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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

3,000 telephones; poor system; telephone density - 2.7 telephones/1,000 persons local: NA intercity: combination of microwave radio relay, open wire lines and radiocommunications international: NA

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $9 million, 4.5% of GDP (1994) GUYANA

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 251,636; males fit for military service 143,694 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 40% of GDP (includes fishing and forestry); mostly subsistence farming; principal products - rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, timber; livestock - cattle, sheep and goats; not self-sufficient in food grains

Budget [time series]

revenues: $449 million expenditures: $708 million, including capital expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $227 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.465 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $446 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 180,000 kW production: 520 million kWh consumption per capita: 77 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 810.94 (1 July 1993), 922.9 (30 September 1992), 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440 (1987), 383 (1986)

Exports [time series]

$622 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels partners: US 23%, Belgium 12%, Ireland 12%, Spain 12%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

2.5 billion (1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$768 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, and other grain partners: France 26%, Cote d'Ivoire 12%, Hong Kong 6%, Germany 6%

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

growth rate NA%; accounts for 27% of GDP

Industries [time series]

mining - bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

16.6% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $6.3 billion (1994 est.)

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

$980 (1994 est.)

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

0.8% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Although possessing major mineral and hydropower resources and considerable potential for agricultural development, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The agricultural sector contributes about 40% to GDP and employs 80% of the work force, while industry accounts for 27% of GDP. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounted for 85% of exports in 1991. Long-run improvements in literacy, financial institutions, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Except in the bauxite industry, foreign investment remains minimal.

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; overfishing 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 ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

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

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)

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: [1] (202) 872-4222

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980); election last held August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Kumba YALLA 48% head of government: Prime Minister Manuel SATURNINO, since 5 November 1994 cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

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

[1] (202) 872-4226

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

[245] 252282

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 National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, Union for Change Coalition 6, FLING 1

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, 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

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; Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB); Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES, leader; Social Renovation Party (PRS); Union for Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea (FLING); Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader; Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB); Union for Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea (FLING)

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: Bairro de Penha, Bissau mailing address: C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau telephone: [245] 252273, 252274, 252275, 252276

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 43% (female 242,518; male 243,093) 15-64 years: 54% (female 320,987; male 286,308) 65 years and over: 3% (female 16,129; male 15,502) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

16.62 deaths/1,000 population (1995 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]

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

Labor force [time series]

403,000 (est.) by occupation: agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5%

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 47.87 years male: 46.21 years female: 49.57 years (1995 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 (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

1,124,537 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.36% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.43 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 32 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 22 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 6

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

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports [time series]

Bissau

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km