Information about Guinea Bissau

República da Guiné-Bissau Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Flag of Guinea-Bissau Flag
Motto "Unidade, Luta, Progresso"  (Portuguese) "Unity, Struggle, Progress"
Anthem Esta é a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada  (Portuguese)
Capital (and largest city)		Bissau1
Official languages		Portuguese
Government		Republic
-	President	João Bernardo Vieira
-	Prime Minister	Martinho Ndafa Kabi
Independence		from Portugal
-	Declared	September 24 1973
-	Recognised	September 10 1974
-	Water (%)	22.4
Population
-	July 2005 estimate	1,586,000 (148th)
-	2002 census	1,345,479
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$1.167 billion (165th)
-	Per capita	$736 (177th)
HDI (2004)		0.349 (low) (173rd)
Currency		CFA franc (XOF)
Time zone		GMT (UTC+0)
Internet TLD		.gw
Calling code		+245
1	Former President Kumba Ialá decided to change the capital city to Buba, but this is unlikely to occur.
2

Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (pronounced IPA: /ˈgɪni bɪˈsaʊ/; Portuguese: República da Guiné-Bissau, IPA: [ʁɛ'publikɐ dɐ gi'nɛ bi'sau]), is a country in western Africa, and one of the smallest nations in continental Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west. Formerly the Portuguese colony of Portuguese Guinea, upon independence, the name of its capital, Bissau, was added to the country's official name in order to prevent confusion between itself and the Republic of Guinea.

History

Main article: History of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau was once the kingdom of Gabù (Kaabu), part of the Mali Empire; parts of the kingdom persisted until the eighteenth century. Although the rivers and coast of this area were among the first places colonized by the Portuguese, who began slave trade in the seventeenth century, the interior was not explored until the nineteenth century.

An armed rebellion beginning in 1956 by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) under the leadership of Amílcar Cabral gradually consolidated its hold on the country. Unlike other Portuguese anticolonial efforts, the PAIGC rapidly extended its military control over large portions of the country, aided by the jungle-like terrain and large quantities of arms from Cuba, China, the Soviet Union, and other African countries. Cuba also agreed to supply artillery experts, doctors and technicians.^[1] The PAIGC even managed to acquire a significant anti-aircraft capability in order to defend itself against aerial attack. By 1973, the PAIGC was in control of most of the country. Independence was unilaterally declared on September 24, 1973, and was recognized by a 93-7 UN General Assembly vote in November 1973. [1] Recognition became universal following the 1974 socialist-inspired military coup in Portugal.

Following independence massive crimes against humanity happend, with the extermination of the local soldiers that fought along the Portuguese army. Thousands were killed, only a few escaped to Portugal or other African nations. The most famous massacre occurred in Bissorã. In 1980 PAIGC admitted in its newspaper "Nó Pinctha" (29/11/1980) that many were executed and buried in unmarked collective graves in the woods of Cumerá, Portogole and Mansabá.

The country was controlled by a revolutionary council until 1984. The first multi-party elections were held in 1994, but an army uprising in 1998 led to the president's ousting and the Guinea-Bissau Civil War. Elections were held in 2000 and Kumba Ialá was elected president.

In September 2003, a coup took place in which the military arrested Ialá on the charge of being "unable to solve the problems." After being delayed several times, legislative elections were held in March 2004 . A mutiny of military factions in October 2004 resulted in the death of the head of the armed forces, and caused widespread unrest.

In June 2005, presidential elections were held for the first time since the coup that deposed Ialá. Ialá returned as the candidate for the PRS, claiming to be the legitimate president of the country, but the election was won by former president João Bernardo Vieira, deposed in the 1998 coup. Vieira was a candidate for one of the factions of the PAIGC. Vieira beat Malam Bacai Sanha in a runoff-election, but Sanha refused initially to concede, claiming that the elections have been fraudulent in two constituencies, including the capital Bissau.

Despite reports that there had been an influx of arms in the weeks leading up to the election and reports of some 'disturbances during campaigning' - including attacks on the presidential palace and the Interior Ministry by as-yet-unidentified gunmen - European monitors labelled the election as "calm and organized". [2]

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a republic. In the past, the government has been highly centralized and multiparty governance has been in effect since mid-1991. The president is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government. At the legislative level, there is a unicameral "Assembleia Nacional Popular" (National People's Assembly) made up of 100 members. They are popularly elected from multi-member constituencies to serve a four-year term. At the judicial level, there is a "Supremo Tribunal da Justiça" (Supreme Court) which consists of nine justices appointed by the president. They serve at the pleasure of the president.

João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira became President of Guinea-Bissau in 2005. Vieira returned to power in 2005 after winning the presidential election only six years after being ousted from office during a civil war. Previously, he held power for 19 years after taking power in 1980 in a bloodless coup. In that action, he toppled the government of Luís Cabral.

