Table of Contents

History.............................................................................................4
Geography.........................................................................................5
Environment......................................................................................6
Economy...........................................................................................8
Social Index......................................................................................11
Transnational Issues............................................................................12
Heritage..........................................................................................12
Safeguards.......................................................................................12
Political..........................................................................................13
International Trade.............................................................................14
Foreign Relations...............................................................................15
Daily Life & Social Customs...................................................................16
Infrastructure...................................................................................17
Guidelines for Tourist..........................................................................18
Medical Facilities...............................................................................19
Education........................................................................................21
Tourism...........................................................................................22
Industrial Sector................................................................................22
Energy Sector....................................................................................23
Services..........................................................................................25
Army..............................................................................................25
Media.............................................................................................26
Recent Developments..........................................................................26
Guinea-Bissau
History

Modern Guinea was part of the Mali Empire, which espoused Islam and dominated the region between
the seventh and 15th centuries. Portuguese explorers arrived in the region during the mid-15th century
and over the next 300 years they, the British and the French made Guinea the centre of a major slave
trade.

The country gained independence in 1974, following a 12 year liberation war that was marked by
political instability. Since 2003, the country has been undergoing a gradual democratization process,
which culminated in the 2004 general elections and the 2005 presidential elections. On May 9, 2004,
Carlos Gomes Junior became Prime Minister.

Luis Cabral, Amilcar Cabral's half-brother, became the first President of Guinea-Bissau. In late 1980,
the government was overthrown in a relatively bloodless coup led by Prime Minister and former armed
forces commander Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira.

In 1956, Amilcar Cabral and Raphael Barbosa organized the African Party for the Independence of
Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) clandestinely.

From November 1980 to May 1984, power was held by a provisional government responsible to a
Revolutionary Council headed by President Joao Bernardo Vieira. In 1984, the council was dissolved,
and the National Popular Assembly (ANP) was reconstituted. The single-party assembly approved a new
constitution, elected President Vieira to a new 5-year term, and elected a Council of State, which was
the executive agent of the ANP. Under this system, the president presided over the Council of State
and served as head of state and government. The president also was head of the PAIGC and commander
in chief of the armed forces.

There were alleged coup plots against the Vieira government in 1983, 1985, and 1993. In 1986, first
Vice President Paulo Correia and five others were executed for treason following a lengthy trial. In
1994, the country's first multi-party legislative and presidential elections were held. An army uprising
against the Vieira government in June 1998 triggered a bloody civil war that created hundreds of
thousands of displaced persons and resulted in President Vieira having to request assistance from the
governments of Senegal and Guinea, who provided troops to quell the uprising. The President was
ousted by a military junta in May 1999. An interim government turned over power in February 2000
when opposition leader Kumba Yala, founder of the Social Renovation Party (PRS), took office following
two rounds of transparent presidential elections.
Despite the elections, democracy did not take root in the succeeding 3 years. President Yala neither
vetoed nor promulgated the new constitution that was approved by the National Assembly in April
2001. The resulting ambiguity undermined the rule of law. Impulsive presidential interventions in
ministerial operations hampered effective governance. On November 14, 2002, the President dismissed
the government of Prime Minister Alamara Nhasse, dissolved the National Assembly, and called for
legislative elections. Two days later, he appointed Prime Minister Mario Pires to lead a caretaker
government controlled by presidential decree. Elections for the National Assembly were scheduled for
April 2003, but later postponed until June and then October. On September 12, 2003, the President of
the National Elections Commission announced that it would be impossible to hold the elections on
October 12, 2003, as scheduled. The army, led by Chief of Defense General Verrisimo Correia Seabra,
intervened on September 14, 2003. President Yala announced his "voluntary" resignation and was
placed under house arrest. The government was dissolved and a 25-member Committee for Restoration
of Democracy and Constitutional Order was established. On September 28, 2003, businessman Henrique
Rosa was sworn in as President. He had the support of most political parties and of civil society. Artur
Sanha, PRS President, was sworn in as Prime Minister. On March 28 and 30, 2004, Guinea-Bissau held
legislative elections which international observers deemed acceptably free and fair. On May 9, 2004,
Carlos Gomes Junior became Prime Minister.

Geography
Area (including Bijagos Archipelago): 36,125 Sq. KM

Major Cities:

Capital: Bissau

Other Cities: Bafata, Gabu, Canchungo, Farim, Cacheu.

Regions: Oio, Tombali, Cacheu, Bolama, Quinara, Biombo, Bafata, Gabu

Terrain: Coastal Plain; Savanna in the east.

