Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Country Overview

Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (República da Guiné-Bissau), is a West African country on the Atlantic Ocean, bordering Senegal and the Republic of Guinea. Bissau is its capital. Its deeply indented coast and the Bijagós Archipelago include internationally significant mangrove and marine ecosystems. Guinea-Bissau declared independence from Portugal on September 24, 1973; Portugal recognized its independence on September 10, 1974. Cashew farming is central to the rural economy and merchandise exports. Since the November 2025 military takeover, the country has been governed under transitional institutions. A constitutional referendum took place in August 2026, but presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December 2026 were postponed without a replacement date announced as of this edition. ^{[12] [14] [3] [5] [8] [9]}

Reference status: Contemporary edition • Verified: November 5, 2026 • Statistics retain their underlying data years; political offices and election schedules refer to the editorial cutoff.

Current political status: The transitional presidency and appointed national council are not equivalent to a civilian government and legislature elected under the 2026 constitutional reforms. The December 6, 2026 elections were postponed in October 2026; no replacement election date had been announced as of November 5. ^{[5] [6] [8] [9]}

Identity and State Formation

Official name

Republic of Guinea-Bissau (República da Guiné-Bissau). ^[13]

Common name

Guinea-Bissau (Guiné-Bissau in Portuguese); distinct from the neighboring Republic of Guinea and from Equatorial Guinea. ^[13]

Demonym

Bissau-Guinean; Guinea-Bissau citizen. ^[13]

Capital

Bissau, a port city on the Atlantic estuarine coast. ^[16]

Other important towns

Bafatá, Gabú, Cacheu, Bissorã, Farim, Catió, Buba and Bolama; settlement ranks depend on administrative boundaries. ^[13]

Continent / UN M49 subregion

Africa / Western Africa. ^[17]

Precolonial societies

The territory encompassed diverse coastal, riverine and inland communities, including Balanta, Fula, Mandinka, Papel and Manjaco societies; it did not originate from a single precolonial polity. ^[13]

Colonial name

Portuguese Guinea (Guiné Portuguesa), a Portuguese colonial territory prior to independence. ^[12]

National liberation movement

African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), associated with Amílcar Cabral and the struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. ^{[12] [27]}

Armed independence struggle

PAIGC armed struggle began in 1963; decolonization accelerated after Portugal’s April 1974 revolution. ^[12]

Unilateral declaration of independence

September 24, 1973, proclaimed during the liberation struggle. ^[12]

Independence recognized by Portugal

September 10, 1974; formal recognition recorded in the Portuguese Official Gazette on September 11, 1974. ^{[14] [12]}

First head of state

Luís Cabral, first president of independent Guinea-Bissau. ^[12]

1980 military takeover

João Bernardo Vieira overthrew Luís Cabral; the previously linked Guinea-Bissau–Cabo Verde political project was disrupted. ^[12]

First multiparty national elections

1994, after a transition from one-party rule. ^[12]

1998–1999 civil war

A military rebellion and civil conflict disrupted national institutions and economic activity. ^{[26] [12]}

2012 military takeover

Military intervention contributed to another interruption of constitutional political life. ^[7]

November 2025 military takeover

Military forces seized power on November 26, 2025, before presidential and parliamentary election results were released. ^[5]

2026 constitutional reform

A transitional council approved a revised text in January 2026; voters then approved a proposed new constitutional order in an August 30 referendum (provisional results announced September 1). ^{[10] [8]}

National independence day

September 24, commemorating the 1973 declaration of independence. ^[12]

ISO 3166-1 country codes

GW (alpha-2); GNB (alpha-3); 624 (numeric). ^[16]

Internet country-code domain

.gw.

Geography and Population

World region

West Africa on the Atlantic coast between Senegal and the Republic of Guinea. ^[13]

Total surface area

36,125 km² including inland waters, in the archived World Factbook geographic series. ^{[18] [16]}

Land area

28,120 km² (UNCTAD/archived Factbook definition). ^{[2] [18]}

Inland water area

8,005 km² (the total-minus-land measure in the archived Factbook series). ^[18]

Land borders

Senegal to the north and Guinea to the east and south. ^[18]

Atlantic coastline

Approximately 350 km in the archived Factbook definition; coastal-length measures vary with mapping scale. ^[18]

Population: World Bank

2,249,515 (2025 modeled estimate). ^[1]