Regions and sectors

Main articles: Regions of Guinea-Bissau and Sectors of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is divided into 8 regions (regiões) and one autonomous sector (sector autónomo). These in turn are subdivided into thirty-seven sectors. The regions are:

Bafata Biombo Bissau* Bolama Cacheu Gabu Oio Quinara Tombali * autonomous sector

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guinea-Bissau

At 13,945 sq mi. (36,120 km²), Guinea-Bissau is nearly identical in size to Taiwan, and somewhat larger than the US state of Maryland. This small, tropical country lies at a low altitude; its highest point is 984 feet (300 m). The interior is savanna, and the coastline is swampy plain. Its monsoon-like rainy season alternates with periods of hot, dry harmattan winds blowing from the Sahara. The Bijagos Archipelago extends out to sea.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau gained its independence from Portugal in 1974 after a protracted liberation war that brought tremendous damages to the country’s economic infrastructure. The civil war that took place in 1998 and 1999 and a military coup in September 2003 again disrupted economic activity, leaving a substantial part of the economic and social infrastructure in ruins and intensifying the already widespread poverty. Following the parliamentary elections in March 2004 and presidential elections in July 2005, the country is trying to recover from the long period of instability despite a still-fragile political situation.

Guinea-Bissau is one of the world's poorest countries, with more than two-thirds of its population living below the poverty line. The economy depends mainly on agriculture; fishing and cashew nuts are its major exports. A long period of political instability has resulted in depressed economic activity, deteriorating social conditions, and increased macroeconomic imbalances. The key challenges for the country in the period ahead will be to restore fiscal discipline, rebuild public administration, improve the climate for private investment, and promote economic diversification.

In April 2007, UN Office on Drugs and Crime head, Antonio Maria Costa, said he feared Guinea-Bissau could become a "narco-state" following several large cocaine seizures in the country.^[2]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Guinea-Bissau

The population of Guinea-Bissau is ethnically diverse and has many distinct languages, customs, and social structures. Guineans can be divided into the following three ethnic groups: Fula and the Mandinka-speaking people, who comprise the largest portion of the population and are concentrated in the north and northeast; the Balanta and Papel people, who live in the southern coastal regions; and the Manjaco and Mancanha, who occupy the central and northern coastal areas. Most of the remaining 1% are mestiços of mixed Portuguese and African descent, including a Cape Verdean minority. Portuguese comprise only a very small portion of Guinea-Bissauans. This deficit was directly caused by the exodus of Portuguese settlers that took place after Guinea-Bissau gained independence. The country has also Chinese minority, including Macanese people of mixed Portuguese and Chinese ancestry from Macau. Only 14% of the population speaks the official language Portuguese. 44% of the population speaks Kriol, a Portuguese-based creole language, and the remainder speaks native African languages. Most Portuguese and Mestiços speak one of the African languages and Kriol as second languages. French is also learned in schools, as the country is surrounded by French-speaking countries and a full member of the Francophonie. Most people are farmers with traditional religious beliefs (animism); 45% are Muslim, principally the Fula and Mandinka peoples; and less than 8% are Christian, most of whom are Roman Catholic.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Guinea-Bissau

''See also: List of writers from Guinea-Bissau, Music of Guinea-Bissau

The music of Guinea-Bissau is usually associated with the polyrhythmic gumbe genre, the country's primary musical export. However, civil unrest and a small size have combined over the years to keep gumbe, and other genres, out of mainstream audiences, even in generally syncretist African countries.

The calabash is the primary musical instrument of Guinea-Bissau, and is used in extremely swift and rhythmically complex dance music. Lyrics are almost always in Guinea-Bissau Creole, a Portuguese-based creole language, and are often humorous and topical, revolving around current events and controversies, especially AIDS.

The word gumbe is sometimes used generically, to refer to any music of the country, although it most specifically refers to a unique style that fuses about ten of the country's folk music traditions. Tina and tinga are other popular genres, while extent folk traditions include ceremonial music used in funerals, initiations and other rituals, as well as Balanta brosca and kussundé, Mandinga djambadon and the kundere sound of the Bijagos islands.

Matriarchy

In the Bolama archipelago, a matriarchal or at least matrilineal social system has survived to the present day[3], although it is currently being eroded by globalization and Christian missionary influence.

In this system, women choose husbands who are compelled to marry them, and religious affairs are controlled by a female priesthood.

