US DEPARTMENT OF STATE BACKGROUND NOTE: GUINEA-BISSAU PUBLISHED BY THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS APRIL 1994 Official Name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau PROFILE Geography Area (including Bijagos Archipelago): 36,260 sq. km. (14,000 sq. mi.), about the size of Indiana. Cities: Capital--Bissau (pop. 200,000 est.) Other cities--Bafata, Gabu, Canchungo. Terrain: Coastal plain; savanna in the east. Climate: Tropical. People Nationality: Noun and adjective--Guinean(s). Population (est.): 1 million. Annual Growth Rate (est.): 2.3%. Ethnic Groups: Balanta 27%, Fula 23%, Mandinka 12%, Manjaco 11%, Papel 10%. Religions: Indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%. Languages: Portuguese (official), Criolo, French, many indigenous languages, including Mandinka and Fula. Education: Years compulsory--4. Literacy--30% of adults. Health: Infant mortality rate--140/1,000. Life expectancy--43 years. Work Force (454,000): Agriculture--78%. Industry, services and commerce--14%. Government--8% Government Type: Republic. Independence: September 24, 1973 (proclaimed unilaterally); September 10, 1974 (de jure from Portugal). Constitution: Adopted 1984; amended 1991. Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and head of government), prime minister and council of state, ministers and secretaries of state. Legislature--People's National Assembly (ANP), 150 members indirectly elected in 1989. Judicial--Supreme Court and lower courts. Administrative Subdivisions: Autonomous sector of Bissau and eight regions. Political Parties: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde is the ruling party; 11 other political parties were legalized during 1991-93. Suffrage: Universal at 18. Flag: Vertical red band with black star on the staff side, yellow upper horizontal band, green lower horizontal band. Economy GDP (1993 est): $190 million; annual growth rate: 3%. Per Capita Income (1993): $200. Natural Resources: Fish and timber. Bauxite and phosphate deposits are not exploited; possible off-shore petroleum. Agriculture (50% of GDP): Products--cashews, rice, peanuts, cotton, palm oil, sugar. Arable land--43%. Industry (16% of GDP): Products--agricultural processing, fish processing, light construction, soft drinks. Trade (1991): Exports--$20.4 million: cashews, cotton, wood, fish and shellfish, coconuts. Major markets--Portugal, India, Spain, France. Imports $67.5 million--rice and other foodstuffs, transportation equipment, machinery and spare parts, construction equipment, petroleum products. Major suppliers--Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Taiwan, Senegal, France. Exchange Rate: (March 1994): 12,300 Guinea-Bissau Pesos=U.S.$1. Rate fluctuates daily; pesos not convertible abroad. PEOPLE The population of Guinea-Bissau is ethnically diverse with distinct languages, customs, and social structures. Most people are agriculturalists, with traditional religious beliefs (animism); 30% percent are Muslim, principally Fula and Mandinka-speaker 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, occupying the central and northern coastal areas. The various groups mix easily in urban areas, where there is a notable lack of tribal tensions. HISTORY The rivers of Guinea and the islands of Cape Verde were among the first areas in Africa explored by the Portuguese in the 15th century. Portugal claimed Portuguese Guinea in 1446, but few trading posts were established before 1600. In 1630, a "captaincy-general" of Portuguese Guinea was established to administer the territory. With the cooperation of some local tribes, the Portuguese entered the slave trade and exported large numbers of Africans to the Western Hemisphere via the Cape Verde Islands. Cacheu became one of the major slave centers, and a small fort still stands in the town. The slave trade declined in the 19th century, and Bissau, originally founded as a military and slave- trading center in 1765, grew to become the major commercial center. Portuguese conquest and consolidation of the interior did not begin until the latter half of the 19th century. Portugal lost part of Guinea to French West Africa (including the center of earlier Portuguese commercial interest, the Casamance River region). A dispute with Great Britain over the island of Bolama was settled in Portugal's favor with the involvement of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. Before World War I, Portuguese forces under Maj. Teixeira Pinto, with some assistance from the Muslim population, subdued animist tribes and eventually established the territory's borders. The interior of Portuguese Guinea was brought under control after more than 30 years of fighting; final subjugation of the Bijagos Islands did not occur until 1936. The administrative capital was moved from Bolama to Bissau in 1941, and in 1952, by constitutional amendment, the colony of Portuguese Guinea became an overseas province of Portugal. In 1956, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) was organized clandestinely by Amilcar Cabral and Raphael Barbosa. The PAIGC moved its headquarters to Conakry, Guinea, in 1960 and started an armed rebellion against the Portuguese in 1961. Despite the presence of Portuguese troops, which grew to more than 35,000, the PAIGC steadily expanded its influence until, by 1968, it controlled most of the country. It established civilian rule in the territory under its control and held elections for a National