Country: Guinea-Bissau - Geography Total area: 36,120 km2; land area: 28,000 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut Land boundaries: 724 km total; Guinea 386, Senegal 338 km Coastline: 350 km Maritime claims: Extended economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has rendered its decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary (in favor of Senegal)--that decision has been rejected by Guinea-Bissau Climate: tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoon-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: unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates; fish, timber Land use: 11% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 43% meadows and pastures; 38% forest and woodland; 7% other Environment: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season - People Population: 998,963 (July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990) Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1990) Death rate: 19 deaths/1,000 population (1990) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990) Infant mortality rate: 127 deaths/1,000 live births (1990) Life expectancy at birth: 44 years male, 48 years female (1990) Total fertility rate: 5.9 children born/woman (1990) Nationality: noun--Guinea-Bissauan(s); adjective--Guinea-Bissauan Ethnic divisions: about 99% African (30% Balanta, 20% Fula, 14% Manjaca, 13% Mandinga, 7% Papel); less than 1% European and mulatto Religion: 65% indigenous beliefs, 30% Muslim, 5% Christian Language: Portuguese (official); Criolo and numerous African languages Literacy: 34% (1986) Labor force: 403,000 (est.); 90% agriculture, 5% industry, services, and commerce, 5% government; 53% of population of working age (1983) Organized labor: only one trade union--the National Union of Workers of Guinea-Bissau (UNTG) - Government Long-form name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau Type: republic; highly centralized one-party regime since September 1974 Capital: Bissau Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular--regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali Independence: 24 September 1973 (from Portugal; formerly Portuguese Guinea) Constitution: 16 May 1984 Legal system: NA National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973) Executive branch: president of the Council of State, vice presidents of the Council of State, Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) Judicial branch: none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President of the Council of State Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980 and elected President of Council of State on 16 May 1984); First Vice President Col. Iafai CAMARA (since 7 November 1985); Second Vice President Vasco CABRAL (since 21 June 1989) Political parties and leaders: only party--African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo Vieira, leader; the party decided to retain the binational title despite its formal break with Cape Verde Suffrage: universal at age 15 Elections: President of Council of State--last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 19 June 1994); results--Brig. Gen. Joao Bernardo Vieira was reelected without opposition by the National People's Assembly; National People's Assembly--last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 15 June 1994); results--PAIGC is the only party; seats--(150 total) PAIGC 150, appointed by Regional Councils; Regional Councils--last held 1 June 1989 (next to be held 1 June 1994); results--PAIGC is the only party; seats--(473 total) PAIGC 473, by public plebiscite Communists: a few Communists, some sympathizers Member of: ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IRC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL; Chancery (temporary) at the Guinea-Bissauan Permanent Mission to the UN, Suite 604, 211 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017; telephone (212) 661-3977; US--Ambassador William L. JACOBSEN; Embassy at 17 Avenida Domingos Ramos, Bissau (mailing address is C. P. 297, Bissau); telephone p245o 212816, 21817, 213674 Flag: 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; similar to the flag of Cape Verde which has the black star raised above the center of the red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell - Economy Overview: Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita GDP below $200. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic activities, with cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels the primary exports. Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. The government's four-year plan (1988-91) has targeted agricultural development as the top priority. GDP: $152 million, per capita $160 (1988); real growth rate 5.6% (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $20 million; expenditures $25 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987) Exports: $15 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels; partners--Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Cape Verde, China Imports: $49 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--capital equipment, consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, foods, petroleum; partners--Portugal, USSR, EC countries, other Europe, Senegal, US External debt: $465 million (December 1989 est.) Industrial production: growth rate - 1.7% (1986 est.) Electricity: 22,000 kW capacity; 28 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1989) Industries: agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks Agriculture: accounts for over 50% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 80% of employment; rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food; fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $46 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $519 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $68 million Currency: Guinea-Bissauan peso (plural--pesos); 1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1--650 pesos (December 1989), NA (1988), 851.65 (1987), 238.98 (1986), 173.61 (1985) Fiscal year: calendar year - Communications Highways: 3,218 km; 2,698 km bituminous, remainder earth Inland waterways: scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce Ports: Bissau Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft Airports: 37 total, 18 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000 telephones; stations--1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station - Defense Forces Branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP); Army, Navy, and Air Force are separate components Military manpower: males 15-49, 215,552; 122,824 fit for military service Defense expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (1987)