Guinea-Bissau

<p>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.<br><br>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.</p>

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

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Africa

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

350 km

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

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

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

250 sq km (2012)

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

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

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

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

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

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

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

2.55% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

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

664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)

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

4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

2.26 (2025 est.)

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

9.5% (2016)

18.8% (2019 est.)

59% (2019 est.)

2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

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

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

42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

semi-presidential republic

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

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

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

18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity<br><br><strong>history:</strong> uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design

black star

red, yellow, green, black

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

$2.12 billion (2024 est.)

rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023)

agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

8% (2024 est.)

845,300 (2024 est.)

50.5% (2021 est.)

8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023)

coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023)

Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023)

refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023)

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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J5

7 (2025)

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force<br><br>Ministry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2025)

estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025)

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

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

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&rsquo;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)