Population growth

2.2% in 2025 (World Bank annual population growth series). ^[1]

Population density

Approximately 80 residents per km² of land, calculated from 2025 World Bank population and 28,120 km² land area; consistent with the UN Data rounded figure. ^{[1] [16] [18]}

Population of Bissau

Approximately 578,800 in the UN Data 2025 capital-city estimate; metropolitan and administrative urban boundaries are not necessarily identical. ^[16]

Principal islands

The Bijagós (Bissagos) Archipelago off the Atlantic coast; UNESCO describes an island group of approximately 88 islands and islets. ^[22]

Major rivers and estuaries

Geba River estuary, Cacheu River, Corubal River and extensive tidal channels. ^{[23] [18]}

Terrain

Low-lying coastal plains, estuaries and mangroves transitioning to somewhat higher savanna landscapes inland. ^{[18] [23]}

Highest point

Dongol Ronde, about 277 m in the archived Factbook geographic series. ^[18]

Climate

Tropical, with a rainy season generally around June–November and a drier season around December–May; periods vary geographically and annually. ^[18]

Coastal ecosystems

Mangroves, tidal mudflats, sandbanks, lagoons and biologically important marine habitats. ^{[21] [23]}

Internationally protected heritage

Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage property in 2025. ^[21]

Biosphere conservation

Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve, recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme. ^[22]

Environmental pressures

Coastal erosion, pressure on fisheries and mangroves, altered rainfall patterns, and risks to island and wetland habitats. ^{[21] [23]}

Administrative geographic layout

Eight regions plus the autonomous sector of Bissau. ^[13]

Area definitions: The archived total-area measure of 36,125 km² includes 8,005 km² of inland waters; the 28,120 km² land-area measure is used for the population-density calculation. Country profiles using different GIS boundaries may report different area totals. ^{[18] [2] [16]}

Economy and International Trade

Economic system

Small mixed economy in which cashew agriculture, domestic trade, services, fishing and public-sector activity are important. ^{[7] [3]}

Nominal GDP

Approximately US$2.53 billion (2025; World Bank, current U.S. dollars). ^[1]

GDP per capita

Approximately US$1,124 (2025, World Bank current U.S. dollars); this is output divided by population, not an average wage. ^[1]

Real GDP growth: World Bank

5.8% (2025 annual change in constant-price output). ^[1]

Real GDP growth: IMF estimate

5.5% for 2025 in IMF Country Report 26/83, reflecting a separate reporting vintage from the World Bank series. ^[3]

Annual consumer price inflation

0.9% (2025, World Bank series; also reported by IMF). ^{[1] [3]}

Currency

West African CFA franc (XOF), shared by member countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union. ^{[16] [25]}

Monetary institution

Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), the regional monetary authority. ^[25]

Currency adoption date

May 2, 1997, replacing the Guinea-Bissau peso when the country joined the West African monetary union. ^[25]

Principal income-generating crop

Cashew nuts, especially unprocessed raw nuts for export. ^{[3] [7]}

Other crops and food production

Rice, peanuts, palm products, maize, cassava and horticulture; smallholders are central to rural livelihoods. ^[7]

Fisheries and marine activity

Artisanal fishing, seafood resources and coastal economic activity. ^{[7] [21]}

2024 merchandise exports

US$246 million in UNCTAD’s 2024 country-profile series. ^[2]

2024 merchandise imports

US$487 million in the same UNCTAD series. ^[2]

2024 merchandise trade balance

US$241 million deficit, calculated from the UNCTAD merchandise exports and imports above. ^[2]

2024 services exports

Approximately US$49 million, UNCTAD estimate; separate from merchandise exports. ^[2]

2024 services imports

Approximately US$202 million, UNCTAD estimate. ^[2]

2024 total goods-and-services exports

Approximately US$295 million, arithmetic sum of UNCTAD merchandise exports and estimated services exports; not an official balance-of-payments national accounts headline. ^[2]

Cashew export volume: 2024

167,500 tonnes in IMF’s comparison series. ^[3]

Cashew export volume: 2025

211,400 tonnes in IMF’s 2026 country report; tonnage is not merchandise export value. ^[3]

Reported cashew export price: 2025

Around US$1,230 per tonne, according to IMF reporting; actual farm-gate prices and contract prices differ. ^[3]

Export concentration risk

Cashew sales depend on international commodity prices, weather, harvest conditions and foreign demand. ^{[3] [7]}

