GuineaBissau

GuineaBissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa. Its capital and largest city is Bissau. The official language is Portuguese, while Crioulo (Kriolu) is widely spoken. The population is around two million, and the country covers about 36,000 square kilometers.

Geography: It lies on the Atlantic coast, bordered by Senegal to the north and Guinea to the south and east, with the ocean to the west. It comprises mainland territory and the Bijagos Archipelago. The landscape is predominantly low-lying with rivers such as the Geba and Cacheu. The climate is tropical, with a rainy season roughly May to November and a dry season the rest of the year.

History: The area has been inhabited by diverse groups, including Balanta, Mandinka and Fula. It became a Portuguese colony as Portuguese Guinea, and independence was declared in 1973, recognized in 1974 after Portugal’s Carnation Revolution. Since then, GuineaBissau has experienced political instability, including coups and a civil war in 1998–1999, with ongoing governance challenges.

Politics: It is a semi-presidential republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government; multiple parties contest elections. Administratively, the country has eight regions and the Bijagos archipelago region. The state faces security and governance challenges, including organized crime.

Economy: The economy is small and agricultural-based; cashew nuts are the main export, along with fish. The currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), issued by the BCEAO as part of WAEMU. International aid and remittances are important.

Demographics and culture: Ethnic groups include Balanta, Fula, Mandinka and Papel. Islam is the majority faith, with Christian minorities; Portuguese is the official language, with Creole widely used. Development indicators remain relatively low.