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Compare Guinea-Bissau (2004) - French Guiana (2002)

Compare Guinea-Bissau (2004) z French Guiana (2002)

 Guinea-Bissau (2004)French Guiana (2002)
 Guinea-BissauFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.7% (male 288,760; female 289,975)


15-64 years: 55.4% (male 367,728; female 400,996)


65 years and over: 2.9% (male 17,570; female 23,334) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 30.2% (male 28,140; female 26,876)


15-64 years: 64.2% (male 63,183; female 53,902)


65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,192; female 5,040) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 28 (2003 est.) 11 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area total: 36,120 sq km


land: 28,000 sq km


water: 8,120 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut slightly smaller than Indiana
Background Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consisted of a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a military coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a market economy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him and in 1994 he was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIERA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interim government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections. YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in the civil war. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 38.03 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 21.66 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) (1996)
Capital Bissau Cayenne
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 tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 350 km 378 km
Constitution 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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
conventional long form: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used euro (EUR); French franc (FRF)
Death rate 16.57 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $941.5 million (2000 est.) $1.2 billion (1988) (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
Diplomatic representation from the US the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903 none (overseas department of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA


chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005


telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950


FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954
none (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's Casamance region Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient $115.4 million (1995) $NA
Economy - overview One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in low growth in 2002-03 and dim prospects for 2004. The economy is tied closely to the French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou, fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 51.15 million kWh (2001) 418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 55 million kWh (2001) 450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing NA
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.976 (2000), 615.699 (1999)


note: as of 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted the XOF franc as the national currency; since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28 September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003


head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May 2004)


cabinet: NA


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature


election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%


note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003 until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of a caretaker government
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports NA (2001) $155 million f.o.b. (1997)
Exports - commodities cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners India 76.8%, Nigeria 12.1%, Italy 5.1% (2003) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (1997)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia the flag of France is used
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.063 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 62%


industry: 12%


services: 26% (1999 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $6,000 (1998 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -7% (2003 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 12 00 N, 15 00 W 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Highways total: 4,400 km


paved: 453 km


unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)
total: 1,817 km


paved: 817 km


unpaved: 1,000 km (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.5%


highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports NA (2001) $625 million c.i.f. (1997)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners Senegal 18.1%, India 14.6%, Portugal 14.6%, China 9.7%, Italy 9%, Spain 4.9% (2003) France 52%, US 14%, Trinidad and Tobago 6% (1997)
Independence 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate 2.6% (1997 est.) NA%
Industries agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 108.72 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 119.37 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 97.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
13.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4% (2002 est.) 2.5% (1992) (1992)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO FZ, WCL, WFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 170 sq km (1998 est.) 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases) Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 480,000 (1999) 58,800 (1997) (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 82% (2000 est.) services, government, and commerce 61%, industry 21%, agriculture 18% (1980)
Land boundaries total: 724 km


border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 10.67%


permanent crops: 8.82%


other: 80.51% (2001)
arable land: 0.11% NEGL


permanent crops: 0.03%


other: 99.86% (90% forest, 10% other) (1998 est.)
Languages Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages French
Legal system NA French legal system
Legislative branch unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years); note - President YALA dissolved the National People's Assembly in November 2002, elections for a new legislature were scheduled to fall in February 2003 but were then postponed to April, then July, then September, and were last scheduled to occur in March 2004


elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2% ; seats by party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 46.98 years


male: 45.09 years


female: 48.92 years (2004 est.)
total population: 76.49 years


male: 73.16 years


female: 79.99 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 42.4%


male: 58.1%


female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Africa South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $8.4 million (2003) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.8% (2003) NA%
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 326,864 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 50,504 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 185,801 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 32,720 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 24 September (1973) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), cinnabar, kaolin, fish
Net migration rate -1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Political parties and leaders African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL] Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Roland HO-WEN-SZE]; Socialist Party or PS [Pierre RIBARDIERE]; Walwari Committee [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 1,388,363 (July 2004 est.) 182,333 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 1.99% (2004 est.) 2.57% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
Radios - 104,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% Roman Catholic
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: small system


domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications


international: country code - 245
general assessment: NA


domestic: fair open wire and microwave radio relay system


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,600 (2003) 47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,300 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations NA (1997) 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 5 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.13 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate NA (1998) 21.4% (1998) (1998)
Waterways 4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004) 3,300 km navigable by native craft


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers
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