Main export goods

Raw cashew nuts dominate; smaller exports include fish and seafood, selected agricultural products and limited wood products. ^{[3] [2]}

Main import needs

Food staples, fuel, machinery, vehicles and manufactured consumer goods; precise rankings change by year and source. ^{[7] [3]}

Regional market integration

Member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU/UEMOA), using the common CFA franc. ^[25]

Economic development constraints

Limited diversification, transport and electricity infrastructure needs, fiscal and financial-sector risks, and exposure to agricultural shocks. ^{[3] [7]}

2026 economic outlook

IMF anticipated growth around 5–6% for 2026 in its 2026 review; a forecast rather than a completed annual observation. ^[3]

Principal Export Categories

Values and product descriptions are based on the IMF’s 2026 report and UNCTAD’s 2024 country profile; quantities, trade values and services exports are not interchangeable. IMF [3]; UNCTAD [2].

Trade methodology: UNCTAD records US$246 million in 2024 merchandise exports and estimates US$49 million in 2024 services exports. The two series are separately reported and do not establish that all foreign-exchange inflows come from physical cashew shipments. IMF’s 2025 cashew figure measures tonnes, not dollars. ^{[2] [3]}

People and Society

Official language

Portuguese; used in the legal system, central government and formal education. ^[19]

National lingua franca

Guinea-Bissau Creole (Kriol, a Portuguese-based creole) is widely used for communication across linguistic communities. ^{[19] [13]}

Other major languages

Fula/Pular, Mandinka (Mandingo), Balanta, Papel, Manjaco and other indigenous languages. ^{[19] [13]}

Ethnolinguistic diversity

Numerous communities maintain distinctive languages, cultural institutions and regional histories. ^[13]

Religious composition: archived estimate

Muslim 46.1%; Indigenous/folk religions 30.6%; Christian 18.9%; other or unaffiliated 4.4% in a CIA World Factbook 2020 estimate. These are historical estimates, not a contemporary census. ^[19]

Alternative religious estimates

The U.S. State Department cited an earlier Pew estimate of approximately 45% Muslim, 31% Indigenous religious practices and 22% Christian; the estimates use differing years and definitions. ^[20]

Religious coexistence

Muslim, Christian and Indigenous spiritual traditions are represented, and some customary practices overlap with affiliation categories. ^[20]

Islamic traditions

Predominantly Sunni Muslim communities, with other traditions present; religious affiliation varies by region and community. ^[20]

Christian traditions

Catholic and Protestant denominations, particularly visible in Bissau and some coastal areas. ^[20]

Population structure

Young population; archived CIA Factbook-based data estimate a median age of 18.5 years (2025 model), not a measured census result. ^[19]

Life expectancy at birth

64.3 years (2024; World Bank series, rounded). ^[1]

Urban and rural settlement

Population concentrated in the capital and other towns, with substantial rural communities dependent on agriculture and fishing. ^{[13] [18]}

Education language environment

Portuguese-language formal schooling coexists with a multilingual everyday environment, including Kriol and community languages. ^{[19] [13]}

Cultural expression

Oral traditions, music, dance, diverse communal ceremonies and West African–Atlantic cultural exchange. ^[13]

National identity

The independence movement and anticolonial political thought associated with Amílcar Cabral are major parts of public national memory. ^{[12] [27]}

Population data qualification

A World Bank modeled population series is used for 2025; no unverified or undated national census count is substituted for that observation. ^[1]

Religious-data caution: Percentages shown are archived estimates, not a 2026 census. Local practice and categories of religious affiliation can overlap; different surveys should not be combined into a single artificial distribution. ^{[19] [20]}

Government and Institutions

Form of state

Republic; currently governed through military-led transitional institutions after the November 2025 takeover. ^{[5] [7]}

Constitutional description

The 2026 constitutional reform describes a unitary, secular republic and arrangements for a president, government and national legislature; implementation must be distinguished from the current transition. ^{[10] [8]}

Current transition president

Major-General Horta Inta-A (also rendered Horta Nta Na Man in some reports), sworn in November 27, 2025. ^{[4] [5]}

Current prime minister

Ilídio Vieira Té, appointed following the November 2025 military takeover; also listed as finance minister in the CIA’s June 2026 leadership record. ^{[4] [3]}

Pre-coup president

Umaro Sissoco Embaló, in office 2020–November 2025; ousted during the military takeover. ^{[7] [5]}