Assembly. Portuguese forces and civilians increasingly were confined to their garrisons and larger towns. The Portuguese Governor and Commander-in- Chief from 1968 to 1973, Gen. Antonio de Spinola, returned to Portugal and led the movement which brought democracy to Portugal and independence for its colonies. Amilcar Cabral was assassinated in Conakry in 1973, and party leadership fell to Aristides Pereira, who later became the first president of the Republic of Cape Verde. The PAIGC National Assembly met at Boe in the southeastern region and declared the independence of Guinea-Bissau on September 24, 1973. Following Portugal's April 1974 revolution, it granted independence to Guinea-Bissau on September 10, 1974. The United States recognized the new nation that day. Luis Cabral, Amilcar Cabral's half-brother, became President of Guinea-Bissau. In late 1980, the government was overthrown in a relatively bloodless coup led by Prime Minister and former armed forces commander Joao Bernardo Vieira. From November 1980 to May 1984, power was held by a provisional government responsible to a Revolutionary Council headed by President Joao Bernardo Vieira. In 1984, the council was dissolved, and the 150- member National Popular Assembly (ANP) was reconstituted. The single- party assembly approved a new constitution, elected President Vieira to a new 5-year term, and elected a Council of State, which is the executive agent of the ANP. Under this system, the president presides over the Council of State and serves as head of state and government. The president is also head of the PAIGC and commander in chief of the armed forces. There were alleged coup plots against the Vieira Government in 1983, 1985, and 1993. In 1986, first Vice President Paulo Correia and five others were executed for treason following a lengthy trial. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS In 1989, the ruling PAIGC under the direction of President Vieira began to outline a political liberalization program which the ANP approved in 1991. Reforms which paved the way for multi-party democracy included the repeal of articles of the constitution which had enshrined the leading role of the PAIGC. Laws were ratified to allow the formation of other political parties, a free press, and independent trade unions with the right to strike. By late 1993, there were 12 legal political parties in the country. A national elections law was approved in February 1993, and a month later a national elections commission was established. Guinea-Bissau's first multi-party elections for president and parliament are tentatively planned for 1994, following a nationwide voter registration process. Principal Government Officials President of the Council of State--Gen. Joao Bernardo Vieira Prime Minister--Carlos Correia Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Bernardino Cardoso Ambassador to the UN--Boubacar Toure Ambassador to the U.S.--Alfredo Lopes Cabral The embassy of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau is located at 918 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 (tel. 202-872-4222). The Mission of Guinea-Bissau to the United Nations is located at 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 604, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-611-3977). ECONOMY Guinea-Bissau is among the world's least developed nations. The principal economic activity is agriculture. Cashew crops have increased in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports some fish and seafood, along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. License fees for fishing provided the government with revenues of $13.5 million in 1992. Rice is the major crop and staple food. Rice production has increased by more than 10% per year since 1983, largely because of improved economic incentives. However, rice imports remain high--up to 80,000 tons per year. In 1987, the government launched a program of economic reform and signed an agreement for a structural adjustment program with the World Bank. A second structural adjustment credit, worth about $18 million, was negotiated with the World Bank in 1989. Trade reform and price liberalization are the most successful areas of the country's structural adjustment program. While institutional weaknesses in the public and private sectors persist, reforms and the development of the private sector have begun to invigorate the economy. Real gross domestic product has grown steadily at 3%-to-6% per annum. Inflation decreased from 70% in 1992 to 30% in 1993. There were major reforms in tax revenue and customs collections. Monetary expansion was reduced from 118% in 1992 to 40% in 1993. However, with an external debt of $600 million, the country has a debt-to-GDP ratio of 300% and an annual debt service more than twice the value of exports. At independence, Guinea-Bissau had little infrastructure and its industry consisted of one factory--a brewery. A socialist-statist program for light industries during the late 1970s resulted in extensive foreign debt and failed enterprises. A corrective program has been established to privatize parastatal organizations. The country plans to develop its timber resources and rich offshore fish and shellfish production. Mineral deposits have proved difficult to develop, and any potential off-shore petroleum reserves may lie in the area which the International Court of Justice declared in 1991 to be Senegalese maritime territory. Bissau's port facilities have been