Guinea-Bissau, republic (13,948 sq mi/36,125 sq km; 1996 population 1,100,000; 2004 estimated population 1,388,363), W Africa, (cap.) Bissau.
Geography
Bordering on the Atlantic Ocean in the W, on Senegal in the N, and on the Guinea in the E and S. The country includes the nearby Bijagos Islands and other islands in the Atlantic. Major towns include Bolama, Cacheu, and Gabú. Guinea-Bissau is divided into nine provinces (regions): Bafatá, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabú, Oio, Quinara, and Tombali. The country is largely a low-lying deltaic region and has many rivers, some with wide, swampy estuaries. Its irregularly shaped coastline is 100 mi/161 km long. The climate is tropical, marked by a rainy season (May–November). Farming is by far the leading occupation (62% of workforce); rice, palm oil, cassava, millet, sorghum, maize, sugarcane, and coconuts are the main domestic products. Livestock and timber production are also important, and the fishing industry is rapidly expanding. Manufacture includes food processing, brewing, and textiles. Cashew nuts, oil-palm products, fish, and groundnuts are the main exports. Small amounts of bauxite, phosphates, and petroleum are extracted here as well. Guinea-Bissau has an enormous budget deficit and relies heavily on international aid for economic stability.
Population
Most of the inhabitants adhere to traditional beliefs; about one-third are Muslim. The population is comprised of mainly (99%) five ethinic groups: the Balante, the Fulani, the Mandinka, the Mandjack, and the Papel. Portugese is the official language; Creole (Criouló) is widely spoken.
History
The area was first visited by the Portuguese in 1446–1447. The territory, known as Portuguese Guinea, was administered as part of the Portugese Cape Verde Islands possession until 1879, when it became a separate colony. In 1951 it was constituted an overseas province. After a lengthy war with Portugal that began in the early 1960s, the province, renamed Guinea-Bissau, became independent in 1974. Luis de Almeida Cabral was elected the 1st president and ruled a single-party state with limited civil rights until a coup in 1980. Though characterized by coup attempts and the purging of political enemies, the government has instituted reforms, including the restoration of a constitutional government (1984, revised 1993), a five-year health plan, and initiatives to increase agriculture production and economic diversity. The single-party state officially ended in 1991, and the country held its first multiparty legislative and presidential elections in 1994; there were nine legally registered political parties in 1996. In 1998 there was a military coup attempt and civil war, but in 2000, an interim government was formed. Relations with neighboring countries have improved significantly in recent years. Boundary disputes with both Senegal and the Guinea were resolved by the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands; Guinea-Bissau and Senegal ratified (1995) a joint management plan for the exploitation of resources along their common border.
Government
In September 2003, President Kumba Yala was outsted in a bloodless coup, and Henrique Rosa was sworn in. Prime Minister Carlos Gomes, Jr. has been head of government since May 2004.