Climate: Tropical

Nationality: Bissau-Guinean(s)

Population (July 2009 Est.): 1,533,964

Population Growth Rate (2009): 2.019%

Ethnic Groups:

Group % Population
Balanta 30%
Fula 20%
Manjaca 14%
Mandinga 13%
Papel 7%
Others 16%

Religions:

Traditional beliefs 52%, Muslim 40%, Christian 8%

Languages:

Official: Portuguese, Creole, French

Many Indigenous Languages: Balanta-Kentohe 26%, Pulaar 18%, Mandjak 12%, Mandinka 11%, Pepel 9%,
Biafada 3%, Mancanha 3%, Bidyogo 2%, Ejamat 2%, Mansoanka 1%, Bainoukgunyuno 1%, Nalu 1%, Soninke
1%, Badjara 1%, Bayote 0.5%, Kobiana 0.04%, Cassanga 0.04%, Basary 0.03%

Environment

Climate
The climate is tropical, with a wet season from June to October. The dry season is from December to
April, with hot winds from the interior. Humidity is high from July to September. Temperatures vary
with altitude and distance from the coast. The average annual temperature is 28°C.
Terrain
Most of Guinea-Bissau is a low-lying, swampy coastal plain. The land rises gradually to form a plateau
region in the east. The country is drained by a number of rivers that flow into the Atlantic Ocean and
the principal rivers are the Cacheu or Farim, Mansoa, Geba, Corubal, Rio Grande and Cacine. The
maximum elevation of about 310 m (about 1,017 ft) is found in the southeast. Numerous meandering
rivers cross the country from east to west and form wide estuaries near their mouths. Nearly all are
navigable and serve as major transportation arteries.

The difference between high tide and low tide is quite remarkable on the Guinean coast. Therefore,
when the rivers are in flood during the rainy season and the tide is coming in, up to one third of the
country's surface may disappear under water.

Plant and animal life

Vegetation consists of mangrove and rain forest on the coastal plain and savanna woodland on the
interior plateau. Further inland to the east, there is savannah with few trees. Tropical hardwoods are a
major potential resource.

Estuary swamps are rich in endemic species. Among the animal species that inhabit the country
chimpanzees, crocodiles, snakes, gazelles, parrots, hyenas, leopards, hippopotami, and African
buffaloes can be found. Guinea-Bissau has also a great variety of aquatic birds, including the pelican
and the flamingo.

Natural Resources: Fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite and unexploited deposits of petroleum

Natural Hazards: Hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires.

Guinea-Bissau has signed several international agreements on environment, such as agreement on

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands.

Severely restricted access to safe water and sanitation explain the low life expectancy and high infant
mortality encountered in Guinea-Bissau. Deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, and overfishing are
additional problems.
Economy

GDP grew by 3% in 2009, lower than the 3.2% recorded in 2008 but higher than all forecasts at the
beginning of the year.

For 2010, with cashew nut prices recovering, domestic consumption increasing, and capital spending in
the construction sector rising, the economic growth rate is expected to reach 3½%. Although the
international crisis had a negative impact, it was not as dire as expected. Falling cashew nut prices on
the world market did result in a significant lowering of the producer price in 2009. Although there was
a large increase in the volume of exports (135,500 metric tons in 2009, compared with 109,600 metric
tons in 2008 and 96,100 metric tons in 2007), Guinea-Bissau’s export revenues (of which cashew nuts
account for more than 90 percent of the total) shrank by about 10 percent from 2008 to 2009. In 2010,
the volume of exports is expected to see a modest decline from the record figure attained in 2009.
Another impact of the crisis was evident in transfers and remittances of private funds to Guinea-Bissau:
these too fell, from CFA 15.8 billion in 2007 to CFA 14.8 billion in 2008, and then to CFA 10.9 billion in
2009. During the period being examined (2009 and 2010), inflation eased and the budget was
stabilized.

The level of national debt, however, remained unsustainable. The country is not in a position to repay
debts as they mature, and arrears are piling up for both foreign and domestic debt.

The country reached the decision point under the HIPC Initiative in 2000. Reaching the completion
point will enable the country to obtain an overall reduction in its external debt of approximately
US$700 million to US$800 million vis-à-vis its multilateral and bilateral creditors as a whole. That would
send a positive signal to potential foreign investors and would produce a savings of approximately
US$50 million in the period 2011 to 2013 in debt service payments to multilateral creditors such as the
World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Guinea-Bissau received Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA) from the IMF in 2008 and 2009. The
improvement in the management of government finances made it possible for the country to achieve
positive performance under the EPCA program and led to the signing in May 2010 of a new agreement
under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for the period 2010-2012. The progress made in this area
enabled the World Bank to approve two Economic Governance Reform grants, the first in December
2009 and the second in June 2010. Based on the recent reforms instituted by the government, the
African Development Bank (AfDB) also approved a budget support grant in March 2010. However, in
July 2010 the European Union—which has been one of Guinea-Bissau’s major partners, providing
support estimated at 102,800 Euros from 2008 to 2013 under the Cotonou Agreement—has announced
its intention to reexamine its participation as a development partner following the events of April 2010
and the subsequent government appointments. Through its various programs, funds, and agencies, the
United Nations system has played a strategic role in implementing the NPRSP. Since 2009 the United
Nations Integrated Office for Peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) mission has strengthened its
capacity to support reforms in the defense, security, and justice sectors, including combating drug
trafficking and organized crime. Traditional partners such as Portugal, France, and Spain have
continued to provide their support. Non-OECD partners, particularly China, Brazil, Angola, South Africa,
Libya, India, Iran, and even the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), as well as subregional organizations
(the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African.

Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU)) are also making important contributions. A number of NGOs
are active in the country, particularly in doing social and humanitarian work.

