| |
|
|
| |
Home
>
World
> Africa
> Guineabissau
|
General Information
Area: 36,125 sq km (13,948 sq miles).
Population: 1,285,715 (official estimate 2000).
Population Density: 35.6 per sq km.
Capital: Bissau. Population: 197,610 (1991).
GEOGRAPHY: Guinea-Bissau (formerly Portuguese Guinea) is located in West Africa, and is bounded to the north by Senegal and to the south and east by the Republic of Guinea. It encompasses the adjacent Bijagós Islands and the island of Bolama. The country rises from a coastal plain broken up by numerous inlets through a transitional plateau to mountains on the border with Guinea. Thick forest and mangrove swamp cover the area nearest to the Atlantic Ocean. Savannah covers the inland areas.
Government: Republic. Gained independence from Portugal in 1973. Head of State: President Kumba Yala since 2000. Head of Government: Prime Minister Mario Pires since 2002.
Language: Official language is Portuguese. The majority of the population speak Guinean Creole. Balante and Fulani languages are also spoken.
Religion: Mainly Animist and Muslim. There is a small minority of Roman Catholics and other Christians.
Time: GMT.
Electricity: Limited electricity supply on 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 245. Outgoing international calls must go through the operator. It is difficult to find public telephones or to receive international calls. Telephone services are also expensive.
Press
There are no English-language papers. Nô Pintcha is published daily and Banobero and Correio-Bissau weekly.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
|
|
|
|
|
