West Africa.

GMT.

36,125 sq km (13,948 sq miles).

1.6 million (UN estimate 2005).

44.3 per sq km.

Bissau. Population: 197,610 (1991).

Guinea-Bissau (formerly Portuguese Guinea) is located in West Africa, and is bordered to the north by Senegal and to the south and east by the Republic of Guinea. It encompasses the adjacent Bijagós Islands and the island of Bolama. The country rises from a coastal plain broken up by numerous inlets through a transitional plateau to mountains on the border with Guinea. Thick forest and mangrove swamp cover the area nearest to the Atlantic Ocean. Savannah covers the inland areas.

Republic. Gained independence from Portugal in 1973.

Malam Bacai Sanha since 2009.

Prime Minister Aristides Gomes since 2005.

In September 1974, Portugal formally recognised the independence of Guinea-Bissau. The leader of the Partido Africano da Independencia da Guine e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) was Joao Vieira, formerly chief of the armed forces, who went on to run the country for the next 25 years. Guinea-Bissau functioned as a typical one-party state until the beginning of the 1990s when the government began a process of political reform which led to multi-party elections being held in 1994. The PAIGC secured a clear majority in the National People’s Assembly while Vieira secured the presidency at the run-off stage.
The Vieira government was unable to tackle the country’s poor and worsening economic situation. It also became embroiled in a series of disputes with Senegal over territorial waters and alleged support for secessionist rebels in the Senegalese region of Casamance. Although these were settled by external mediation, bilateral relations are still brittle. The Casamance guerrillas’ main supporter in Guinea-Bissau was Brigadier Ansumane Mane, a politically ambitious officer who in 1998 staged a rebellion against his own government. Vieira survived the attempted coup on this occasion but in May the following year, Mane managed to take power. Elections were held six months later, and the PAIGC lost control of both the presidency and the national assembly at the hands of the Partido para a Renovacao Social (PRS). PRS leader Kumba Yala, who took over as President, was quite incapable of tackling the country’s enormous problems: he too was overthrown by the military at what was at least the third attempt in September 2003. Henrique Pereira Rosa became President and then later Carlos Gomes Junior became Prime Minister in May 2004.

The situation has remained volatile throughout 2005. In April, Joao Bernardo Vieira, the former military ruler toppled in the 1999 rebellion, returned from exile in Portugal. In May, the former President Kumba Yala, who was deposed in 2003, declared that he was still the rightful Head of State and staged a brief occupation of the presidency building.
On 10 August 2005 Joao Bernardo Vieria was declared the winner of a July presidential runoff election over Malam Bacai Sanha in an election judged by international observers to be free and fair. Vieria dismissed the government of Carlos Gomes Junior in November 2005, appointing Aristides Gomes in his place.

President Joao Bernardo Vieira was murdered in March 2009. His successor, Malam Bacai Sanha, took office in September 2009.

Official language is Portuguese. The majority of the population speak Guinean Creole. Balante and Fulani languages are also spoken.

Mainly animist and Muslim. There is a small minority of Roman Catholics and other Christians.

Limited electricity supply on 220 volts AC, 50Hz.

Casual wear is widely accepted. Social customs should be respected, particularly in Muslim areas. Petty thievery and pickpocketing are increasingly common, particularly at the airport, in markets and at public gatherings. Homosexuality is illegal.

Photography: Visitors should request permission from security personnel before photographing military or police installations.