expanded and improved in recent years, with better shipping connections to European ports. The city's international airport can accommodate any type of jet aircraft; a new passenger terminal is under construction. The country has 2,600 kilometers (1,600 mi.) of roads, of which 550 (350 mi.) kilometers are paved. FOREIGN RELATIONS Guinea-Bissau follows a non-aligned foreign policy and seeks friendly and cooperative relations with a wide variety of states and organizations. France, Portugal, Brazil, Egypt, Nigeria, Taiwan, Libya, Cuba, Sweden, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Russia, and the U.S. have diplomatic offices in Bissau. Guinea-Bissau is a member of the UN and many of its specialized and related agencies, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF); African Development Bank (AFDB), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic Community (CEDAO), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organization of African Unity (OAU), and permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel (CILSS). U.S.-GUINEA-BISSAU RELATIONS The United States and Guinea-Bissau enjoy excellent bilateral relations. The U.S. recognized the independence of Guinea-Bissau on September 10, 1974. Guinea-Bissau's ambassador to the United States and the United Nations was one of the first that the new nation sent abroad. The U.S. opened an embassy in Bissau in 1976, and the first U.S. ambassador presented credentials later that year. U.S. assistance began in 1975 with a $1 million grant to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for resettlement of refugees returning to Guinea-Bissau and for 25 training grants at African technical schools for Guinean students. Emergency food was a major element in U.S. assistance to Guinea-Bissau in the first years after independence. Since 1975, the U.S. has provided more than $65 million in grant aid and other assistance. Currently U.S. Agency for International Development assistance to the country is about $5.5 million per year. It is designed to increase sustainable private sector economic activity in Guinea-Bissau's critical growth sectors--the production, processing, and marketing of cashews, rice, fruits, and vegetables as well as fish and forest products. Removing legal, regulatory, and judicial constraints to private sector activity is also a goal of U.S. assistance. Direct private sector assistance is offered to help the country respond quickly to emerging market opportunities. The United States and Guinea-Bissau signed an international military training agreement (IMET) in 1986, and the U.S. has provided English- language teaching facilities as well as communications and navigational equipment to support the navy's costal surveillance program. Beginning in 1988, Peace Corps volunteers began working as English teachers, teacher trainers, health workers, and agricultural extension agents. The Peace Corps now has about 40 volunteers throughout the country. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador--Roger McGuire Administrative Officer--Daniel Hirsch Political/Economic/Consular Officer--Debbie Potter USAID Representative--Michael Lukomski Peace Corps Director--Carol Herrera The U.S. embassy in Bissau is located at Bairro de Penha, tel (245) 25- 2273/74/75/76. The USAID telephone is (245) 20-1800; Peace Corps is (245) 25-2127. TRAVEL NOTES Clothing: Lightweight, loose-fitting, washable clothing is recommended. Dress is casual. Currency: The Guinea-Bissau peso is not convertible outside the country. Dollars and travelers checks can be exchanged at banks. Some hotels and stores accept only hard currency or international credit cards. Customs: U.S. citizens must obtain visas before arrival; airport visas are not issued. Immunization against yellow fever is required. Health: Sanitation is poor, and tap water is not potable. Hospitals are inadequately staffed, and medicines often are in short supply. Although the Guinea-Bissau Government only requires immunization for yellow fever, immunization against typhus, typhoid, cholera, rabies, hepatitis, and tetanus is strongly recommended. Malaria is prevalent, and visitors should begin a regimen of malaria prophylaxis prior to arrival. Gastrointestinal infections, bilharzia, HIV infection, and tuberculosis are endemic. Medical air evacuation insurance coverage is highly recommended for all visitors. Transportation: There are weekly flights between Bissau, Lisbon, and Paris. Regular air service also links Bissau with Dakar, Banjul, and Praia. Unreliable ferry service in northern areas makes travel by road between Guinea-Bissau and Senegal difficult. Land transportation between Bissau and Conakry is very difficult and usually takes at least two days in the dry season (longer in the rainy season). Telecommunications: International telephone calls can be dialed direct, and connections with the U.S. are good. Internal telephone service is adequate. Telegraphic communications generally are reliable. Bissau is five time zones ahead of eastern standard time, in the Greenwich mean zone. (###) Published by the U.S. Department of State--Bureau of Public Affairs -- Office of Public Communication -- Washington, DC -- April 1994 -- Managing Editor: Peter A. Knecht Department of State Publication 7966 Background Note Series--THis material is in the public domain and may be reprinted without permission; citation of this source is appreciated. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. (###)