Public Finances (% of GDP)

’08 ‘09 (E) ‘10 (P) ‘11 (P)

Tax revenue & grants 31.8 40.9 39.9 39.8

Tax revenue 10.2 11.2 10.9 11.0
Oil revenue 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0
Grants 15.0 24.3 23.7 23.4
Other revenues 6.7 5.3 5.3 5.3
Total expenditure 38.8 39.2 40.5 40.2
Current expenditure 25.5 21.7 22.5 19.8
Excluding interest 21.9 18.8 19.8 18.9
Wages & salaries 10.8 10.4 9.9 9.2
Goods & services 3.0 2.0 2.4 2.3
Interest 3.6 2.8 2.8 0.9
Capital expenditure 13.3 19.1 19.6 20.4
Primary balance -3.4 4.5 2.1 0.5
Overall balance -7.0 1.7 -0.7 -0.4
Legends: E: Estimates; P: Projected
STEPS TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT FOR PROMOTION OF PRIVATE SECTOR

Efforts to develop the private sector made huge advances in 2009 and 2010. The new
Investment Code was promulgated in 2009 and published in 2010; it entered into force in the second
half of the year. The new code removes the myriad investment regimes, eliminates the existing
arbitrariness in granting tax incentives, and provides equal opportunities for private investors. At the
end of 2009 the government also approved the Law on Public19 Private Partnerships with the twofold
objective of overcoming the lack of financing for public-sector investment projects and reaffirming the
government’s commitment to promoting private investment. The government has made significant
progress in streamlining administrative procedures:

o In March 2010 the Council of Ministers approved a decree that included a number of measures
to streamline the establishment, operation, and closure of businesses, thereby making it much
easier to do business in Guinea-Bissau according to the terms of the Decree to Streamline
Business Procedures.

o Another important step has been to set up a “one-stop shop” (guichet único) for business. The
Council of Ministers approved this in March 2010, calling it a Business Procedures Center. The
Center combines the offices of several different government agencies in a single location,
enabling citizens to take care of the procedures and paperwork for all agencies in a single visit.
The Center, which will be fully operational by the end of 2010, provides easy access for
citizens to deal with matters relating to taxation, credit, environmental regulations,
infrastructure, and business registration requirements. The aim is to help new businesses to get
started and existing businesses to formalize, expand, or modernize their operations.

o Finally, the National People’s Assembly adopted the Law on Information and Communication
Technology, establishing the regulatory framework for the country’s telecommunications
services. The President of Guinea-Bissau promulgated this law in June 2010.

o A revision of the General Labor Law is also underway. Modernizing the Investment Code,
bringing it into line with regional standards regarding commercial law, and simplifying business
procedures will foster a gradual improvement of the business environment in Guinea-Bissau.
This will help to lay a solid foundation for a more robust private sector, supported by political
stability, a more efficient public administration, and a stronger justice system.

Further specificactions to promote private sector development have also been carried out. To
encourage entrepreneurship by financing small and medium enterprises and to further the development
of the business community the government has joined with a private bank to set up the Rapid Impact
Fund, which is designed to finance business activities capable of creating jobs and making an
immediate impact on the strength of the economy.

Social Index
Guinea-Bissau remains one of the lowest-ranking countries according to the UNDP Human Development
Index (ranking 173rd out of 182 countries in the 2009 UN report). It is unlikely that the country will be
able to attain most of the MDGs established for 2015. For example, life expectancy has improved very
little, from 43 years in 1989 to 47.4 years in 2009. Infant and child mortality rates continue to be very
high, although the negative trend seen from 2002 to 2006 seems to have been reversed (see Section
III.10). One positive factor is that in 2009 and 2010 there has been no case of cholera in the country
thanks to a large-scale awareness campaign carried out by the health authorities to prevent the
disease.

Another positive social development is that the lengthy strikes that were previously common in the
public sector have now ceased as a result of civil-service salary payments being made regularly and
arrears from 2008 being paid beginning in early 2009. There have been some instances in which certain
individual sectors have experienced short-term work stoppages, principally in education and health,
but no widespread disruptions in service provision have occurred.

The country is on track for meeting a couple of goals however: the number of people suffering from
hunger declined from 32.9% in 1990 to 17% in 2008; and gender disparity in primary education improved
from 0.56% to 0.90% from 1990-2006. On the other hand, in 2005-06, the probability of girls completing
primary school was half that of boys in rural areas and 1.8 times less in urban areas. A Ministry for
Women was inaugurated in 2008 to address equality issues

The latest unemployment rates of young people aged between 15 and 24 for 2006 are 46.87% in Bissau
and 19.34% in rural areas.
Transnational Issues

International Disputes
In 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of
Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau.
Refugees
7454 from Senegal
Body Trafficking
Current Situation: Guinea-Bissau is a source country for children trafficked primarily for forced
begging and forced agricultural labor to other West African countries 
Tier Rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second year in a row, Guinea-Bissau is on the Tier 2 Watch
List for its failure to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, as evidenced by the continued
failure to pass an anti-trafficking law and inadequate efforts to investigate or prosecute trafficking
crimes or convict and punish trafficking offenders (2008)
Illicit drugs
Increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling
environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography
around the capital facilitates drug smuggling.

Heritage

Guinea-Bissau's national holidays are New Year's Day (1 January), National Heroes' Day (20 January),
International Women's Day (8 March), Labour Day (1 May), Day of the Martyrs of Colonialism (3 August),
Independence Day (24 September), Day of the New Order (14 November), and Christmas Day (25
December).

