Introduction
Background
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. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire.
Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In May 1999, a military mutiny and civil war led to VIEIRA's ouster. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In September 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. In June 2009, Malam Bacai SANHA was elected president, but he passed away in January 2012 from a long-term illness. In April 2012, a military coup prevented the second-round of the presidential election from taking place. Following mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president after a free and fair election. In June 2019, VAZ became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full presidential term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in December 2019, but he did not take office until February 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.
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Geography
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Geographic coordinates
12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area - comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries
total: 762 km
border countries (2): Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km
Coastline
350 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain
mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets
Elevation
highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 70 m
Natural resources
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use
agricultural land: 44.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 8.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.9% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 55.2% (2018 est.)
other: 0% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
250 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Population distribution
approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Geography - note
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)
adjective: Bissau-Guinean
Ethnic groups
Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)
Languages
Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo
Religions
Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)
Demographic profile
Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2020. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.
Guinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking. With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.
Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing.
Age structure
0-14 years: 42.51% (male 444,214/female 439,517)
15-64 years: 54.38% (male 545,116/female 585,284)
65 years and over: 3.11% (2023 est.) (male 26,890/female 37,799)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 76.6
youth dependency ratio: 71.6
elderly dependency ratio: 5
potential support ratio: 20.1 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 18.3 years (2023 est.)
male: 17.7 years
female: 18.9 years
comparison ranking: total 217
Population distribution
approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 47.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 53.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.8 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 22
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.1 years (2023 est.)
male: 61.8 years
female: 66.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 206
Gross reproduction rate
2.29 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
20.6% (2018/19)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 90.6% of population
rural: 59.1% of population
total: 73.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 9.4% of population
rural: 40.9% of population
total: 26.9% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
8.4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 62.4% of population
rural: 7.6% of population
total: 31.8% of population
unimproved: urban: 37.6% of population
rural: 92.4% of population
total: 68.2% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 108
Tobacco use
total: 9% (2020 est.)
male: 17% (2020 est.)
female: 0.9% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 139
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.7% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 8.1%
women married by age 18: 25.7%
men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 52.9%
male: 67%
female: 39.9% (2021)
Environment
Environment - current issues
deforestation (rampant felling of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Land use
agricultural land: 44.8% (2018 est.)
arable land: 8.2% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 6.9% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 29.7% (2018 est.)
forest: 55.2% (2018 est.)
other: 0% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 34.85 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.29 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 1.46 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,514 tons (2015 est.)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
31.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea
etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; "Bissau," the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
name: Bissau
geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the meaning of Bissau is uncertain, it might be an alternative name for the Papel people who live in the area of the city of Bissau
Administrative divisions
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence
24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution
history: promulgated 16 May 1984; note - constitution suspended following military coup April 2012, restored 2014; note - in May 2020, President EMBALO established a commission to draft a revised constitution
amendments: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 1991, 1993, 1996
Legal system
mixed legal system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence and influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Umaro Sissoko EMBALO (since 27 February 2020); note - President EMBALO was declared winner of the 29 December 2019 runoff presidential election by the electoral commission, in late February 2020, EMBALO inaugurated himself with only military leadership present, even though the Supreme Court of Justice had yet to rule on an electoral litigation appeal lodged by his political rival Domingos Simoes PEREIRA
head of government: Prime Minister Rui Duarte DE BARROS (since 20 December 2023) note- on 4 December 2023 the president dissolved the parliament
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; election last held on 24 November 2019 with a runoff on 29 December 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly; note - the president cannot apply for a third consecutive term
election results: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5% (2019)
Legislative branch
description: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; 100 members directly elected in 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 2 elected in single-seat constituencies for citizens living abroad (Africa 1, Europe 1); all members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last election held 4 June 2023 (next election on 30 June 2027) note: on 4 December 2023 the president dissolved the parliament with new elections held at a future date
election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 39.4%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 14.9%, other 12.5%; seats by party - PAIGC 54, Madem G-15 29, PRS- 12, other 7; composition - men 92, women 10, percent of women 9.8%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers); note - the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life
subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
Political parties and leaders
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA]
Democratic Convergence Party or PCD [Vicente FERNANDES]
Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 [Braima CAMARA]
National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB [Nuno Gomes NABIAM]
New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO]
Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]
Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]
Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Mike RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022)
mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080
email address and website:
dakarACS@state.gov
https://gw.usmission.gov/
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanaian flag
National symbol(s)
black star; national colors: red, yellow, green, black
National anthem
name: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This Is Our Beloved Country)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He
note: adopted 1974; a delegation from then Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to struggle for independence
Economy
Economic overview
extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$3.774 billion (2021 est.)
$3.636 billion (2020 est.)
$3.725 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 186
Real GDP per capita
$1,800 (2021 est.)
$1,800 (2020 est.)
$1,900 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 214
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.339 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.24% (2021 est.)
