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Basic Facts |
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 |
Gevernment type | 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) |
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia |
Currency | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
Internet country code | .gw |
Ports and terminals | Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim |
Agriculture products | rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish |
Industries | agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks |
Geography |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal |
Coordinates | 12 00 N, 15 00 W |
Continent | Africa |
Area |
total: 36,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 sq km |
Boundaries |
total: 724 km
border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km |
Coastline | 350 km |
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 coastal plain rising to savanna in east |
Natural resources | fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires |
People |
Population | 1,442,029 (July 2006 est.) |
Ethnic groups | African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% |
Religions | indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% |
Languages | Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages |