General background: In 1994, 20 years after independence
from Portugal, the country's first multiparty legislative
and presidential elections were held. An army uprising
that triggered a bloody civil war in 1998, created hundreds
of thousands of displaced persons. The president was ousted
by a military junta in May 1999. An interim government
turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader
Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent
presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back
to democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy
devastated in the civil war.
Area comparative:
Slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
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
Population: 1,345,479 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula
20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European
and mulatto less than 1%
Religions: Indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%,
Christian 5%
Language: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African
languages
Government type: Republic, multiparty since
mid-1991
Capital: Bissau
Legal system: Not Available
Economic overview: One of the 10 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 sixth 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 1999-2001. 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.
However, unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide
much-needed revenue in the long run. 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.
Communication/Telephone system: Small system
Places of interest: Beautiful unspoilt scenery and
plenty of wildlife.
Travel tips: The stability situation is constantly
changing; seek the latest embassy information before
planning to visit Guinea-Bissau.
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