Two important Muslim holidays are the feast at the end of the Islamic month of fasting Ramadan and
Tabaski. In the rural areas various ethnic groups have their own calendar with holidays of their own. A
traditional Griot musical instrument is the kora, which is made from a gourd covered with a piece of
cowhide and with 21 fishing lines for strings. The most popular performer is Kaba Mane. Typical of the
country is also guitar music, based on Portuguese and Spanish styles with a strong African influence to
it.

Safeguards

In special circumstances Guinea-Bissau's customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning
the temporary import or export of items such as firearms, antiquities, medications, and business
equipment. You should contact Guinea-Bissau's representative in Washington, D.C., for specific
information regarding customs requirements.
Guinea-Bissau has a cash-only economy, so travelers should not count on using credit cards and ATMs.

While in a foreign country, a foreign citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which
sometimes differ significantly from those in his country and may not afford the protections available to
the individual under his country law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in your
country for similar offenses.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Guinea-Bissau are severe, and convicted
offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in illicit sexual conduct with
children or using or disseminating child pornography in Guinea-Bissau is a crime.

Political

Executive Branch:

Chief of State: President Raimundo PEREIRA, who as Parliamentary Speaker succeeded President VIERA
following VIERA's assassination on 2 March 2009; a presidential election is scheduled for 28 June 2009.

Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008) 

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24
July 2005 (next to be held 28 June 2009 following the assassination of President VIERA); prime minister
appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature.
Election Results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao
Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6%

Legislative Branch: Unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) 
elections: last held 16 November 2008 (next to be held 2012)
Election Results: Percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%,
other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1

Judicial Branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by
the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional
Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony
cases and civil cases valued at more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily
trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)
Political Parties & Leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or
PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Democratic Alliance or AD
[Victor MANDINGA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA]; Electoral Union or UE [Joaquim
BALDE]; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau
Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and
Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy Party or PND; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or PP;
Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]; Union for Change or
UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition
formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic
Party or PUSD [Frnacisco FADUL]

International Trade

Since independence Guinea-Bissau has been internationally non-aligned, in order to solicit aid from all
available quarters. While trading mostly with Western countries, it has also courted the other countries
(including China and Brazil). In March 1997, became a full member of ECOWAS. (The Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen West African countries)

Since independence, trade has experienced many years of deficit. In 1999, imports were US$101
million. The World Factbook estimated that by 2000 imports had dropped to $55.2 million.
Government efforts to diversify exports and to reduce export taxes have improved exports from US$27
million in 1998 to US$48 million in 1999, but this growth still left a trade deficit of US$53 million. Port
closures during the war hindered exports, but the IMF expects exports to reach previous levels of

Although all economic sectors in Guinea-Bissau were damaged by the civil war, agriculture remained
the most dominant economic sector. Agriculture (including forestry and fishing) contributed 62 percent
of the GDP in 1998 and 83 percent of the labor force were employed in the sector in 1994. The World
Factbook reported that agriculture contributed 54 percent of the GDP and employed 78 percent of the
workforce in 1997. Industry (including mining, manufacturing, construction and power) employed an
estimated 4 percent of the economically active population in 1994 and provided around 13 percent of
the GDP in 1998.
Foreign Relations

U.S.-GUINEA-BISSAU RELATIONS:

The U.S. Embassy suspended operations in Bissau on June 14, 1998, in the midst of violent conflict
between forces loyal to then-President Vieira and the military-led junta. Prior to and following this
action, the United States and Guinea-Bissau have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations.

The U.S. recognized the independence of Guinea-Bissau on September 10, 1974. Guinea-Bissau's
Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations was one of the first the new nation sent
abroad. The United States opened an Embassy in Bissau in 1976, and the first U.S. Ambassador
presented credentials later that year.

Guinea-Bissau became a multiparty state in 1991. It had previously been a single-party state, led since
independence by the PAIGC. In addition to the PAIGC, other political parties active in the country
include the Social Renewal Party (Partido para a Renovação Social; PRS), the United Social Democratic
Party (Partido Unido Social Democrata; PUSD), the Electoral Union (União Eleitoral; UE), and the
United Popular Alliance (Aliança Popular Unida; APU). The constitution guarantees the equality of men
and women in all aspects ofpolitical, economic, social, and cultural life, and a number of women have
served as members of the National People’s Assembly, as government ministers, and as state
secretaries.

Guinea-Bissau follows a nonaligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a
wide variety of states and organizations. Angola, Cuba, the European Union, France, The Gambia,
Portugal, Brazil, Mauritania, Nigeria, People's Republic of China, Libya, Senegal, Spain, Guinea, and
Russia have embassies in Bissau. Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden,
Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. conduct diplomatic relations with Guinea-Bissau through
their embassies in neighboring Dakar, Senegal.

Guinea-Bissau is a member of the UN and many of its specialized and related agencies. It is a member
of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF); African Development Bank (AFDB),
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union
(WAEMU), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), African Union, and permanent Interstate
Committee for drought control in the Sahel (CILSS). Guinea-Bissau also is a member of the Group of 77
(G-77), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and
World Health Organization (WHO).
Daily Life & Social Customs

Christian holidays, including Christmas, and Muslim holidays, including Tabaski (also known as Īd al-
Aḍḥā, marking the culmination of the hajj rites near Mecca) and Korité (also known as Īd al-Fiṭr,
marking the end ofRamadan), are observed in Guinea-Bissau. In addition to these, the death ofAmílcar
Cabral is observed on January 20, Labour Day on May 1, and the Anniversary of the Movement of
Readjustment on November 14.