1.14% (2020 est.)
0.25% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 148
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 50% (2017 est.)
industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)
services: 36.9% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 217; industry 191; agriculture 4
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 83.9% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 12% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 4.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 26.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -26.5% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
rice, cashew nuts, roots/tubers nes, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, groundnuts, vegetables, coconuts, fruit
Industries
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 12.8% (2021 est.)
male: 11.6%
female: 14.2%
comparison ranking: total 135
Population below poverty line
67% (2015 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 28% (2002)
Budget
revenues: $222 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $278 million (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$38.683 million (2020 est.)
-$127.41 million (2019 est.)
-$54.134 million (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 86
Exports
$232.536 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$291.805 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$380.428 million (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 199
Exports - partners
India 50%, Belgium 28%, Cote d'Ivoire 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities
cashews, natural gas, mackerel, fish, scrap vessels (2021)
Imports
$439 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$502 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$459 million (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 202
Imports - partners
Portugal 31%, Senegal 20%, China 10%, Netherlands 7%, Pakistan 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, rice, wheat products, soups/broths, malt extract (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$356.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$349.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 173
Debt - external
$1.095 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
$941.5 million (31 December 2000 est.)
comparison ranking: 164
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
585.911 (2019 est.)
555.446 (2018 est.)
580.657 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
population without electricity: 1 million (2020)
electrification - total population: 35.7% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 60.5% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 15.8% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 28,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 76.458 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 202; transmission/distribution losses 200; imports 183; exports 176; consumption 199
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 97.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 2,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
342,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 342,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 193
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 4,800 (2009 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2009 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 205
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2,236,511 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 147
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile cellular communications; 2 mobile network operators; one of the poorest countries in the world and this is reflected in the country's telecommunications development; radio is the most important source of information for the public (2020)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile cellular teledensity is just over 109 per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 245; ACE submarine cable connecting Guinea-Bissau with 20 landing points in Western and South Africa and Europe (2019)
Broadcast media
1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, is operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet users
total: 735,000 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 35% (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total 159
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 2,383 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.1 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 198
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
2
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
6
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Roadways
total: 4,400 km (2018)
paved: 453 km (2018)
unpaved: 3,947 km (2018)
comparison ranking: total 150
Waterways
1,367 km (2022) major rivers Geba- 550km, Corubal 560 km, Cacheu 257 km (rivers are partially navigable; many inlets and creeks provide shallow-water access to much of interior)
comparison ranking: 56
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Military and Security
Military and security forces
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force
Ministry of Internal Administration: Guard Nacional (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2023)
note: the Public Order Police is responsible for maintaining law and order, while the Judicial Police, under the Ministry of Justice, has primary responsibility for investigating drug trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes
Military expenditures
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
1.9% of GDP (2019 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 83
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 4,000 active troops, including a few hundred air and naval personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FARP is armed mostly with Soviet-era equipment, much of which is reportedly unserviceable (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2023)
Military - note
the FARP is focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties, and it has been influential in the country’s politics since independence was gained in 1974, having staged at least nine coups as well as several mutinies; FARP members were suspected of coup plotting as recently as 2021, and the military has been accused of involvement in narcotics trafficking; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms with limited success under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN
from 2012-2020, ECOWAS deployed a security force to Guinea-Bissau to manage the post-coup transition, including protecting key political figures and public buildings, restoring civil institutions, and re-establishing the rule of law; at the height of the deployment, the force, known as the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), deployed nearly 700 military and police personnel from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal (2023)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Guinea-Bissau - Senegal: there are no border disputes and the frontier is relatively stable although some rebels conducting a longstanding low-grade insurgency in the southern Casamance region of Senegal have used Guinea-Bissau as a safe haven
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 7,757 (Senegal) (2022)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 3 — Guinea-Bissau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore Guinea-Bissau remained on Tier 3; despite the lack of efforts, the government took some steps to address trafficking, including investigating cases, identifying potential victims, launching a national referral mechanism, and convening its anti-trafficking committee; however, Guinea-Bissau has never convicted a trafficker and failed to prosecute alleged traffickers for the third consecutive year; the government continued to lack adequate victim identification and services, and has lacked sufficient resources and political will to comprehensively combat trafficking (2022)
trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Guinea-Bissau and Bissau-Guineans abroad; forced child begging is the most prevalent form of trafficking; boys reportedly were transported to southern Senegal for forced manual and agricultural labor; girls may be subjected to forced domestic service and child prostitution in Guinea, Senegal and the Gambia; women are recruited and exploited in domestic servitude abroad; girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are exploited in child sex tourism in the Bijagos, an archipelago off the coast of Guinea-Bissau that is largely devoid of government and law enforcement presence; Cuban nationals in Guinea-Bissau may have been forced to work by the Cuban government (2022)
Illicit drugs
important transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations due to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography near the capital facilitates drug smuggling