Guinea-Bissau




                                 Geography


Location:
     Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and
     Senegal
Map references:
     Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     36,120 sq km
land area:
     28,000 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
     total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
     350 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     Guinea-Bissau and Senegal signed an agreement resolving their maritime
     boundary in 1993
Climate:
     tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June
     to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
     with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
     mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Natural resources:
     unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates, fish, timber
Land use:
arable land:
     11%
permanent crops:
     1%
meadows and pastures:
     43%
forest and woodland:
     38%
other:
     7%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing
natural hazards:
     hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
     season; brush fires




international agreements:
     party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban,
     Wetlands; signed, but not ratifed - Biodiversity, Climate Change


                                  People


Population:
     1,098,231 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     2.37% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     40.75 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     17.03 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     120 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     47.44 years
male:
     45.79 years
female:
     49.15 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     5.51 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Guinea-Bissauan(s)
adjective:
     Guinea-Bissauan
Ethnic divisions:
     African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel
     7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:
     indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%
Languages:
     Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
     36%
male:
     50%
female:
     24%
Labor force:
     403,000 (est.)
by occupation:
     agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5%
note:
     population of working age 53% (1983)




                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Republica de Guine-Bissau
local short form:
     Guine-Bissau
former:
     Portuguese Guinea
Digraph:
     PU
Type:
     republic formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital:
     Bissau
Administrative divisions:
     9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
     Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence:
     10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Constitution:
     16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to
     liberalize popular participation in the government)
Legal system:
     NA
Suffrage:
     15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
     President of the Council of State Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed
     power 14 November 1980 and was elected President of Council of State
     on 16 May 1984); election last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 3
     July 1994); results - Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without
     opposition by the National People's Assembly
Council of State:
     this body is elected by the National People's Assembly from among its
     own members to legislate between sessions of the National People's
     Assembly
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
National People's Assembly:
     (Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 15 June 1989 (next
     to be held 3 July 1994); results - PAIGC was the only party; seats -
     (150 total) PAIGC 150
Judicial branch:
     none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers




Political parties and leaders:
     African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
     (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; Democratic Social
     Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos
     Fernandes GARNER, leader; Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES,
     leader
note:
     PAIGC is still the major party (of 10 parties) and controls all
     aspects of the government
Member of:
     ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
     IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
     IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD,
     UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL
chancery:
     918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006
telephone:
     (202) 872-4222
FAX:
     (202) 872-4226
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Roger A. McGUIRE
embassy:
     Barrio de Penha, Bissau
mailing address:
     C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
telephone:
     [245] 25-2273, 25-2274, 25-2275, 25-2276
FAX:
     [245] 25-2282
Flag:
     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; similar to the flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star
     raised above the center of the red band and is framed by two corn
     stalks and a yellow clam shell


                                  Economy


Overview:
     Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a
     per capita GDP of roughly $800. 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.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $860 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     NA




National product per capita:
     $800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     55% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     NA%
Budget:
revenues:
     $33.6 million
expenditures:
     $44.8 million, including capital expenditures of $570,000 (1991 est.)
Exports:
     $20.4 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
     cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
partners:
     Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria
Imports:
     $63.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and
     equipment
partners:
     Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal
External debt:
     $462 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 0.1% (1991 est.); accounts for 5% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     22,000 kW
production:
     30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     30 kWh (1991)
Industries:
     agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Agriculture:
     accounts for over 45% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of
     employment; rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans,
     cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not
     self-sufficient in food; fishing and forestry potential not fully
     exploited
Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615
     million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist
     countries (1970-89), $68 million
Currency:
     1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
     Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 11,850 (December 1993), 10,082
     (1993), 6,934 (1992), 3,659 (1991), 2,185 (1990), 1,810 (1989)




Fiscal year:
     calendar year


                              Communications


Highways:
total:
     3,218 km
paved:
     bituminous 2,698 km
unpaved:
     earth 520 km
Inland waterways:
     scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce
Ports:
     Bissau
Airports:
total:
     32
usable:
     16
with permanent-surface runways:
     4
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     5
Telecommunications:
     poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications;
     3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV


                              Defense Forces


Branches:
     People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; including Army, Navy, Air
     Force), paramilitary force
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 243,715; fit for military service 139,161
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $9.3 million, 5%-6% of GDP (1987)