Arts:

The government organizes formal expressions of national culture through the national arts institute,
which maintains a school of music and dance and conducts periodic concerts and folkloric programs. A
wide array of traditional music, dance, dress, and handicrafts remain deeply rooted in village and
ethnic life.

Cultural Institutions:

The Museum of Guinea-Bissau and the national library are located in Bissau. The National Institute of
Studies and Research, also located in Bissau, was among the institutions badly damaged during the
fighting of 1998–99. With international support, a restoration program began in 2000.

Sports & Recreation:

There are many traditional African sports in Guinea-Bissau, but wrestling is among the oldest and most
popular. A means of martial artstraining and a rite of passage, it is common in villages. The African
board game of ouri, a forerunner of backgammon, is played throughout the country. Football (soccer)
is the most popular Western sport in Guinea-Bissau. The country features several clubs, and since 1986
its football federation has been a member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association
(FIFA). Basketball has also developed a following, and the national federation is affiliated with the
International Basketball Federation. Diving and swimming are popular on the country’s islands, and
excellent fishing conditions can be found in the rivers and coastal areas.

Guinea-Bissau’s national Olympic committee, which was established in 1992, was recognized by
the International Olympic Committee in 1995. The country made its Olympic debut at the 1996
Atlanta Games, where it competed in wrestling events.
Music:

The Music of Guinea Bissau is usually connected with the polyrhythmic Gumbe genre, the primary
musical export of the country. The main musical instrument of the country is the calabash. It is used in
extremely swift and rhythmically complex dance music. Apart from Gumbe, Tina and Tinga are other
popular genres, while extent folk traditions include ceremonial music used in funerals, initiations and
other rituals as well as Balanta brosca and kussunde, Mandinga djambadon and the kundere sound of
the Bijagos islands.

Infrastructure

The government is in the process of acquiring assistance from the World Bank, international financial
partners and the West African Development Bank (BOAD); a program of rehabilitation of the
infrastructural sector. In addition, to deepen structural reform in the infrastructural sector, the
government will open financial bids for long-term leasing contract (contract d’affermage) of the
infrastructure utility and create an independent regulatory agency. 

Transport

The Port of Bissau, the country’s only international port, is responsible for 85% of exports and more
than 90% of imports. The port is handling four times its capacity of containers. It is poorly managed and
has an estimated twice the number of workers required, nearly all poorly trained, while the port is in a
general state of decay. The new director general of transport is starting training programmes and
reducing personnel. More promising, however, Bauxite Angola signed an agreement with the
government in May 2009 to build and manage a second deep-water port at Buba. When completed in
2011, Buba will become an important trade hub for Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry. Bauxite Angola
is also financing 110 kilometres (km) of railway from the mines to Buba port. A fishing port is planned
to open in Bandim in 2011 that will help to diversify rural revenues away from an overdependence on
cashew.

There are 4 380 km of roads in Guinea-Bissau of which only 10% are paved. The rest become unusable
during the rainy season, isolating parts of the country for several months and making cashew transport
difficult. Thanks to an EU-funded rehabilitation project in 2006-09 all primary roads are in good
condition. However, long-term maintenance and repair remain a challenge because ofa lack of funds.
In 2010, the EU and the West African Development Bank will finance a 15-month rehabilitation of major
roads in the capital, while the AfDB will add 200 km more of paved road by 2011. There are currently
no roads connecting the south of the country to Bissau.
The EU has invested 31 million euros (EUR) to build two bridges on the main road between Bissau and
Ziguinchor (Senegal) and Banjul (The Gambia). The first was completed in 2008 and the second opened
in June 2009. They have greatly facilitated the movement of people and exports and are especially
important for trade given the problems and high costs of the Port of Bissau.

Guidelines for Tourist

Credit Cards:

Credit cards are virtually useless except in Bissau. Credit card can be arranged on card cash advances.

Business Hours:

Offices are open from 7.30 to 14.00. 

Banks are open from 7.30 to 14.30.
Shops are open from 7.30-12.30 and 14.30-18.30 Monday to Friday (weekly days off: Saturday and
Sunday)

Public Holidays:

Fixed dates: New years day (January 1), Death of Amilcar Cabral (January 20), International Women's
Day (March 8), Worker's day (May 1), Assassination of Pidjiguiti (August 3), National Day (September
24), Movement of Readjustment (November 14), Christmas day (December 25)
Variable dates: Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, ashura, Ramadan, Tabaski

Accomodation:

Hotel accommodation is limited and difficult to obtain at short notice. Reservations should be made
well in advance, preferably through business contact. Hotel tariffs are liable to changes at short
notice, therefore confirmation of booking is recommended

Best Time to Visit:

The climate is tropical and humid with a wet and a dry season. Guinea is one of the wettest countries
in West Africa. The monsoon season with a southwesterly wind lasts from June to November; The dry
season with a northeasterlyharmattan lasts from December to May.
Required Clothing:

Tropical wear, lightweight and natural fabrics throughout the year. A light raincoat or umbrella is
needed during the rainy season.

Food:

Culture of Guinea Bissau is rich and colorful and Cuisines of Guinea Bissau is a unique feature of it.
Bordered by Senegal to the north and Guinea to the south and east and with the Atlantic Ocean to its
west, the Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in western Africa. Cuisines of Guinea Bissau has fully
maintained the health and life of the people.

