5 Facts of Guinea-Bissau

The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is an African country about the size of Maryland with a population of just over one and a half million people. It is located on the west coast of Africa, bordering on the Atlantic Ocean, and has been an independent nation since September 10, 1974. It has a republican form of government and, by far, the largest segment of its workforce is involved in agriculture.

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

The official language of the country is Portuguese, which is reflective of the fact that it used to be a Portuguese colony. However, many other languages are spoken here. These include French, Creole, and indigenous languages like Balanta Kentohe, Pilaar, Mandjak, Mandinka, and others.

2

The Gross Domestic Product of the country was $826 million in 2009, which amounts to a per capita GDP of $512. This is largely accounted for by agriculture. The largest industry is cashew processing, accounting for 12 percent of the GDP.

3

The primary natural resources of the country are fish, timber, bauxite, and phosphate. The mineral resources remain largely unexploited. There is a substantial amount of offshore petroleum available as well. Agricultural products include cashews, tropical fruits, rice, peanuts, cotton, and palm oil.

4

The country's primary trading partners are India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Senegal, and France. The major exports are cashews, fish, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, and lumber. The primary imports are food products and petroleum products. The country has a negative balance of trade with exports totalling $114,8 million and imports equaling $146,4 million.

5

Guinea-Bissau has seen a great deal of political unrest in recent times. In April of 2010, ex Navy Chief of Staff Bubo Na Tchuto led a raid in which he kidnapped Prime Minister Carlos Gomes and Defense Chief of Staff Jose Zamora Induta. The Prime Minister was released and the United States condemned the kidnappings.