November 2025 election status

Presidential and legislative voting occurred November 23, 2025, but the military takeover on November 26 prevented publication of the final results and suspended the process. ^[5]

Political Transition Charter

Adopted December 8, 2025, establishing an intended 12-month transitional period. ^[5]

Transitional legislature

Transitional National Council (Conselho Nacional de Transição, CNT), appointed and first seated December 12, 2025. ^{[6] [5]}

Current Transitional National Council membership

66 members in IPU records: 65 designated members plus the speaker. ^[6]

Transitional legislative speaker

Major-General Tomás Djassi (since December 12, 2025, IPU record). ^[6]

CNT membership composition

Designated members include nominees of the transition president, high military command, political parties, civil society and regions. ^[5]

Earlier elected legislature

People’s National Assembly, formerly a 102-seat elected chamber; it must not be conflated with the 66-member transitional council. ^{[6] [8]}

Transitional National Council constitutional action

CNT approved a revised constitution on January 13, 2026. ^{[5] [10]}

Constitutional referendum

Held August 30, 2026; provisional results indicated approximately 70% support and nearly 60% turnout. ^{[8] [11]}

Constitutional reform, executive

Approved reforms enlarge presidential authority, including appointment and dismissal of the prime minister and cabinet. ^[8]

Constitutional reform, legislature

Proposed new elected parliament of 65 seats rather than the earlier 102; this is not the same body as the existing 66-member appointed CNT. ^{[8] [6]}

Transitional election date originally set

December 6, 2026, in a January 2026 decree. ^[5]

Election timetable as of editorial cutoff

The December 6, 2026 presidential and legislative elections were postponed in October 2026; no new date had been announced by November 5, 2026. ^[9]

Transition candidate restrictions

December 2025 Political Transition Charter stipulated that the transition president and prime minister would not contest the next elections. ^[5]

Judicial institutions

Courts and constitutional procedures are provided for under national law, but their operation is affected by the transitional political context. ^{[10] [5]}

Administrative regions

Eight regions: Bafatá, Biombo, Bolama-Bijagós, Cacheu, Gabú, Oio, Quinara and Tombali. ^[13]

Special capital-sector status

Bissau forms an autonomous sector, administratively separate from the eight regions. ^[13]

Civil liberties and institutional context

Political participation and electoral implementation are contested during the current military-led transition; formal constitutional provisions do not by themselves establish competitive civilian governance. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Constitutional and electoral chronology: A January 2026 draft and legal publications, the August 30 referendum, the existing transitional council and the later postponement of elections describe distinct stages. The 65-seat elected-parliament design proposed by the constitutional reform is not the same as the currently appointed 66-member Transitional National Council. Some institutional databases still list the original December 2026 election date; Reuters reported its postponement on October 8. ^{[10] [6] [8] [9]}

International Profile

United Nations membership

Admitted September 17, 1974. ^[15]

African Union membership and status

Member state; participation suspended by the AU Peace and Security Council on November 28, 2025, pending restoration of constitutional order. ^[24]

ECOWAS

Regional member; following the 2025 coup, Guinea-Bissau was suspended from ECOWAS decision-making bodies (IMF 2026 account). ^[3]

West African Economic and Monetary Union

Member of WAEMU/UEMOA since May 1997; uses the regional CFA franc (XOF). ^[25]

Community of Portuguese Language Countries

Member of the CPLP, reflecting Portuguese language ties and Lusophone cooperation. ^[13]

International financial relationships

Member of the IMF and World Bank, with continuing macroeconomic, fiscal and development programs. ^{[3] [7]}

Historical relationship with Cabo Verde

Shared PAIGC liberation history before separate postcolonial political developments. ^[12]

Principal immediate neighbors

Senegal and the Republic of Guinea; the country is not the same state as Guinea or Equatorial Guinea. ^[13]

International heritage

The UNESCO-inscribed Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (2025). ^[21]

Marine conservation significance

Important migratory shorebird, sea turtle and mangrove habitats within the eastern Atlantic coastal migration and ecosystem network. ^{[21] [23]}

International dialing code

+245. ^[18]

Time zone

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT; UTC+00:00), without seasonal daylight-saving adjustment. ^[16]

International country code

ISO 3166-1: GW / GNB / 624. ^[16]

Current foreign-affairs caveat

Regional membership should not be confused with active participation: AU and ECOWAS suspensions concern decision-making and institutional participation rather than the state’s geographical affiliation. ^{[24] [3]}

Membership and participation: Guinea-Bissau remains geographically and historically part of the cited regional institutions, but the 2025 coup triggered suspensions in AU activity and ECOWAS decision-making; do not read membership alone as unrestricted active participation. ^{[24] [3]}

Sources and Verification

Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. Population, output, trade, surveys and religious-composition series refer to different reporting years and methodologies. Transitionally appointed institutions are distinguished from constitutional designs for future elected institutions.

