Guinea-Bissau (original) (raw)

Republic of Guinea-Bissau

República da Guiné-Bissau

CAPITAL : Bissau

FLAG : The flag has equal horizontal stripes of yellow over green, with a red vertical stripe at the hoist bearing a black star.

ANTHEM : Esta é a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada (This Is Our Well-Beloved Land).

MONETARY UNIT : The Communauté Financière Africaine franc (CFA Fr) replaced the Guinean peso ( PG ) as official currency in May 1997. The CFA franc, which was originally pegged to the French franc, has been pegged to the euro since January 1999 with a rate of 655.957 CFA francs to 1 euro. The CFA france comes in coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 CFA francs, and notes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 CFA francs. CFA Fr1 = 0.00167(or0.00167 (or 0.00167(or1 = CFA Fr597.577) as of May 2003.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES : The metric system is used.

HOLIDAYS : New Year's Day, 1 January; Death of Amilcar Cabral, 20 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Anniversary of the Killing of Pidjiguiti, 3 August; National Day, 24 September; Anniversary of the Movement of Readjustment, 14 November; Christmas Day, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include Korité (end of Ramadan) and Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice).

TIME : 11 AM = noon GMT.

TOPOGRAPHY

The country is swampy at the coast and low-lying inland, except in the northeast. There are no significant mountains. The most important rivers include the Cacheu, Mansoa, Geba, and Corubal.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Guinea-Bissau has a variety of vegetation, with thick jungle in the interior plains, rice and mangrove fields along the coastal plains and swamps, and savanna in the north. Parts of Guinea-Bissau are rich in game, big and small. Several species of antelope, buffalo, monkeys, and snakes are found.

LANGUAGES

Wide differences prevail in languages, since each tribe has its own vernacular, subdivided into numerous dialects. A Guinean "crioulo," or Africanized Portuguese patois, is the lingua franca, while Portuguese is the official language.

RELIGIONS

About 50% of the population has retained traditional religious beliefs. As of 2002, an estimated 45% of the population adhered to the Islamic faith. The Fulani and Malinké ethic groups are Muslim for the most part. Only about 5% of the population are Christians with a majority being Roman Catholic.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Guinea-Bissau has 8 regions, not including the capital, and 37 sectors. Each region has a regional council, as does the capital, with membership consisting of elected representatives from the various sectors.

ARMED FORCES

In 2002 the armed forces numbered approximately 9,250 in all services including the 2,000-man gendarmerie. The army numbered 6,800 equipped with 10 main battle tanks. The 350 member navy operated three vessels, and the air force of 100 had three combat aircraft. The defense budget in 2001 was $5.6 million, or 2.8% of GDP.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Despite the damage wrought by the tsetse fly, cattle raising occupies many Guineans, especially among the Balante in the interior. In 2001, there were an estimated 515,000 head of cattle and 350,000 hogs, as well as 285,000 sheep and 325,000 goats.

FISHING

Fishing is slowly growing into a viable industry. Agreements allow the European Union countries to fish in national waters. Guinea-Bissau's own catch was an estimated 5,000 tons in 2000, with mullet accounting for 44%.

FORESTRY

Guinean forests and savanna woodland, covering about 60% of the country, primarily supply wood and timber for domestic consumption and fuel and construction material. Roundwood production was about 592,000 cu m (21 million cu ft) in 2000, 72% used as fuel wood. Timber has become a leading export, accounting for $1 million in 2000.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

No information is available.

INSURANCE

No recent information is available.

TAXATION

Current information is unavailable.

CUSTOMS AND DUTIES

Import licenses are freely issued for most goods. Most imports are taxed, but luxury goods are more heavily taxed, while capital goods enjoy special treatment. Duties are applied ad valorem; some common ones are: rice (10%), gasoline (55%), diesel (15%), automobiles (40–95%), auto parts (36%), furniture (30%), and household appliances (25%).

DEPENDENCIES

Guinea-Bissau has no territories or colonies.

Location, size, and extent

Climate

Environment

Population

Migration

Ethnic groups

Transportation

History

Government

Political parties

Judicial system

International cooperation

Economy

Income

Labor

Agriculture

Mining

Energy and power

Industry

Domestic trade

Foreign trade

Balance of payments

Banking and securities

Public finance

Foreign investment

Economic development

Health

Housing

Education

Libraries and museums

Media

Organizations

Tourism, travel, and recreation

Famous guineans

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adebajo, Adekeye. Building Peace in West Africa: Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner, 2002.

Bowman, Joye. Ominous Transition: Commerce and Colonial Expansion in the Senegambia and Guinea, 1857–1919 . Aldershot, England: Avebury, 1997.

D and B's Export Guide to Guinea-Bissau. Parsippany, N.J.: Dun and Bradstreet, 1999.

Dhada, Mustafah. Warriors at Work: How Guinea Was Really Set Free. Niwot, Colo.: University Press of Colorado, 1993.

Forrest, Joshua. Guinea-Bissau: Power, Conflict, and Renewal in a West African Nation. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1992.

Galli, Rosemary. Guinea-Bissau. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Clio, 1990.

Lobban, Richard, and Peter Karibe Mendy. Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau : 3rd ed. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 1997.

——. Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. [computer file] Boulder, Colo.: netLibrary, Inc., 2000.

Lopes, Carlos. Guinea Bissau, from Liberation Struggle to Independent Statehood. Boulder, Colo.: Westview, 1987.