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Communications

Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 3,218 km paved: bituminous 2,698 km unpaved: earth 520 km

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce

Ports [time series]

Bissau

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; including Army, Navy, Air Force), paramilitary force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $9.3 million, 5%-6% of GDP (1987)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 243,715; fit for military service 139,161

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $33.6 million expenditures: $44.8 million, including capital expenditures of $570,000 (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 22,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 30 kWh (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

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)

Exports [time series]

$20.4 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels partners: Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$462 million (December 1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$63.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment partners: Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 0.1% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP

Industries [time series]

agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

55% (1991 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $860 million (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$800 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 36,120 sq km land area: 28,000 sq km comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Coastline [time series]

350 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Guinea-Bissau and Senegal signed an agreement resolving their maritime boundary in 1993

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 38% other: 7%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali

Capital [time series]

Bissau

Constitution [time series]

16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to liberalize popular participation in the government)

Legislative branch (Council of State) [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL chancery: 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: (202) 872-4222

Executive branch [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

(202) 872-4226

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[245] 25-2282

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

10 September 1974 (from Portugal)

Judicial branch [time series]

none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers

Legal system [time series]

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

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

Legislative branch (National People's Assembly) [time series]

(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

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 10 September (1974)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

15 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

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

People

Birth rate [time series]

40.75 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

17.03 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

120 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

403,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5% note: population of working age 53% (1983)

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 47.44 years male: 45.79 years female: 49.15 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 36% male: 50% female: 24%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guinea-Bissauan(s) adjective: Guinea-Bissauan

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

1,098,231 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.37% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.51 children born/woman (1994 est.)