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Compare Guinea-Bissau (2006) - Congo, Republic of the (2001)

Compare Guinea-Bissau (2006) z Congo, Republic of the (2001)

 Guinea-Bissau (2006)Congo, Republic of the (2001)
 Guinea-BissauCongo, Republic of the
Administrative divisions 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.4% (male 297,623/female 298,942)


15-64 years: 55.6% (male 384,559/female 417,811)


65 years and over: 3% (male 18,048/female 25,046) (2006 est.)
0-14 years:
42.43% (male 618,411; female 609,633)

15-64 years:
54.23% (male 765,501; female 804,125)

65 years and over:
3.34% (male 38,772; female 57,894) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Airports 28 (2006) 33 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2006)
total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
12

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Area total: 36,120 sq km


land: 28,000 sq km


water: 8,120 sq km
total:
342,000 sq km

land:
341,500 sq km

water:
500 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut slightly smaller than Montana
Background Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In August 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president in the second round of presidential polling. Since formally assuming office in October 2005, Vieira has pledged to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.
Birth rate 37.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues:
$870 million

expenditures:
$970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital name: Bissau


geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Brazzaville
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; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Coastline 350 km 169 km
Constitution 16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, NA 1996 Draft constitution approved by transitional parliament in September 2000
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:
Republic of the Congo

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique du Congo

local short form:
none

former:
Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Currency - Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate 16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 16.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $941.5 million (2000 est.) $5 billion (1999 est.)
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; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau chief of mission:
Ambassador David H. KAEUPER

embassy:
NA

mailing address:
NA

telephone:
[243] (88) 43608

FAX:
[243] (88) 41036

note:
the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC; Guinea-Bissau's representative in Washington is Henrique Adriano DA SILVA, P.O. Box 33813, Washington, DC 20033, telephone: (301)947-3958 chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Serge MOMBOULI

chancery:
4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:
[1] (202) 726-5500

FAX:
[1] (202) 726-1860
Disputes - international attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's Casamance region most of the Congo river boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)
Economic aid - recipient $115.4 million (1995) $159.1 million (1995)
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, offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to 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. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in continued low growth in 2002-05. The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Moreover, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. Even with the IMF's renewed confidence and high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14 million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction.
Electricity - consumption 52.08 million kWh (2003) 406.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 126 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 56 million kWh (2003) 302 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.66%

hydro:
99.34%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
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:
Mount Berongou 903 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans NA%; note - Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that of 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001)


note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005)


head of government: Prime Minister Aristides GOMES (since 2 November 2005)


cabinet: NA


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature


election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malan Bacai SANHA 47.6%
chief of state:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997 but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new constitution)

election results:
Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent of vote - Pascal LISSOUBA 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%; note - LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Exports NA bbl/day $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners India 72%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4% (2005) US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, China (1998)
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 divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 62%


industry: 12%


services: 26% (1999 est.)
agriculture:
10%

industry:
48%

services:
42% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.3% (2005 est.) 3.8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 00 N, 15 00 W 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Geography - note this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Highways - total:
12,800 km

paved:
1,242 km

unpaved:
11,558 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.5%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports NA bbl/day $870 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Italy 25.3%, Senegal 18.6%, Portugal 15.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.3% (2005) France 23%, US 9%, Belgium 8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.)
Independence 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal) 15 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 4.7% (2003 est.) NA%
Industries agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making
Infant mortality rate total: 105.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 115.53 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 94.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
99.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4% (2002 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
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, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003) 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices 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) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 480,000 (1999) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 82%


industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)
-
Land boundaries total: 724 km


border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
total:
5,504 km

border countries:
Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
Land use arable land: 8.31%


permanent crops: 6.92%


other: 84.77% (2005)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
29%

forests and woodland:
62%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
Languages Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)
Legal system accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law system and customary law
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)


elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008)


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 National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates on NA January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council replaced the bicameral Parliament

elections:
National Transitional Council - last held NA January 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); note - at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly

election results:
National Transitional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 46.87 years


male: 45.05 years


female: 48.75 years (2006 est.)
total population:
47.57 years

male:
44.38 years

female:
50.85 years (2001 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:
74.9%

male:
83.1%

female:
67.2% (1995 est.)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea:
200 NM
Military branches People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $9.46 million (2005 est.) $110 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.1% (2005 est.) 3.8% (FY93)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
684,922 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
347,946 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
32,350 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 24 September (1973) Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires seasonal flooding
Natural resources fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 25 km
Political parties and leaders African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]; 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 Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL] the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
Population 1,442,029 (July 2006 est.) 2,894,336

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.07% (2006 est.) 2.2% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Radio broadcast stations AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios - 341,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
894 km

narrow gauge:
894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
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: 0.72 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 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:
services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order

domestic:
primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 10,600 (2003) 22,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 67,000 (2005) 1,000 (1996)
Television broadcast stations NA (2005) 1 (1999)
Terrain mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Total fertility rate 4.86 children born/woman (2006 est.) 5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways four largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2006) 1,120 km

note:
the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only
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