Restaurants, except in the capital where Western-style food is available, generally serve local dishes.
Main hotels, mostly in the capital, have reasonable restaurants where a wide variety of alcoholic
beverages are served. Conakry has several French pâtisseries selling coffee and cakes.

Regional specialities:

o Jollof rice

o Stuffed chicken with groundnuts

o Fish (served with rice)

o Cassava, yams and maize

o Maize soup

Medical Facilities

Medical facilities are in general of poor level. State hospitals are not well equipped and the basic
infrastructure for operation of the hospitals is not accessible. There are many private clinics, some
have better conditions than the state ones, however, they are still not equipped up to appropriate
standards.

In 2009, only 20.7% of the budget was dedicated to health and education compared to the 40%
recommended for developing countries. Only 38% of the population had access to health services in
2009 and a National Health Development Plan drawn up in 2007 is awaiting financing. There have been
improvements in medical training and the hospitals at Mansôa and Canchungo received x-ray, sonogram
and reanimation machines, the Motrice Rehabilitation Centre was renovated and the Simão Mendes
national hospital is being renovated and enlarged. Little has been done to improve health management
however. Quality control is inadequate and the last comprehensive review of the health system was in
2006.

The health care system is inadequate. Aid from UNICEF and the World Health Organization has enabled
Guinea-Bissau, one of the poorest countries in the world, to strengthen its health management and
decentralize the health system in the country. The emphasis is on preventive medicine, with small
mobile units serving the rural areas. Between 1990–94, children were vaccinated against tuberculosis,
95%; diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus, 74%; polio, 68%; and measles, 65%. In 1990–95, only 53% of the
population had access to safe water and only 21% had adequate sanitation. As of 1999, there were an
estimated 0.2 physicians and 1.5 hospital beds per 1,000 people. The birthrate was an estimated 38.9
per 1,000 people as of 2002 and the general mortality rate was 15.1 per 1,000 people. Infant mortality
was estimated at 126 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000. Life expectancy was 48 years for males and
51.3 years for females in 1999. An estimated 20% of all births are low birth weight. The fertility rate
was 5.8 children for each woman during her childbearing years (2000).

Disaster Occurence Reported:

Affected People

Disaster Year Affected

Drought 2002 100,000
Flood 2010 56,792
Drought 2006 32,000
Epidemic 1996 26,967
Epidemic 2005 25,111
Epidemic 1997 22,299
Epidemic 2008 14,004
Epidemic 1994 8,631
Epidemic 1987 6,000
Storm 1987 3,703
 Killed People due to disaster

Disaster Date Killed

Epidemic 1996 961
Epidemic 1997 781

Epidemic 1999 404

Epidemic 2005 399

Epidemic 2008 221

Epidemic 1994 195

Epidemic 1987 68

Flood 2004 3

Epidemic 2004 3

Wildfire 1998 3
Source: Disaster Reports

Education

Education is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 13, but as of 1999 only about 54% of primary-
school-age children (grades one through four) actually attended school, and only 26% of students at the
complementary education level (grades five and six). Only 32% of girls attended school, compared with
58% of boys, and only 58% of girls finished the fourth grade. In 1995 there were 100,369 primary pupils.
The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 44 to 1 in 1999. Projected literacy rates for the year
2000 stand at 63.2% (males, 47.0%; females, 78.6%).

Poor infrastructure, poorly trained teachers, lack of materials and teaching manuals and sporadic
attendance in rural areas during the cashew harvest season plague the education system. A 2009 study
by the Ministries of Education and Finance, the World Bank and the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and its regional education office (BREDA) found that
Guinea-Bissau invests only 9% of its budget in education and that over 93% goes on teacher salaries.
Primary school enrolment has improved (from 46.3% in 1990 to full enrolment in 2006) due to heavy
government investment in the construction and rehabilitation of schools. There are also more private
and community schools. Nonetheless, only 48% of children finished primary school in 2006, one of the
lowest rates in Africa. Only 37% reach secondary school and only 17% finish. The government is
developing an Education Sector Plan to improve access to quality education and to overhaul the
curriculum.

The 1998–99 civil war severely disrupted education, closing schools and keeping most of the country's
children out of school for at least half a year. In 2000, UNICEF requested $5.22 million to rebuild and
refurnish damaged primary schools, buy teaching materials and school supplies, train teachers, and
provide other types of aid.

Tourism

Until recently, Guinea-Bissau was well off the tourist route, but efforts have been made to encourage
visitors to this beautiful and largely unspoiled country.

There are few hotels and resorts in Guinea-Bissau. In the capital Bissau there are only 6 small hotels,
which offer some basic accommodation for tourists. During the last two years there have been some
investments in building 4 new hotels. These hotels will be ready in 2007.

Few tourist resorts with bungalows exist in the country. Some of them are tourist resort of Quinhamel,
Waque, Contubel and Buba. Many resorts are in the Island of Bubaque. Main investors in hotels and
resorts are French.

The government policy is very open and business oriented for local and foreign investors. There are
agencies, like DPIP and financial institutions like FUNDEI, which promote and facilitate local and
foreign investors to collect the necessary documentation and finances to build tourist infrastructure.

