World Atlas: Guinea-Bissau. On this page you can see the map, country flag and many detailed information about the people, history and economy of Guinea-Bissau.
Here you can find online selected information about the geography, inhabitants, government, economy and history of Guinea-Bissau. Included are selected statistics, an overview map and the detailed map of Guinea-Bissau. But let's start with the flag of Guinea-Bissau here:
Guinea-Bissau - Overview:
What you should know about Guinea-Bissau? Let's start with this: Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' Vieira as president. Despite eventually 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, multiparty election. 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 overthrown in a bloodless military coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President Vieira was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. Malam Bacai Sanha was elected in an emergency election held in June 2009, but he passed away in January 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup in April 2012 prevented Guinea-Bissau's second-round presidential election - to determine Sanha's successor - from taking place. Following mediation by the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power in 2012 and remained until Jose Mario VAZ won a free and fair election in 2014. A long-running dispute between factions in the ruling Paigc party has brought the government to a political impasse; there have been five prime ministers since August 2015.
Geography of Guinea-Bissau
Where on the globe is Guinea-Bissau? The location of this country is Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal. Total area of Guinea-Bissau is 36,125 sq km, of which 28,120 sq km is land. So this is not a large country. How could we describe the terrain of the country? This way: 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. The lowest point of Guinea-Bissau is Atlantic Ocean 0 m, the highest point unnamed elevation in the eastern part of the country 300 m. And the climate is tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds.
Inhabitants of Guinea-Bissau
Let's take a look how many people live in Guinea-Bissau. The number is: 1,792,338 (July 2017 est.). So not so many people live here. Who lives here? Fulani 28.5%, Balanta 22.5%, Mandinga 14.7%, Papel 9.1%, Manjaco 8.3%, Beafada 3.5%, Mancanha 3.1%, Bijago 2.1%, Felupe 1.7%, Mansoanca 1.4%, Balanta Mane 1%, other 1.8%, none 2.2% (2008 est.). What are the languages in Guinea-Bissau? Crioulo (lingua franca), Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo. And the religions: Muslim 45.1%, Christian 22.1%, animist 14.9%, none 2%, unspecified 15.9% (2008 est.). How old are the people in average? 20.1 years. We have to add that this number is the median - so one half of the people is older than this, one half is younger. And what is their life expectancy (at birth)? This: 51 years. Where the people live in Guinea-Bissau? Here: approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions. The major urban areas of Guinea-Bissau are: Bissau (capital) 492,000 (2015).
Government and Economy of Guinea-Bissau
The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau and the government type semi-presidential republic. Let's take a look at the administrative divisions - 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali. Regarding the economy of Guinea-Bissau, important industrial products are agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks. Important agricultural products are rice, corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish. The most important export commodities are fish, shrimp; cashews, peanuts, palm kernels, raw and sawn lumbe and the most important export partners are India 64.6%, Vietnam 9.4%, Belarus 9.4%, Nigeria 4.7% (2016). The most important import commodities are foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products and the most important import partners are Portugal 44.2%, Senegal 19.2%, China 7.2%, Pakistan 6.7%, Netherlands 4.4% (2016). How rich is Guinea-Bissau and how rich are people in this country? The most important number here is GDP per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2017 est.). This is a very low number. Let's add that this means Gross Domestic Product per person, which is recalculated with respect to the relative cost of local goods and services. And one more important number - population below poverty line: 67% (2015 est.).