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Guinea-Bissau:
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Other pages in this profile of Guinea-Bissau:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. |
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Location |
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal |
Geographic coordinates |
12 00 N, 15 00 W |
Map references |
Africa |
Area |
total: 36,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 sq km |
Area - comparative |
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut |
Land boundaries |
total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km |
Coastline |
350 km |
Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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 |
Elevation extremes |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m |
Natural resources |
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum |
Land use |
arable land: 8.31% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 84.77% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
250 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards |
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires |
Environment - current issues |
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Geography - note |
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |