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Communications

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)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 259,738 males fit for military service: 148,291 (1996 est.)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

40,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

poor system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiotelephone communications international: NA

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

3,000 (1988 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

NA Defense

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; fishing and forest potential not fully exploited

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic 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.

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 - 17,659 (December 1995), 12,892 (1994), 10,082 (1993), 6,934 (1992), 3,659 (1991), 2,185 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$32 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels partners: Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$692 million (December 1993 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1994 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 44% industry: 8% services: 48% (1993 est.)

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

$900 (1995 est.)

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

NA%

Imports [time series]

$63 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment partners: Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

15% (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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

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 - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands

Geographic coordinates [time series]

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 724 km border countries: 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]

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

Terrain [time series]

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

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)

Data code [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) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; 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) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers was 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

Independence [time series]

10 September 1974 (from Portugal)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

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

Country name (Name of country) [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), Helder Jorge VAZ Gomes Lopes, leader; Democratic Front (FD); Social Renovation Party (PRS), Koumba YALLA, leader; 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

Suffrage [time series]

15 years of age; universal

Government type (Type of government) [time series]

republic, formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Peggy BLACKFORD 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% (male 247,471; female 246,725) 15-64 years: 54% (male 295,132; female 329,681) 65 years and over: 3% (male 15,603; female 16,718) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

39.7 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate [time series]

16.23 deaths/1,000 population (1996 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]

115.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 48.28 years male: 46.63 years female: 49.99 years (1996 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 54.9% male: 68% female: 42.5%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population [time series]

1,151,330 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.35% (1996 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.93 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.34 children born/woman (1996 est.)