For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trades were lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire.
Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo ‘Nino’ VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA’s regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him, but a military mutiny and civil war in 1999 led to VIEIRA’s ouster. In 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was then elected president, but he passed away in 2012 from a long-term illness. A military coup blocked the second round of the election to replace him, but after mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States, a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president in a free and fair election, and in 2019, he became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in 2019, but he did not take office until 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.
Geography
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Geographic coordinates
12 00 N, 15 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area
total : 36,125 sq km
land: 28,120 sq km
water: 8,005 sq km
comparison ranking: total 137
Area – comparative
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries
total: 762 km
border countries (2): Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km
Coastline
350 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
Terrain
mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets
Elevation
highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 70 m
Natural resources
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use
agricultural land: 30% (2022 est.)
arable land: 14% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 8.9% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 69.8% (2022 est.)
other: 0.1% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
250 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Population distribution
approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Geography – note
this small country is swampy along its western coast and is low-lying inland
People and Society
Population
total: 2,132,325 (2024 est.)
male: 1,042,910
female: 1,089,415
comparison rankings: total 150; female 147; male 151
Nationality
noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)
adjective: Bissau-Guinean
Ethnic groups
Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)
Languages
Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo
Religions
Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 453,513/female 448,514)
15-64 years: 54.6% (male 561,868/female 602,280)
65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 27,529/female 38,621)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 83.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 77.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 17.6 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 18.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 17.8 years
female: 18.9 years
comparison ranking: total 221
Population growth rate
2.54% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 18
Birth rate
36 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 11
Death rate
7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 114
Net migration rate
-3.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 188
Population distribution
approximately one fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight mainly rural regions, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
664,000 BISSAU (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
725 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 5
Infant mortality rate
total: 46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 22
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 62.2 years
female: 66.8 years
comparison ranking: total population 207
Total fertility rate
4.62 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 13
Gross reproduction rate
2.28 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
20.6% (2018/19)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 90.6% of population
rural: 59.1% of population
total: 73.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 9.4% of population
rural: 40.9% of population
total: 26.9% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
8.2% of GDP (2021)
5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 62.4% of population
rural: 7.6% of population
total: 31.8% of population
unimproved:
urban: 37.6% of population
rural: 92.4% of population
total: 68.2% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
9.5% (2016)
comparison ranking: 144
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 3.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.98 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.54 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.28 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 108
Tobacco use
total: 6.7% (2025 est.)
male: 13.2% (2025 est.)
female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 152
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
18.8% (2019)
comparison ranking: 20
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.7% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 8.1% (2019)
women married by age 18: 25.7% (2019)
men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019)
Education expenditure
2.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 167
Literacy
total population: 63.9% (2022 est.)
male: 77.3% (2022 est.)
female: 52.2% (2022 est.)
Environment
Environment – current issues
deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
Land use
agricultural land: 30% (2022 est.)
arable land: 14% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 8.9% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 7.1% (2022 est.)
forest: 69.8% (2022 est.)
other: 0.1% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 34.85 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.29 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 1.46 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,514 tons (2015 est.)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
31.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
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
etymology: the country is partly named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea; the name itself is derived from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning “black people;” Bissau, the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea and is derived from the local Bijuga people
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
name: Bissau
geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name is derived from the local Bijuga people and is used to distinguish the country from neighboring Guinea
Administrative divisions
9 regions (regioes, singular – regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Legal system
mixed system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence; influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law
Constitution
history: promulgated 16 May 1984
amendment process: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (since 27 February 2020)
head of government: Prime Minister Rui Duarte DE BARROS (since 20 December 2023)
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; election last held on 24 November 2019 with a runoff on 29 December 2019 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People’s Assembly
election results:
2019: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round – Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round – Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5%
2014: Jose Mario VAZ elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round – Jose Mario VAZ (PAIGC) 41%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (independent) 25.1%, other 33.9%; percent of vote in second round – Jose Mario VAZ 61.9%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM 38.1% (2019)
note: President EMBALO was declared winner of the 2019 runoff presidential election by the electoral commission; in 2020, EMBALO inaugurated himself with only military leadership present, even though the Supreme Court of Justice had yet to rule on an electoral litigation appeal
Legislative branch
legislature name: People’s National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 102 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 6/4/2023
