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Compare Guinea-Bissau (2008) - Mauritius (2007)

Compare Guinea-Bissau (2008) z Mauritius (2007)

 Guinea-Bissau (2008)Mauritius (2007)
 Guinea-BissauMauritius
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 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 302,408/female 303,786)


15-64 years: 55.8% (male 394,799/female 427,055)


65 years and over: 3% (male 18,463/female 26,269) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 23.5% (male 147,808/female 146,270)


15-64 years: 69.8% (male 436,043/female 437,441)


65 years and over: 6.7% (male 32,475/female 50,845) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Airports 27 (2007) 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 24


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 19 (2007)
total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 36,120 sq km


land: 28,000 sq km


water: 8,120 sq km
total: 2,040 sq km


land: 2,030 sq km


water: 10 sq km


note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
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 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation. Although known to Arab and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century, Mauritius was first explored by the Portuguese in 1505; it was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Birth rate 36.81 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.26 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $1.236 billion


expenditures: $1.562 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 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)
name: Port Louis


geographic coordinates: 20 09 S, 57 29 E


time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline 350 km 177 km
Constitution 16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
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 Mauritius


conventional short form: Mauritius


local long form: Republic of Mauritius


local short form: Mauritius
Death rate 16.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $941.5 million (2000 est.) $2.419 billion (2006 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 John PRICE


embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis


mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450


telephone: [230] 202-4400


FAX: [230] 208-9534
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH


chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492


FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
Disputes - international in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Economic aid - recipient $79.12 million (2005) $31.93 million (2005)
Economy - overview One of the five 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. Offshore oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to commercially viable crude deposits. 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, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth to 3.7% in 2007. Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Electricity - consumption 55.8 million kWh (2005) 1.973 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 60 million kWh (2005) 2.122 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Exchange rates Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)


note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 31.656 (2006), 29.496 (2005), 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003), 29.962 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005)


head of government: Prime Minister Martinho N'Dafa CABI (since 9 April 2007)


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%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6%
chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003); Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 5 July 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly


election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses
Exports - partners India 76.1%, Nigeria 18.1%, Italy 1.4% (2006) UK 32.5%, France 15.1%, UAE 11.4%, US 8.3%, Madagascar 4.8% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 62%


industry: 12%


services: 26% (1999 est.)
agriculture: 5.2%


industry: 25.2%


services: 69.6% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.7% (2007 est.) 5% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 00 N, 15 00 W 20 17 S, 57 33 E
Geography - note this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.5%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs increasingly important transit country for South American cocaine enroute to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations thanks to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography around the capital facilitates drug smuggling consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
Imports 2,463 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners Portugal 18.7%, Senegal 16.3%, Italy 13%, Pakistan 4.5% (2006) France 14.3%, India 13.6%, China 8.6%, South Africa 7.3% (2006)
Independence 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal) 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.7% (2003 est.) 8% (2000 est.)
Industries agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing, mining, chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 103.5 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 113.7 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 93.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 14.14 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.72 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4% (2002 est.) 8.9% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 250 sq km (2003) 220 sq km (2003)
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
Labor force 480,000 (1999) 541,000 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 82%


industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)
agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)
Land boundaries total: 724 km


border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 8.31%


permanent crops: 6.92%


other: 84.77% (2005)
arable land: 49.02%


permanent crops: 2.94%


other: 48.04% (2005)
Languages Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English (official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Legal system based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


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 Assembly (70 seats; 62 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the election commission to give representation to various ethnic minorities; to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AS 38, MSM/MMM 22, OPR 2; appointed seats - AS 4, MSM/MMM 2, OPR 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 47.18 years


male: 45.37 years


female: 49.04 years (2007 est.)
total population: 72.88 years


male: 68.92 years


female: 76.9 years (2007 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: 84.4%


male: 88.4%


female: 80.5% (2000 census)
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references Africa Political Map of the World
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine - total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 19,417 GRT/19,700 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: 2 (India 2) (2007)
Military branches People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force; paramilitary force no regular military forces; National Police Force, Special Mobile Force, National Coast Guard (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.1% (2005 est.) 0.3% (2006 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 24 September (1973) Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
noun: Mauritian(s)


adjective: Mauritian
Natural hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum arable land, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS; Electoral Union or UE; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Iancuba INDJAI]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Progress Party or PP [Ibrahima SOW]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD Alliance Sociale or AS; Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] (in coalition with MSM); Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM (the governing party) [Pravind JUGNAUTH]; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA various labor unions
Population 1,472,780 (July 2007 est.) 1,250,882 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 10% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.052% (2007 est.) 0.798% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2001) AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2001)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, Muslim 16.6%, other Christian 8.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 0.995 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.924 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female


total population: 0.945 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.011 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.997 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female


total population: 0.971 male(s)/female (2007 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; fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity reached 7 per 100 in 2005


international: country code - 245
general assessment: small system with good service


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system


international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia
Telephones - main lines in use 10,200 (2005) 357,300 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 95,000 (2005) 772,400 (2006)
Television broadcast stations NA (2005) 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Total fertility rate 4.79 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 9.4% (2006 est.)
Waterways rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2007) -
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