1. World Bank, Guinea-Bissau Country Data — 2025 population, nominal GDP, GDP per capita, real growth and inflation; 2024 life expectancy.
2. UNCTADstat, Guinea-Bissau General Profile — 2024 merchandise and services trade totals, land area and publication-year methodology.
3. IMF, Guinea-Bissau Ninth and Tenth ECF Reviews, Country Report 26/83 (2026) — Macroeconomic context, 2025 cashew export tonnage, inflation and the political transition.
4. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, World Leaders: Guinea-Bissau (updated June 4, 2026) — Transitional president, prime minister and cabinet composition.
5. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Transitional National Council Election and Transition Record — November 2025 military takeover, appointment of transitional legislature and transition timetable.
6. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Guinea-Bissau Transitional National Council — Current 66-member transitional chamber, appointment method and speaker.
7. World Bank, Guinea-Bissau Country Overview — Country economic and political context; August 2026 referendum.
8. Reuters, Guinea-Bissau Approves New Constitution, September 1, 2026 — August 30, 2026 referendum and provisional 70% support for constitutional changes.
9. Reuters, Guinea-Bissau to Delay Elections, October 8, 2026 — Postponement of the elections formerly scheduled for December 6, 2026; no replacement date announced.
10. FAOLEX, Constitution of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2026) — January–February 2026 constitutional text and institutional principles; read alongside August referendum.
11. IFES ElectionGuide, Guinea-Bissau Constitutional Referendum (August 2026) — Question asked at the constitutional referendum and electoral sequence.
12. United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau, Chronology of Events — Twentieth-century state formation, independence chronology and 1997 monetary-union entry.
13. United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office, Country Profile — Administrative regions and linguistic and ethnic diversity.
14. Portuguese Official Gazette, Declaration Recognizing Guinea-Bissau, September 10, 1974 — Formal Portuguese recognition of Guinea-Bissau’s independence.
15. United Nations, Member States — UN admission date September 17, 1974.
16. United Nations Data, Guinea-Bissau Country Profile — Capital, 2025 population estimate, density, currency and international classification.
17. United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Standard Country or Area Codes — Western Africa classification and country code.
18. Archived CIA World Factbook, Guinea-Bissau Geographic Profile — Area, land and water measures, coastline, topography and climate; archived estimates.
19. Archived CIA World Factbook, Guinea-Bissau Languages and Religion (2020 estimate) — Historical 2020 religious-affiliation estimate, plus archived cultural context; not a 2026 census.
20. U.S. Department of State, 2019 International Religious Freedom Report: Guinea-Bissau — Historical religious-composition estimates and diversity.
21. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô — 2025 inscription and environmental significance.
22. UNESCO, Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve — Archipelago’s 88 islands and biosphere protection.
23. NASA Earth Observatory, Tide-Fueled Biodiversity in Guinea-Bissau (2026) — Coastal delta, estuaries, mangroves and tidal habitats.
24. African Union Peace and Security Council, Emergency Communiqué, November 28, 2025 — AU participation suspension following the military takeover.
25. International Monetary Fund, Guinea-Bissau WAEMU Entry and Currency Conversion (1998) — Adoption of West African CFA franc in May 1997 and regional monetary integration.
26. U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, Guinea-Bissau — Independence recognition, U.S. relations and 1998–99 conflict context.
27. UNIOGBIS, Background and Independence History — Colonial-era self-determination and key national dates.

Editorial methodology: Population and macroeconomic values come primarily from the World Bank’s 2025 country series. UNCTAD’s 2024 trade observations are distinguished from the IMF’s later cashew shipment volumes. Older religion and geography source estimates are explicitly labeled as historical, while the 2025–2026 political transition is dated against IPU, African Union, legal and contemporaneous press records. Announced elections are not described as upcoming when a newer verified postponement supersedes the original schedule. ^{[1] [2] [3] [5] [8] [9]}