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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.gw

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

82 (2009) country comparison to the world: 202

Internet users [time series]

37,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 176

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity approached 35 per 100 in 2008 international: country code - 245 (2008)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

4,600 (2008) country comparison to the world: 214

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

500,200 (2008) country comparison to the world: 155

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (2007)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.75% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 120 4.25% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance [time series]

-$6 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Debt - external [time series]

$941.5 million (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 155

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

One of the five 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 fifth 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 1999-2002. 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. Offshore oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to commercially viable crude deposits. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth in 2007 and 2008.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

60.45 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

65 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81 (2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Exports [time series]

$133 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 186

Exports - commodities [time series]

cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners [time series]

India 56.8%, Nigeria 35.6%, Pakistan 1.2% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$461 million (2008 est.)

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

$896.5 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $867.9 million (2007 est.) $845.1 million (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)

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

$600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 224 $600 (2007 est.) $600 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

3.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 2.7% (2007 est.) 0.6% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28% (2002)

Imports [time series]

$200 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 200

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners [time series]

Portugal 24.5%, Senegal 17.2%, Pakistan 4.8%, France 4.6% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

Industries [time series]

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

Labor force [time series]

632,700 (2007) country comparison to the world: 147

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 82% industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - consumption [time series]

3,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - imports [time series]

2,545 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $46.44 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $142.5 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$NA (31 December 2008) $12.04 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 36,125 sq km country comparison to the world: 137 land: 28,120 sq km water: 8,005 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%) per capita: 113 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland

Irrigated land [time series]

250 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 8.31% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 84.77% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Terrain [time series]

mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Total renewable water resources [time series]

31 cu km (2003)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Bissau geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8 September 2009) head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008) cabinet: NA elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 28 June 2009 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices 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 more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 November 2008 (next to be held 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

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

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Democratic Alliance or AD [Victor MANDINGA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA]; Electoral Union or UE [Joaquim BALDE]; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy Party or PND; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or PP; Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Frnacisco FADUL]

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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. He was assassinated in March 2009; new elections are to take place in June 2009.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 344,087 females age 16-49: 347,886 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 194,110 females age 16-49: 200,660 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 16,957 female: 17,172 (2009 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures [time series]

3.1% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age or younger with parental consent, for voluntary service (2009)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 40.8% (male 312,253/female 313,609) 15-64 years: 56.1% (male 414,924/female 445,639) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,191/female 28,348) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

35.97 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Death rate [time series]

15.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5.2% of GDP (1999) country comparison to the world: 60

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.8% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

1,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

16,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 99.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 10 male: 109.89 deaths/1,000 live births female: 89.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 47.9 years country comparison to the world: 210 male: 46.07 years female: 49.79 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age [time series]

total: 19.3 years male: 18.7 years female: 19.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Population [time series]

1,533,964 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Population growth rate [time series]

2.019% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 58

Religions [time series]

Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 5 years male: 7 years female: 4 years (2001)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.65 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 30% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs [time series]

increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 7,454 (Senegal) (2007)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children trafficked primarily for forced begging and forced agricultural labor to other West African countries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second year in a row, Guinea-Bissau is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, as evidenced by the continued failure to pass an anti-trafficking law and inadequate efforts to investigate or prosecute trafficking crimes or convict and punish trafficking offenders (2008)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

9 (2009) country comparison to the world: 160

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2009)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Roadways [time series]

total: 3,455 km country comparison to the world: 162 paved: 965 km unpaved: 2,490 km (2002)

Waterways [time series]

rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2008)