{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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.
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": { "text": "42.51% (male 444,214/female 439,517)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "54.38% (male 545,116/female 585,284)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "3.11% (2023 est.) (male 26,890/female 37,799)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "76.6" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "71.6" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "20.1 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "18 years" }, "male": { "text": "17.4 years" }, "female": { "text": "18.6 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "2.54% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "36.25 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.32 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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": { "text": "45.5% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.93 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.71 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "725 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "47.69 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "53.39 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "41.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "64.1 years" }, "male": { "text": "61.84 years" }, "female": { "text": "66.42 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "4.65 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "2.29 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "20.6% (2018/19)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 90.6% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 59.1% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 73.1% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 9.4% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 40.9% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 26.9% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "8.4% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2020)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 62.4% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 7.6% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 31.8% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 37.6% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 92.4% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 68.2% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Major infectious diseases": { "degree of risk": { "text": "very high (2023)" }, "food or waterborne diseases": { "text": "bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever" }, "vectorborne diseases": { "text": "malaria and dengue fever" }, "water contact diseases": { "text": "schistosomiasis" }, "animal contact diseases": { "text": "rabies" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "9.5% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "9% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "17% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "0.9% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "18.8% (2019)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "56.7% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "8.1%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "25.7%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "2.2% (2019 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "52.9%" }, "male": { "text": "67%" }, "female": { "text": "39.9% (2021)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "12.8%" }, "male": { "text": "11.6%" }, "female": { "text": "14.2% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation (rampant felling of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "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": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "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": { "text": "44.8% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 8.2% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 6.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 29.7% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "55.2% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "0% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "45.5% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "9.24% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "27.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "0.29 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "1.46 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "289,514 tons (2015 est.)" } }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin" }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "31.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Republic of Guinea-Bissau" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Guinea-Bissau" }, "local long form": { "text": "Republica da Guine-Bissau" }, "local short form": { "text": "Guine-Bissau" }, "former": { "text": "Portuguese Guinea" }, "etymology": { "text": "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": { "text": "semi-presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Bissau" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "11 51 N, 15 35 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "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": { "text": "9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali" }, "Independence": { "text": "24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 24 September (1973)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "yes" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "yes" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "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": { "text": "Prime Minister Nuno NABIAM (since 27 February 2020)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "note: president dissolved the parliament on 16 May 2022; election held 4 June 2023" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - PAIGC 35.2%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 21.1%, other 22.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 47, Madem G-15 27, PRS- 21, other 7; composition - men 88, women 14, percent of women 13.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA]a longstanding low-grade conflict continues in parts of Casamance, in Senegal across the border; some rebels use Guinea-Bissau as a safe haven
" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "7,757 (Senegal) (2022)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "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" } } }