THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire.Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him, but a military mutiny and civil war in 1999 led to VIEIRA's ouster. In 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was then elected president, but he passed away in 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup blocked the second round of the election to replace him, but after mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president in a free and fair election, and in 2019, he became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in 2019, but he did not take office until 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.

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: 36,125 sq km
land: 28,120 sq km
water: 8,005 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 762 km
border countries: Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 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-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets
Elevation: highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 70 m
Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 75% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers: Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Population distribution: approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Geography - note: this small country is swampy along its western coast and is low-lying inland

Population: total: 2,132,325 (2024 est.)
male: 1,042,910
female: 1,089,415
Nationality: noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)
adjective: Bissau-Guinean
Ethnic groups: Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)
Languages: Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo
Religions: Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.3% (male 453,513/female 448,514)
15-64 years: 54.6% (male 561,868/female 602,280)
65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 27,529/female 38,621)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 83.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 77.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 17.6 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 18.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.9 years
Population growth rate: 2.55% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 35.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 62.2 years
female: 66.8 years
Total fertility rate: 4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 2.26 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 73.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 8.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 72.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 23.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 45.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 9.5% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 6.7% (2025 est.)
male: 13.2% (2025 est.)
female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18.8% (2019 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 59% (2019 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 8.1% (2019)
women married by age 18: 25.7% (2019)
men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019)
Education expenditure: 2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Literacy: total population: 63.9% (2022 est.)
male: 77.3% (2022 est.)
female: 52.2% (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
Land use: agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)
forest: 75% (2023 est.)
other: 0% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,500 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 34.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 11.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 144 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
local short form: Guine-Bissau
former: Portuguese Guinea
etymology: the country is partly named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea; the name itself is derived from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning "black people;" Bissau, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea and is derived from the local Bijuga people
Government type: semi-presidential republic
Capital: name: Bissau
geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Legal system: mixed system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence; influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law
Constitution: history: promulgated 16 May 1984
amendment process: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025)
head of government: Interim Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly
most recent election date: 23 November 2025
election results: 2025: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) and Fernando DIAS da Costa (PRS) both claimed victory in first round; a coup prevented the release of election results after ballots were destroyed2019: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5% (2019)
expected date of next election: 2025
Legislative branch: legislature name: People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 102 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 11/23/2025
parties elected and seats per party: Inclusive Alliance Platform/Terra Coalition (54); Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM G.15) (29); Party for Social Renewal (PRS) (12); Bissau-Guinean Workers’ Party (6); Other (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 9.8%
expected date of next election: November 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life
subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
Political parties: African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC Democratic Convergence Party or PCD Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB New Democracy Party or PND Party for Social Renewal or PRS Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID Union for Change or UM
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Da Conceição NOBRE CABRAL (since 18 September 2024)
chancery: 918 16th Street, NW (Mezzanine Suite)Washington DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222
FAX: [1] (202) 872-4226
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022)
mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080
email address and website: dakarACS@state.govhttps://gw.usmission.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Flag: description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green, with a vertical red band on the left side; a five-pointed black star is centered in the red bandmeaning: yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unityhistory: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design
National symbol(s): black star
National color(s): red, yellow, green, black
National anthem(s): title: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This is Our Beloved Country)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He
history: adopted 1974; a delegation from Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to fight for independence
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (n)

Economic overview: extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.912 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.64 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.399 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4.8% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $2,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.12 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.8% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 7.1% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.4% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 36.8% (2024 est.)
industry: 16.6% (2024 est.)
services: 42.1% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 77% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.8% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 12.5% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023)
Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: 8% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 845,300 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 2.7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.7% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.7% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 2.8% (2024 est.)
male: 3.4% (2024 est.)
female: 2% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 50.5% (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021: 33.4 (2021 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 26.1% (2021 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 9.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 10.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 11% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $269.794 million (2023 est.)
expenditures: $450.953 million (2023 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 57.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2023: -$160.169 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$146.64 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$14.128 million (2021 est.)
Exports: Exports 2023: $284.5 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $280.065 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $334.904 million (2021 est.)
Exports - partners: India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d'Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities: coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023)
Imports: Imports 2023: $592.095 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $577.899 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $518.162 million (2021 est.)
Imports - partners: Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $896.812 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 606.345 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 606.57 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 623.76 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 554.531 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 575.586 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 37.4% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 61%
electrification - rural areas: 15.8%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 79.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2.76 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code: .gw
Internet users: percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 7,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J5
Airports: 7 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 20 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5
Ports: total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Bissau, Rio Cacheu

Military and security forces: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air ForceMinistry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FARP is outfitted mostly with Soviet-era weapons and equipment (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary) (2025)
Military - note: the Armed Forces (FARP) are focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties; the FARP and the paramilitary National Guard have been influential in the country’s politics since independence and have attempted several coups; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 54 (2024 est.)

Guinea-Bissau