See also

• Communications in Guinea-Bissau
• Foreign relations of Guinea-Bissau
• List of Guinea-Bissau-related topics
• Military of Guinea-Bissau
• Transport in Guinea-Bissau
• Scouting in Guinea-Bissau

References

• Richard Andrew Lobban, Jr. and Peter Karibe Mendy, Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, third ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997) ISBN 0-8108-3226-7 Includes extensive bibliography

External links

News

• allAfrica - Guinea Bissau news headline links

Overviews

• BBC News Country Profile - Guinea-Bissau
• [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pu.html CIA World Factbook - Guinea-Bissau]

Directories

• Open Directory Project - Guinea Bissau directory category
• Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Guinea-Bissau directory category
• The Index on Africa - Guinea-Bissau directory category
• University of Pennsylvania - African Studies Center: Guinea-Bissau directory category
• Yahoo! - Guinea-Bissau directory category

Tourism Other links

• Map of Guinea-Bissau
• United States consular information sheet/travel advisory for Guinea-Bissau
• (Portuguese) Devaneios Desintéricos - Oil in Guinea Bissau?
• http://www.prayforguineabissau.blogspot.com/
• 'Drug barons turn Bissau into Africa's first narco-state' (article from The Independent (UK))

Geographic locale

•  • [ e] Countries of West Africa Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Cte d'Ivoire Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Senegal Sierra Leone Togo  •  • [ e] Countries of Africa Sovereign states Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Comoros Cte d'Ivoire Djibouti Egypt1 Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea-Bissau Guinea Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland So Tom and Prncipe Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Dependencies

