Guinea-BissauThe '''Republic of Guinea-Bissau''' ('''República da Guiné-Bissau''') is a country in western Africa, and one the smallest countries in continental Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west. Formerly the Portugal|Portuguese colony of Portuguese Guinea, upon independence, the name of its capital, Bissau, was added to the country's official name in order to prevent confusion between itself and the Guinea|Republic of Guinea. {| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+<big><big>'''República da Guiné-Bissau'''</big></big> |- | style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan="2" | {| border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" | align="center" width="140px" | image:Guinea bissau flag large.png|125px| | align="center" width="140px" | Image:Coaguinea-bissau.jpg|100px| |- | align="center" width="140px" | (Flag of Guinea-Bissau|In Detail) | align="center" width="140px" | (Emblem of Guinea-Bissau|Full size) |} |- | align="center" colspan=2 | ''National motto: Unidade, Luta, Progresso (Portuguese language|Portuguese: Unity, Struggle, Progress)'' |- | align=center colspan=2 | image:LocationGuineaBissau.png |- | '''Official language''' | Portuguese language|Portuguese |- | '''Capital''' | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau|Bissau (Note: Former President Kumba Yala decided to change the capital city to Buba, but the plan is unlikely to go forward.) |- | '''President of Guinea-Bissau|President''' | Henrique Rosa |- | '''Heads of Government of Guinea-Bissau|Prime Minister''' | Carlos Gomes Júnior |- | '''Area'''  - Total  - % water | List of countries by area|Ranked 133rd 36,120 square kilometre|km² 12% / Negligible |- | '''Population'''  - Total (2002)  - Population density|Density | List of countries by population|Ranked 147th 1,345,479 48/km² |- | '''Independence'''  - Declared  - Recognised | (from Portugal) September 24|24 Sep 1973 September 10|10 Sep 1974 |- | '''Currency''' | CFA franc |- | '''Time zone''' | Coordinated Universal Time|UTC |- | '''National anthem''' | Esta é a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada |- | '''Top-level domain|Internet TLD''' | .gw |- | '''List_of_country_calling_codes|Calling Code''' | 245 |} == History == ''Main article: History of Guinea-Bissau'' Guinea-Bissau was once the kingdom of Gabù, part of the Mali Empire; parts of the kingdom subsisted until the 18th century. Though the rivers and coast of this area were among the first places colonized by the Portuguese, who began the slave trade in the 17th century, the interior was not explored until the 19th century. A rebellion beginning in 1956 by the Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde|African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) consolidated its hold on the country by 1973. Independence was unilaterally declared on September 24 1973, and then recognised following the Carnation Revolution|Portuguese revolution of 1974. The country was controlled by a revolutionary council until 1984. The first multi-party elections were held in 1994, but an army uprising in 1998 led to the president's ousting and the Guinea-Bissau Civil War. Elections were held in 2000 and Kumba_Ialá|Kumba Yala was elected. In September 2003 a coup took place in which the military arrested Yala, because "he was unable to solve the problems". After being delayed several times, Guinea-Bissau legislative election, 2004|legislative elections were held in April 2004. A mutiny of military factions in October 2004 resulted in the death of the head of the armed forces, and caused widespread unrest. In June 2005, Presidential elections will be held for the first time since the coup that deposed Yala. Yala has returned as the candidate for the PRS, claiming to be the legitimate President of the country. Former President Nino Vieira, deposed in the 1998 coup, also has returned as a candidate for one sect of the PAIGC. Many other candidates have declared for what may be a controversial election, with reports of an influx of arms in the weeks leading up to the election. == Politics == ''Main article: Politics of Guinea-Bissau'' Guinea-Bissau has a multi-party National People's Assembly, as well as a president, both elected by popular vote. The president appoints the prime minister after consultation with the parties in the assembly. The former president, Kumba Yala, belongs to the Social Renovation Party or PRS; other parties in the assembly include the Guinea-Bissau Resistance and PAIGC. == Regions == ''Main article: Regions of Guinea-Bissau'' Image:Guinea bissau sm03.png|right|Map Of Guinea Bissau Guinea-Bissau is divided into nine regions (''regiões''): *Bafata Region *Biombo Region *Bissau Region *Bolama Region *Cacheu Region *Gabu Region *Oio Region *Quinara Region *Tombali Region == Geography == ''Main article: Geography of Guinea-Bissau'' This small, tropical country lies at a low altitude; its highest point is 300 metres. The interior is savanna, and the coast line is swampy plain. Its monsoon-like rainy season alternates with periods of hot, dry harmattan winds blowing from the Sahara. The Bijagos Archipelago extends out to sea. == Economy == ''Main article: Economy of Guinea-Bissau'' Guinea-Bissau is among the 20 poorest countries of the world. Its farming and fishing economy was badly disrupted by the 1998-99 civil war. It has a foreign debt of $US 921 million and is subject to an International Monetary Fund|IMF structural adjustment program. One of Guinea-Bissau's important income sources is cashew nuts, of which it exports 90,000 tons per year. In January 2005 the government announced that a locust swarm was threatening this vital crop, and that the country did not have the resources to tackle the infestation. == Demographics == ''Main article: Demographics of Guinea-Bissau'' The population of Guinea-Bissau is ethnically diverse with distinct languages, customs, and social structures. The main spoken language is Portuguese Creole|Portuguese creole (44%); the Portuguese language is spoken by 14%. Most people are farmers, with traditional religious beliefs (animism); 45% are Muslim, principally Fula and Mandinka speakers concentrated in the north and northeast. Other important groups are the Balanta and Papel, living in the southern coastal regions, and the Manjaco and Mancanha, in the central and northern coastal areas. == Culture == ''Main article: Culture of Guinea-Bissau'' ''See also'': List of African writers (by country)#Guinea-Bissau|List of writers from Guinea-Bissau == Miscellaneous topics == *Communications in Guinea-Bissau *Transportation in Guinea-Bissau *Military of Guinea-Bissau *Foreign relations of Guinea-Bissau *Public holidays in Guinea-Bissau *List of Guinea-Bissau-related topics {{factbook}} == Reference == * Richard Andrew Lobban, Jr. and Peter Karibe Mendy, ''Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau'', 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997) ISBN 0-8108-3226-7 Includes extensive bibliography == External links == {{commons|Guinea-Bissau}} *[http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/CIA_Maps/Guinea_Bissau_19846.gif Map of Guinea-Bissau] *[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5454.htm United States consular information sheet/travel advisory for Guinea-Bissau] {{Africa}} Category:Guinea-Bissau|* Category:African Union member states ar:غينيا بيساو ca:Guinea Bissau cs:Guinea-Bissau de:Guinea-Bissau et:Guinea-Bissau es:Guinea-Bissáu eo:Gvineo Bisaŭa fr:Guinée-Bissau ko:기니비사우 io:Guinea-Bissau id:Guinea Bissau it:Guinea-Bissau he:גינאה ביסאו lv:Gvineja-Bisava lt:Bisau Gvinėja ms:Guinea-Bissau nl:Guinee-Bissau nds:Guinea-Bissau ja:ギニアビサウ no:Guinea-Bissau pl:Gwinea Bissau pt:Guiné-Bissau ru:Гвинея-Бисау sk:Guinea-Bissau sl:Gvineja Bissau fi:Guinea-Bissau sv:Guinea-Bissau zh:幾內亞比索 First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

This article on Guinea-Bissau is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Guinea-Bissau".

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