Industrial Sector

The main industries in the country are the following ones:

o Rice milling
o Artisanal production of cooking oil (groundnut and others)
o Processing of cashew nuts
o Beer and soft drinks
o Spirit
o Tropical-fruit juice
o Light metal-related mechanic
o Conservation of fishing produce
o Ceramics
o Poultry
o Wood industries
o Energy production
Industry is very small, providing only 13 percent of the GDP in 1998 and 4 percent of employment
in 1994. Apart from construction, output consists largely of consumer goods for the domestic
market. A brewery opened in 1997 and was the only large venture with international investment.
Mostly there is little investment due to the poor power supply situation, the unskilled labor force, and
the small market size. What little industry existed was heavily affected by the war. The mining sector
is completely undeveloped, though prospecting is under way for bauxite, petroleum, and phosphate.

Telecoms have improved significantly over the past five years. While in 2004 there were only 12 000
fixed lines, today there are between 300 000 and 400 000 mobile lines and three mobile operators. The
Chinese government will provide equipment to Guinitel, a government-owned mobile company that has
competitive prices but is losing customers owing to poor service. Fixed lines, now reduced to 4 000,
have suffered with the development of mobile, but they are desperately needed for high-speed
connectivity. One option being explored is adding fibre-optic capacity between cities in Guinea-Bissau
and the existing line in Dakar.

A very large share of the Guinea-Bissau economy is informal. Beside the widespread subsistence
agriculture, retail and wholesale trade represent the main source of income in the capital, Bissau, and
remain almost totally informal. Only 75 firms are currently registered, while there are an estimated 8
000 enterprises. Despite the difficulties measuring the unaccounted sector, authorities estimate at
5.8% the growth rate for the tertiary sector for 2009.

Energy Sector

Electricity production is very poor and low in Guinea-Bissau. Many areas in the capital have no
electricity. The villages are all deprived of electricity. Only the biggest cities in the interior of the
country have electricity. A master plan will be approved with a view to expand rural and urban supply
coverage.

Guinea-Bissau relies on electricity imported from Senegal. Power reaches only 20% of the population
70% of the time and is limited to Bissau and seven other urban centres. The sharp rise in oil prices in
2008 caused considerable disruption to energy production. The World Bank’s USD 15 million Multi-
sector Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project seeks to renew and extend the country’s high- and mid-
level tension network and find ways to strengthen the public electricity and water company, EAGB. The
EU will in 2010 finance a EUR 15 million project to create a network to harness and distribute energy
throughout Bissau

Guinea-Bissau has great potential resources for hydroelectric power development for the domestic
market and even for export. The potential production capacity of the Corubal and Geba rivers alone
exceeds the country's estimated future need. Installed capacity in 2001 was 1,100 kW; 2000 production
totaled 60 million kWh, of which 100% came from fossil fuels. Consumption of electricity was 55.8
million kWh in the sme year. In 1991, production of crude oil totaled 4,000 barrels, down from 20,000
barrels in 1988. There was no crude oil production as of 1998.
Guinea-Bissau's downstream oil industry is wholly dependent on refined petroleum products
imported from neighbouring countries. Oil-derived products supply 95% of the country's
commercial energy needs.

The industry is regulated by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Industry. The national oil
company of Guinea Bissau is PetroGuin (previously Petrominas).

There has been active exploration offshore Guinea-Bissau since the late 1960's when Esso drilled six
wells. In 1974, Guinea-Bissau gained its independence from Portugal and since then exploration has
been frequently affected by civil unrest. Offshore exploration has been hampered by a boundary
dispute with Senegal, which was not resolved until 1993.

There have been intermittent drives to promote the offshore and a number of international companies
have been involved in offshore exploration during the last 40 years. Amongst them number Esso, Elf,
Pecten, Lasmo, Sipetrol of Chile, West Oil, Sterling Energy, Benton Oil and Gas and Petrobank Energy
and Resources.

Under an agreement signed in 1995, the area of the border dispute with Senegal, which contains the
Dome Flore and Dome Gea discoveries, is now jointly managed by both Senegal and Guinea-Bissau
through the Agence de Gestion et de Cooperation entre la Guinee-Bissau et le Senegal (AGC). Under
the terms of this agreement, the proceeds from activity in the joint exploration area area are divided
between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau in an 85:15 ratio.

The Guinea-Bissau permits are situated in shallow waters of the Casamance-Bissau sub-basin within a
Mesozoic-Cenozoic depocentre. Live oil recoveries from several wells drilled within the permits, and
their proximity to the heavy oil accumulations at Dome Flore and Gea, support the existence of a
working hydrocarbon kitchen highlighting the oil prospectivity of the Sinapa and Esperanca permits.

The Sinapa (Block 2) and the Esperanca (Blocks 4A & 5A) permits, cover a combined area of 5,840 km2
and are located offshore Guinea-Bissau in the southern MSGBC Basin in water depths ranging from 10m
to 2000m.

Since 2001, exploration in the Sinapa Permit by Premier Oil has included 3D seismic, and the drilling of
the Sinapa-2 well and Sinapa-2Z sidetrack well with oil discoveries in the targeted Albian reservoirs. In
early 2004, Sterling exercised its back-in right post-well to take up 5% equity in the Sinapa Permit. A
similar post-well 5% back-in arrangement exists for Esperanca permit.
Services

The banking system was radically reformed in 1989 to reflect economic liberalization and again in 1997
with Guinea-Bissau's entry into UEMOA. There are 2 private commercial banks in Guinea-Bissau, and
an investment bank was launched with Portuguese capital. All banks were closed during the civil
war and only re-opened in July 1999. Loan repayments are difficult due to the effects of the war,
and credit availability is also set to contract due to reduced savings. The central bank was replaced
by the Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest (Central Bank for West African States,
BCEAO) when Guinea-Bissau joined UEMOA, and BCEAO has taken over part of the former central
bank's assets and liabilities.

Army

Armed forces of Guinea Bissau consisits of an army, navy ,airforce and paramilitary forces.2008 United
Nations Development Programme census estimated 4000 personnel in the armed forces.

In the year 2010 there was military unrest in Guinea Bissau.

Military Branches
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary force
Military Service Age & Obligation

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16 years of age or younger with parental
consent, for voluntary service (2009)

Manpower Available For Military Service

Males Age 16-49: 344,087 
Females Age 16-49: 347,886

(2008 est.)
Manpower Fit For Military Service
Males Age 16-49: 194,110 
Females Age 16-49: 200,660

(2009 est.)
Manpower Reaching Militarily Significant Age Annually
Male: 16,957 
Female: 17,172

(2009 est.)
Military Expenditures
3.1% of GDP
(2005 est.)
Media

There are 5 newspapers media houses; of which 1 is state-owned and 4 are privately owned.

There are 5 radio stations, of which 1 is state-run, others are private. 2 TV stations exist in the
country, one is state-run and the other is operated by Portuguese public broadcaster RTP, and is run by
local management, but with studios and infrastructure funded by Portugal. The News agency is Guinea-
Bissau News Agency, which is state-run.

Recent Developments

The privatization process that began in 1987 has produced mixed results. Forty-four state-owned
enterprises were identified for privatisation but only 15 have completed the process and many have
gone into bankruptcy. The Economy Ministry promised participating companies benefits including a tax
holiday and free equipment that were in many cases not delivered. An addendum to privatisation
contracts is being negotiated to address the issue. State-controlled electricity, water and port firms
are now under consideration for privatisation.

The Port of Bissau, the country’s only international port, is responsible for 85% of exports and more
than 90% of imports. The port is handling four times its capacity of containers. It is poorly managed and
has an estimated twice the number of workers required, nearly all poorly trained, while the port is in a
general state of decay. The new director general of transport is starting training programmes and
reducing personnel. More promising, however, Bauxite Angola signed an agreement with the
government in May 2009 to build and manage a second deep-water port at Buba. When completed in
2011, Buba will become an important trade hub for Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry. Bauxite Angola
is also financing 110 kilometres (km) of railway from the mines to Buba port. A fishing port is planned
to open in Bandim in 2011 that will help to diversify rural revenues away from an overdependence on
cashew.

There are 4 380 km of roads in Guinea-Bissau of which only 10% are paved. The rest become unusable
during the rainy season, isolating parts of the country for several months and making cashew transport
difficult. Thanks to an EU-funded rehabilitation project in 2006-09 all primary roads are in good
condition. However, long-term maintenance and repair remain a challenge because ofa lack of funds.
In 2010, the EU and the West African Development Bank will finance a 15-month rehabilitation of major
roads in the capital, while the AfDB will add 200 km more of paved road by 2011. There are currently
no roads connecting the south of the country to Bissau.
The EU has invested 31 million euros (EUR) to build two bridges on the main road between Bissau and
Ziguinchor (Senegal) and Banjul (The Gambia). The first was completed in 2008 and the second opened
in June 2009. They have greatly facilitated the movement of people and exports and are especially
important for trade given the problems and high costs of the Port of Bissau.

Guinea-Bissau relies on electricity imported from Senegal. Power reaches only 20% of the population
70% of the time and is limited to Bissau and seven other urban centres. The sharp rise in oil prices in
2008 caused considerable disruption to energy production. The World Bank’s USD 15 million Multi-
sector Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project seeks to renew and extend the country’s high- and mid-
level tension network and find ways to strengthen the public electricity and water company, EAGB. The
EU will in 2010 finance a EUR 15 million project to create a network to harness and distribute energy
throughout Bissau.

With no electricity, no running water is available for most of the population. The infrastructure
rehabilitation also aims to improve the urban water system. It will extend the water network, produce
a reservoir, distribution system and public fountains in Bissau.

Telecoms have improved significantly over the past five years. While in 2004 there were only 12 000
fixed lines, today there are between 300 000 and 400 000 mobile lines and three mobile operators. The
Chinese government will provide equipment to Guinitel, a government-owned mobile company that has
competitive prices but is losing customers owing to poor service. Fixed lines, now reduced to 4 000,
have suffered with the development of mobile, but they are desperately needed for high-speed
connectivity. One option being explored is adding fibre-optic capacity between cities in Guinea-Bissau
and the existing line in Dakar.

New mining projects could harm the environment. The mines in the south threaten rivers and the
fishing industry. Some bauxite deposits are in a national park and both the planned railway and the
new Buba port are planned in environmentally sensitive areas. In 2009, an Environmental Law was put
before Congress that covers everything from the use of toxic substances to extraction in protected
areas. Enforcement, however, will be a challenge given the weak governance institutions in Guinea-
Bissau.