Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities.
- Capital
- Bissau
- Government
- semi-presidential republic
- Population
- 2,132,325
- Area
- 36,125 sq km
- Location
- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
- Climate
- tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds;
- Natural resources
- fish; timber; phosphates; bauxite; clay; granite…
- Languages
- Portuguese-based Creole; Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language); Pular (a Fula language)…
- Religions
- Muslim 46.1%; folk religions 30.6%; Christian 18.9%; other or unaffiliated 4.4%
- Independence
- 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
- Administrative divisions
- 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
- Currency
- Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF)
- Export partners
- India 66%; Chile 9%; Cote d'Ivoire 5%; Ghana 4%…
- Import partners
- Senegal 28%; Portugal 24%; China 11%; Gambia…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain