Guinea-Bissau

total: 7,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)

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percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions: 2.76 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)

rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

revenues: $269.794 million (2023 est.) expenditures: $450.953 million (2023 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

-$160.169 million (2023 est.) -$146.64 million (2022 est.) -$14.128 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$896.812 million (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.)

$284.5 million (2023 est.) $280.065 million (2022 est.) $334.904 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$2.12 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 77% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 22.8% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 12.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 36.8% (2024 est.) industry: 16.6% (2024 est.) services: 42.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

33.4 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 26.1% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$592.095 million (2023 est.) $577.899 million (2022 est.) $518.162 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

8% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

3.8% (2024 est.) 7.1% (2023 est.) 9.4% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

845,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

50.5% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

57.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

$5.912 billion (2024 est.) $5.64 billion (2023 est.) $5.399 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

4.8% (2024 est.) 4.5% (2023 est.) 5.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$2,700 (2024 est.) $2,600 (2023 est.) $2,600 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

9.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.3% of GDP (2022 est.) 11% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

2.7% (2024 est.) 2.7% (2023 est.) 2.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 2.8% (2024 est.) male: 3.4% (2024 est.) female: 2% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 79.8 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 37.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 61% electrification - rural areas: 15.8%

fossil fuels: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.) forest: 75% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.)

42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 34.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 11.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 144 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,500 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.)

total : 36,125 sq km land: 28,120 sq km water: 8,005 sq km

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

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

350 km

highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 70 m

12 00 N, 15 00 W

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

250 sq km (2012)

total: 762 km border countries (2): Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km

agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.) forest: 75% (2023 est.) other: 0% (2023 est.)

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

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Africa

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

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

approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map

mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets

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

name: Bissau geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

history: promulgated 16 May 1984 amendment process: proposed by the National People s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended

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 etymology: the country is partly named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea; the name itself is derived from the Tuareg word aginaw , meaning "black people;" Bissau, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea and is derived from the local Bijuga people

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022) mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080 email address and website: dakarACS@state.gov https://gw.usmission.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Da Concei o NOBRE CABRAL (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 918 16th Street, NW (Mezzanine Suite) Washington DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222 FAX: [1] (202) 872-4226

chief of state: Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025) head of government: Interim Prime Minister Il dio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025) cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly most recent election date: 23 November 2025 election results: 2025: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) and Fernando DIAS da Costa (PRS) both claimed victory in first round; a coup prevented the release of election results after ballots were destroyed 2019: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5% (2019) expected date of next election: 2025 note: elections were held on 23 November 2025; a military coup on 26 November suspended the election process, arrested the sitting president, swore in a transitional president, and appointed a cabinet for one year

description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; a five-pointed black star is centered in the red band meaning: yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design

semi-presidential republic

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt

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

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers) judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court note: the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction

mixed system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence; influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law

legislature name: People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 102 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 11/23/2025 parties elected and seats per party: Inclusive Alliance Platform/Terra Coalition (54); Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM G.15) (29); Party for Social Renewal (PRS) (12); Bissau-Guinean Workers’ Party (6); Other (1) percentage of women in chamber: 9.8% expected date of next election: November 2029

title: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This is Our Beloved Country) lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He history: adopted 1974; a delegation from Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to fight for independence

red, yellow, green, black

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijag s Archipelago Omat Minh (n)

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

black star

African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC Democratic Convergence Party or PCD Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 National People s Assembly Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB New Democracy Party or PND Party for Social Renewal or PRS Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID Union for Change or UM

18 years of age; universal

For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire. Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him, but a military mutiny and civil war in 1999 led to VIEIRA's ouster. In 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was then elected president, but he passed away in 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup blocked the second round of the election to replace him, but after mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president in a free and fair election, and in 2019, he became the first president in Guinea-Bissau s history to complete a full term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in 2019, but he did not take office until 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.

the Armed Forces (FARP) are focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties; the FARP and the paramilitary National Guard have been influential in the country s politics since independence and have attempted several coups; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN (2025)

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force Ministry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2025) note: the Public Order Police is responsible for maintaining law and order, while the Judicial Police, under the Ministry of Justice, has primary responsibility for investigating drug trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes

estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025)

the FARP is outfitted mostly with Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2025)

1.2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary) (2025)

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 453,513/female 448,514) 15-64 years: 54.6% (male 561,868/female 602,280) 65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 27,529/female 38,621)

total: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

35.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

women married by age 15: 8.1% (2019) women married by age 18: 25.7% (2019) men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019)

18.8% (2019 est.)

59% (2019 est.)

6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio: 83.2 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 77.5 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 17.6 (2024 est.)

urban: 73.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.) urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)

2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)

2.26 (2025 est.)

8.2% of GDP (2021) 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

total: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo

total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.) male: 62.2 years female: 66.8 years

total population: 63.9% (2022 est.) male: 77.3% (2022 est.) female: 52.2% (2022 est.)

664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)

505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 18.5 years (2025 est.) male: 17.8 years female: 18.9 years

noun: Bissau-Guinean(s) adjective: Bissau-Guinean

-3.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

9.5% (2016)

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

total: 2,132,325 (2024 est.) male: 1,042,910 female: 1,089,415

approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map

2.55% (2025 est.)

Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)

urban: 72.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 45.6% of population (2022 est.) urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 6.7% (2025 est.) male: 13.2% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.)

4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

refugees: 54 (2024 est.)

7 (2025)

J5

total: 20 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Bissau, Rio Cacheu