Guinea-Bissau (/ˈɡɪni bɪˈsaʊ/, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau) is a country in West Africa. It is the 138th biggest country in the world and the 153th most populous, with a total of 36,125 square kilometres and a population of 1,693,398. It shares borders with Senegal and Guinea. This Republic declared independence from the Portuguese Empire in 1973. Since then, it has suffered political instability and social strife.


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General Information
Official Name: 
Republic of Guinea-Bissau, República da Guiné-Bissau
Capitol: 
Bissau
Population: 
1,646,000
Languages: 
Portuguese, Crioulo, various African languages
Geographic Region: 
Africa
Western Africa
Geographic Size (km sq): 
36,125
Year of UN Membership: 
1974
Year of Present State Formation: 
1973
Current UN Representative: 
João Soares da Gama
Online Profiles
CIA World Factbook Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
BBC Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
U.S. Department of State Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
Law Library of Congress Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade County Profile: Guinea-Bissau
Australia Department of Foreign Affairs Countries, Economies and Regions: Guinea-Bissau
National Geographic Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
Lonely Planet Country Profile: Guinea-Bissau
Key Statistics & Indicators
Gross Domestic Product (GDP, Nominal): 
$0.916 Billion
Per Capita Income (PPP Adjusted): 
$1,235 (CID)
GDP Growth: 
3.50 (%)
Human Development Index (HDI): 
0.40
Unemployment: 
8.50%
Economic Grouping: 
Developing Country
Least Developed Country
Small Island Developing State
History
BBC Timeline of Guinea-Bissau
GUINEA-BISSAU: IN NEED OF A STATE
Advancing Stability and Reconciliation in Guinea-Bissau: Lessons from Africa’s First Narco-State
Guinea-Bissau and the Heritage of Amilcar Cabral
Local Strategies of Conflict Resolution in Guinea-Bissau A Project Proposal in Legal Anthropology
International Relations
UN Voting Blocs & Caucuses: 
Group of 77 (G-77)
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
African Group
Islamic Group
Major International & Regional Organizations: 
ACP: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States
AfDB: African Development Bank
AOSIS: Alliance of Small Island States
CPLP: Comuinidade dos Paises de Lingua Portuguesa
ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States
FZ: Franc Zone
ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
IDB: Islamic Development Bank
IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization
IOC: International Olympic Committee
IOM: International Organization for Migration
IPU: Inter-Parliamentary Union
ITSO: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization
ITUC: International Trade Union Confederation
OIC: Organization of Islamic Cooperation
OIF: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
Union Latina
WADB: West African Development Bank
WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union
WCO: World Customs Organization
WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions
UN Specialized Agencies & Organizations: 
CTBTO: Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
IDA: International Development Association
IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development
IFC: International Finance Corporation
ILO: International Labor Organization
IMF: International Monetary Fund
IMO: International Maritime Organization
ITU: International Telecommunications Union
MIGA: Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
OPCW: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNWTO: United Nations World Tourism Organization
UPU: Universal Postal Union
WBG: World Bank Group
WHO: World Health Organization
WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization
WMO: World Meteorological Organization
WTO: World Trade Organization
Current UN Peacekeeping Missions: 
MINUSMA: Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali
Bilateral Relations
Security Council: 
U.S. Department of State Fact Sheets: US-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations
U.K. Gov.UK Worldwide Activities: UK-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development: France-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations
P.R. of China Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations
Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs: News, Statements, Speeches and Documents
Asia (E/S/SE): 
Japan-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
South Korea-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs
India-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Government of India Ministry of External Affairs Briefs
Vietnam-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Viet Nam Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Africa & Middle East: 
Turkey-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Republic of Turkey Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Armenia-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Egypt-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Arab Republic of Egypt Ministry of Foreign Affairs
South Africa-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: South Africa International Relations & Cooperation
European Union: 
EU-Guinea-Bissau Relations: E.U. External Action, European Union Around the Globe
Germany-Guinea-Bissau Relations: Federal Foreign Office of Germany
Netherlands-Guinea-Bissau Relations: Government of the Netherlands International Relations
Finland-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Greece-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Western (Non-EU): 
Canada-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Government of Canada International Gateway, Offices & Embassies
Australia-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Country Briefs
New Zealand-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Switzerland-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Swiss Confederation Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Monaco-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Principauté de Monaco, Monaco Worldwide
Latin America & Caribbean : 
Cuba-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Cuba MinRex, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba
Brazil-Guinea-Bissau Bilateral Relations: Brasil Ministério das Relações Exteriores (in Portuguese)
United Nations Data
FAO and Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau and the IMF
OHCHR – Guinea-Bissau
UNESCO Worldwide – Guinea-Bissau
Environment Statistics Country Snapshot: Guinea-Bissau
UN Development Policy and Analysis Division (DESA) least developed country profiles: Guinea-Bissau
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) least developed country profiles: Guinea-Bissau
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) least developed country profiles: Guinea-Bissau
UN Office of the High Representative for small island developing states (UN-OHRLLS) country profiles: Guinea-Bissau
News Sources
BBC News Country Media Profile: Guinea-Bissau
The Guardian World News Stories: Guinea-Bissau
New York Times Countries & Regions News: Guinea-Bissau
The Economist Topics Index: Guinea-Bissau
World News Report: Guinea-Bissau
Topix Real Time News and Updates: Guinea-Bissau
ABYZ Newspapers and Media Guide: Guinea-Bissau
Government Sources
Official Website
Constitution of Guinea-Bissau
Natural Resources
UN Mission
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau to the United Nations
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400F
New York, NY 10017
(917) 770-5598
(212) 856-9820
gnbun@undp.org

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