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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: 200,000

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

15,000 telephones; poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations, and new radio relay system local: NA intercity: microwave radio relay and radio communication stations international: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: 65,000

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $50 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994) GUINEA-BISSAU

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,478,653; males fit for military service 745,990 (1995 est.)

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: 40 million kWh consumption per capita: 37 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 14,482 (December 1994), 12,892 (1994), 10,082 (1993), 6,934 (1992), 3,659 (1991), 2,185 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$19 million (f.o.b., 1993) 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]

$56 million (f.o.b., 1993) 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 NA (1991 est.); accounts for 8% 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 parity - $900 million (1993 est.)

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

$840 (1994 est.)

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

2.9% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world. 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. With IMF support the country is committed to an economic reform program emphasizing monetary stability and private sector growth. This process will continue at a slow pace because of a heavy foreign debt burden and internal constraints.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 245,860 sq km land area: 245,860 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate [time series]

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]

320 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

240 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 3,399 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 12% forest and woodland: 42% other: 40%

Location [time series]

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Terrain [time series]

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

33 administrative regions (regions administratives, singular - region administrative); Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Capital [time series]

Conakry

Constitution [time series]

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Digraph [time series]

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Elhadj Boubacar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Lansana CONTE, elected in the first multi-party election 19 December 1993; prior to the election he had ruled as head of military government since 5 April 1984 cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

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

[1] (202) 483-8688

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

[224] 44 15 22

Flag [time series]

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

Independence [time series]

2 October 1958 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire): the People's National Assembly was dissolved after the 3 April 1984 coup; framework established in December 1991 for a new National Assembly with 114 seats; legislative elections, tentatively scheduled for 1994, were not held and are now rescheduled for 11 June 1995

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO (observer), ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

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

political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992 pro-government: Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) other: Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE; Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadou BAH; Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradiou DIALLO; Movement of Patriotic Democrats (MDP), Ahmed Tidiane CISSE

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. SALOOM III embassy: 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 44 15 20 through 44 15 23

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 44% (female 1,450,501; male 1,448,164) 15-64 years: 53% (female 1,784,420; male 1,691,502) 65 years and over: 3% (female 102,735; male 72,014) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

43.43 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

19.13 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller tribes 10%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

136.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.4 million (1983) by occupation: agriculture 80.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services 5.4%, civil servants 3.6%

Languages [time series]

French (official); each tribe has its own language

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 44.6 years male: 42.31 years female: 46.95 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 24% male: 35% female: 13%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Net migration rate [time series]

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) note: Guinea has received about 400,000 refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone; the continued fighting in Sierra Leone will likely drive more refugees into Guinea in 1995; on the other hand, peace may be achieved in Liberia and permit Liberian refugees to return home

Population [time series]

6,549,336 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.43% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.79 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 15 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 7 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 30,100 km paved: 1,145 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 12,955 km (of which barely 4,500 are currently all-weather roads); unimproved earth 16,000 km (1987)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports [time series]

Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 1,048 km standard gauge: 241 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge