 272,304)
15-64 years:: 55% (male 335,150; female 370,667)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 16,574; female 19,920) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

112.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guinean (s)
adjective:: Guinean

Ethnic groups

African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Languages

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Government

Republic, multiparty since mid-1991; President Koumba YALLA (since 18 February 2000); Prime Minister Caetana N'TCHAMA (since NA February 2000)

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Presidential electionpercent of vote

72%

Koumba YALLA (PRS) 72%Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

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

Data code

Government type

republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital

Bissau

Administrative divisions

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali note: Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence

24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution

16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Koumba YALLA (since 18 February 2000)
head of government:: Prime Minister Caetana N'TCHAMA (since NA February 2000)
cabinet:: NA
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2004);
prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature
election results:: Koumba YALLA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Koumba YALLA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%

Legislative branch

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years)

elections:: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica, consists of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases;
Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appeals for sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000;
24 Sectoral Courts, judges are not necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases

Political parties and leaders

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Malan Bacai SANHA];
Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Jose Katengul M. ENDES];
Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Domingos FERNANDES Gomes];
Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];
National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general];
Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA];
Social Renovation Party or PRS [Koumba YALLA];
Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general];
United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Victor Sau'de MARIA]

International organization participation

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mario LOPES DA ROSA
chancery:: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:: [1] (202) 347-3950
FAX:: [1] (202) 347-3954

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta

Flag description

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

Economy

One of the 20 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing.

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Real growth rate

9.5%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 2.6% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

5.5%

(1999)

Population below poverty line

50%

(1991 est.)

Labor force

480,000

GDP - composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 54%industry 11%services 35% (1996 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

59%

India

Portugal

26%

12%

Singapore

10%

Italy

France

Senegal

Netherlands

Exports $26.8 million (f.o.b., 1998)Imports $22.9 million (f.o.b., 1998)(1997)

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

40 million (1998)Electricity consumption

37 million (1998)

Economy - overview

One of the 20 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber.

Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999.

Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited off-shore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $900 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 78%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

$NA

Industries

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$26.8 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

cashew nuts 70%, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber (1996)

Imports

$22.9 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products (1996)

Debt - external

$921 million (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$115.4 million (1995)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997);
Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 26,373 (1996), 18,073 (1995)

note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the CFA franc as the national currency following its membership in BCEAO; since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro