GUINEA-BISSAU
(formerly Portuguese Guinea)
_Guinea-Bissau.jpg)
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LAND
36,260 km2 (includes Bijagos archipelago)
Land boundaries: 740 km
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (economic including fishing 200 nm)
Coastline: 274 km
PEOPLE
Population: 823,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.9%
Nationality: noun—Guinean(s); adjective—Guinean
Ethnic divisions: about 99% African (Balanta 30%, Fulani 20%, Mandyako 14%, Malinke 13%, and 23% other tribes); less than 1% European and mulatto
Religion: 66% animist, 30% Muslim, 4% Christian
Language: Portuguese and numerous African languages
Literacy: 3% to 5%
Labor force: 90% of economically active population engaged in subsistence agriculture
GOVERNMENT
Official name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Type: republic; achieved independence .from Portugal in September 1974; constitution abolished after 14 November 1980 coup; new constitution pending
Capital: Bissau
Political subdivisions: 9 municipalities, 3 circumscriptions (predominantly indigenous population)
Legal system: to be determined
National holiday: 12 September
Branches: Presidency and Cabinet overseen by Revolutionary Council
Government leaders: President and Revolutionary Council Chairman Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA; Vice President of the Revolutionary Council and Foreign Affairs Minister Victor SAUDE MARIA
Suffrage: universal over age 15
Elections: none held to date
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), led by Pres. Vieira, secretary general, only legal party; Guinea-Bissau recently decided to retain the binational party title despite its formal break with Cape Verde
Communists: a few Communists, some sympathizers
Member of: FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ISCON, ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
ECONOMY
GDP: $200 million (1980), $333 per capita, real growth rate 1.5% (1980)
Agriculture: main crops—palm products, root crops, rice, coconuts, peanuts
Fishing: catch 3,724 metric tons (1979 est.)
Electric power: 11,000 kW capacity (1980); 13 million kWh produced (1980), 16 kWh per capita
Exports: $9.6 million (1980); principally peanuts, palm-kernals, shrimp, fish, lumber
Imports: $48.3 million (1980); foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, transport equipment
Major trade partners: mostly Portugal, and other European countries
Budget: (1979 est.) revenue $27.4 million, current expenditures $45.4 million, investment expenditures $107.7 million
Monetary conversion rate: 37.6 Guinean pesos=US$1 (1981)
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: none
Highways: approx. 3,218 km (418 km bituminous, remainder earth)
Inland waterways: scattered stretches
Ports: 1 major (Bissau)
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft
Airfields: 59 total, 56 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: limited system of open-wire lines, radio-relay links, and radiocommunication stations; 3,000 telephones (0.5 per 100 popl.); 1 AM station and 1 FM station; no TV stations
DEFENSE FORCES:
Military manpower: males 15-49, 190,000; 110,000 fit for military service
Ships: no combat ships