International membership and history

•  • [ e] African Union (AU) Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Cte d'Ivoire Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic So Tom and Prncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe  •  • [ e] Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) Members: Angola Brazil Cape Verde East Timor Guinea-Bissau Mozambique Portugal So Tom and Prncipe Observers: Equatorial Guinea Mauritius  •  • [ e] South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone Angola Argentina Benin Brazil Cameroon Cape Verde Congo DR Congo Ivory Coast Equatorial Guinea Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Namibia Nigeria So Tom and Prncipe Senegal Sierra Leone South Africa Togo Uruguay  •  • [ e] Member states and observers of La Francophonie Members Albania Andorra Belgium (French Community) Benin Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada (New Brunswick Quebec) Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Cyprus1 Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Cte d'Ivoire Djibouti Dominica Egypt Equatorial Guinea Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia France (including French Guiana Guadeloupe Martinique Saint Pierre and Miquelon) Gabon Ghana1 Greece Guinea Guinea-Bissau Haiti Laos Luxembourg Lebanon Madagascar Mali Mauritania Mauritius Moldova Monaco Morocco Niger Romania Rwanda St. Lucia So Tom and Prncipe Senegal Seychelles Switzerland Togo Tunisia Vanuatu Vietnam Observers Armenia Austria Croatia Czech Republic Georgia Hungary Lithuania Mozambique Poland Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Ukraine 1 Associate member.      •  • [ e] Member states and observers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Members Afghanistan Albania Algeria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Benin Burkina Faso Brunei Cameroon Chad Comoros Cte d'Ivoire Djibouti Egypt Gabon Gambia Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Indonesia Iran Iraq Jordan Kuwait Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Lebanon Libya Maldives Malaysia Mali Mauritania Morocco Mozambique Niger Nigeria Oman Pakistan Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan Suriname Syria Tajikistan Turkey Tunisia Togo Turkmenistan Uganda Uzbekistan United Arab Emirates Yemen Observers Countries and territories Bosnia and Herzegovina Central African Republic Russia Thailand Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (only recognised by Turkey) Muslim communities Moro National Liberation Front International organizations Economic Cooperation Organization African Union Arab League Non-Aligned Movement United Nations  •  • [ e] Latin Union Andorra Angola Argentina Bolivia Brazil Cape Verde Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cte d'Ivoire Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador El Salvador France Guatemala Guinea-Bissau Haiti Holy See Honduras Italy Mexico Moldova Monaco Mozambique Nicaragua Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Portugal Romania San Marino So Tom and Prncipe Senegal Sovereign Military Order of Malta Spain Timor-Leste Uruguay Venezuela Official languages: Catalan French Italian Portuguese Romanian Spanish  •  • [ e] Niger-Congo-speaking nations  •  • [ e] Kordofanian  Sudan  •  • [ e] Mande  Gambia  Guinea  Guinea-Bissau  Mali  Mauritania  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Liberia  Cte d'Ivoire  Nigeria  Burkina Faso  Benin  Togo  •  • [ e] Atlantic-Congo Atlantic  Benin  Burkina Faso  Cameroon  CAR Ijoid  Nigeria  Chad  Cte d'Ivoire  Gambia  Guinea Dogon  Mali  Guinea-Bissau  Liberia  Mali  Mauritania  Niger  Senegal  Sierra Leone  Sudan  Togo  •  • [ e] Volta-Congo Senufo  Benin  Cte d'Ivoire  Mali Gur  Benin  Burkina Faso  Cte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Mali  Nigeria  Togo Adamawa-Ubangi  Cameroon  CAR  Chad  Nigeria Kru  Burkina Faso  Cte d'Ivoire  Liberia Kwa  Benin  Cte d'Ivoire  Ghana  Nigeria  Togo  •  • [ e] Benue-Congo Bantu  Angola  Botswana  Burundi  Cameroon  DRC Yoruba and Igbo  Nigeria  Rep. of the Congo  Equatorial Guinea  Gabon  Kenya  Nigeria  Malawi  Mozambique  Namibia  Rwanda  Somalia  South Africa  Swaziland  Tanzania  Uganda  Zambia  Zimbabwe CAR = Central African Republic    DRC = Democratic Republic of the Congo  •  • [ e] Portuguese Empire North Africa  15th century 1415–1640  Ceuta 1458–1550  Alccer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550  Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662  Tangier 1485–1550  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1488–1541  Safim (Safi) 16th century 1505–1769  Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gu (Agadir) 1506–1525  Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525  Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541  Azamor (Azemmour) 1577–1589  Arzila (Asilah) Sub-Saharan Africa  15th century 1455–1633  Arguin 1470–1975  So Tom1 1474–1778  Annobn 1478–1778  Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637  Elmina (So Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642  Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550  Madagascar (part) 1498–1540  Mascarene Islands 16th century 1500–1630  Malindi 1500–1975  Prncipe1 1501–1975  Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659  St. Helena 1503–1698  Zanzibar 1505–1512  Quloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511  Socotra 1557–1578  Accra 1575–1975  Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974  Cacheu2 1593–1698  Mombassa (Mombasa) 17th century 1642–1975  Cape Verde 1645–1888  Ziguinchor 1680–1961  So Joo Baptista de Ajud 1687–1974  Bissau2 18th century 1728–1729  Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975  So Tom and Prncipe 19th century 1879–1974  Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975  Portuguese Congo (Cabinda) 1 Part of So Tom and Prncipe from 1753.   2 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879. Southwest Asia  16th century 1506–1615  Gamru (Bandar Abbas) 1507-1643  Sohar 1515–1622  Hormuz (Ormus) 1515-1648  Quriyat 1515-?   Qalhat 1515–1650  Muscat 1515?-?   Barka 1515-1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602  Bahrain (Al Muharraq and Manama) 1521-1529?  Qatif 1521?-1551? Tarut Island 1550-1551  Qatif 1588-1648  Matrah 17th century 1620-?   Khor Fakkan 1621?-?   As Sib 1621-1622  Qeshm 1623-?   Khasab 1623-?   Libedia 1624-?   Kalba 1624-?   Madha 1624-1648  Diba al-Hisn 1624?-?   Bandar-e Kong Indian subcontinent  15th century 1498–1545  Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 16th century Portuguese India    1500–1663  Cochim (Kochi)    1502–1661  Quilon (Coulo/Kollam)    1502–1663  Cannanore (Kannur)    1507–1657  Negapatam (Nagapattinam)    1510–1962  Goa    1512–1525  Calicut (Kozhikode)    1518–1619  Paliacate (Pulicat)    1521–1740  Chaul    1523–1662  So Tom de Meliapore    1528–1666  Chittagong    1534–1601  Salsette Island    1534–1661  Bombay (Mumbai)    1535–1739  Baam (Vasai-Virar)    1536–1662  Cranganore (Kodungallur)    1540–1612  Surat    1548–1658  Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)    1559–1962  Daman and Diu    1568–1659  Mangalore    1579–1632  Hughli    1598–1610  Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521  Maldives 1518–1658  Ceilo (Ceylon/Sri Lanka) 1558–1573  Maldives 17th century Portuguese India    1687–1749  So Tom de Meliapore 18th century Portuguese India    1779–1954  Dadra and Nagar Haveli East Asia and Oceania  16th century 1511–1641  Malacca 1512–1621  Banda Islands 1512–1621  Moluccas (Maluku Islands)    1522–1575  Ternate    1576–1605  Ambon    1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665  Makassar 1553–1999  Macau 1571–1639  Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki) 17th century 1642–1975  Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Macau    1864–1999  Coloane    1851–1999  Taipa    1890–1999  Ilha Verde 20th century Macau    1938–1941  Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world. North America and the North Atlantic Ocean  15th century 1420           Madeira 1432           Azores 16th century 1501–1570?  Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1501-1570?  Labrador 1519–1570?  Nova Scotia Central and South America  16th century 1500–1822  Brazil 1536–1620  Barbados 17th century 1680–1777  Nova Colnia do Sacramento 19th century 1808–1822  Cisplatina (Uruguay) Portuguese colonization of the Americas