parties elected and seats per party: Inclusive Alliance Platform/Terra Coalition (54); Movement for Democratic Alternation (MADEM G.15) (29); Party for Social Renewal (PRS) (12); Bissau-Guinean Workers’ Party (6); Other (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 9.8%
expected date of next election: November 2025
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers)
judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life
subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
note: the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction
Political parties
African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC
Democratic Convergence Party or PCD
Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15
National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB
New Democracy Party or PND
Party for Social Renewal or PRS
Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID
Union for Change or UM
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Maria Da Conceição NOBRE CABRAL (since 18 September 2024)
chancery: 918 16th Street, NW (Mezzanine Suite)
Washington DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222
FAX: [1] (202) 872-4226
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022)
mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC 20521-2080
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://gw.usmission.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday
Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Flag description
two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; a black five-pointed star is centered in the red band; yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity
note: uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design
National symbol(s)
black star
National colors
red, yellow, green, black
National anthem
name: “Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada” (This Is Our Beloved Country)
lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He
note: adopted 1974; a delegation from then Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau’s independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to struggle for independence
Economy
Economic overview
extremely poor West African economy; ethnically diverse labor force; increasing government expenditures; slight inflation due to food supply disruptions; major cashew exporter; systemic banking instabilities and corruption; vulnerable to oil price shocks
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$5.553 billion (2023 est.)
$5.279 billion (2022 est.)
$5.046 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 182
Real GDP growth rate
5.2% (2023 est.)
4.61% (2022 est.)
6.4% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 44
Real GDP per capita
$2,600 (2023 est.)
$2,500 (2022 est.)
$2,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 203
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.048 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
9.4% (2022 est.)
2.2% (2021 est.)
1.1% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 184
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 30.7% (2023 est.)
industry: 18.8% (2023 est.)
services: 46.1% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 172; industry 147; agriculture 10
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 73.9% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 16.4% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.4% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 4.6% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 13.9% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
rice, groundnuts, cashews, root vegetables, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, coconuts, vegetables, sweet potatoes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate
11.58% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 12
Labor force
845,300 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 150
Unemployment rate
2.6% (2024 est.)
2.6% (2023 est.)
2.7% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 33
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 2.8% (2024 est.)
male: 3.4% (2024 est.)
female: 2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 190
Population below poverty line
50.5% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
33.4 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 99
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 26.1% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
10.06% of GDP (2023 est.)
10.59% of GDP (2022 est.)
11.12% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $220.219 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $210.858 million (2019 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
53.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 92
Taxes and other revenues
8.6% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 185
Current account balance
-$146.64 million (2022 est.)
-$14.128 million (2021 est.)
-$38.683 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 104
Exports
$280.065 million (2022 est.)
$334.904 million (2021 est.)
$232.536 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 200
Exports – partners
India 66%, Chile 9%, Cote d’Ivoire 5%, Ghana 4%, Netherlands 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews, fish, fish oil, processed crustaceans, malt extract (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$577.899 million (2022 est.)
$518.162 million (2021 est.)
$439.386 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 202
Imports – partners
Senegal 28%, Portugal 24%, China 11%, Gambia, The 10%, Pakistan 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, iron bars, rice, plastics, flavored water (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$356.4 million (2017 est.)
$349.4 million (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 177
Debt – external
$896.812 million (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 108
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
606.345 (2024 est.)
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 37.4% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 61%
electrification – rural areas: 15.8%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 29,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 79.8 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 6 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 12; consumption 200; installed generating capacity 203
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 96.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 1 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 366,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 193
Energy consumption per capita
2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 182
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 220
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2.76 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 142
Broadcast media
1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code
.gw
Internet users
percent of population: 33% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 7,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
comparison ranking: total 189
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
J5
Airports
7 (2025)
comparison ranking: 170
Merchant marine
total: 20 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5
comparison ranking: total 147
Ports
total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Bissau, Rio Cacheu
Military and Security
Military and security forces
People’s Revolutionary Armed Force (Forcas Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo or FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force
Ministry of Internal Administration: National Guard (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2024)
note: the Public Order Police is responsible for maintaining law and order, while the Judicial Police, under the Ministry of Justice, has primary responsibility for investigating drug trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes
Military expenditures
1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
estimated 4,000 active FARP (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FARP is outfitted mostly with Soviet-era weapons and equipment, along with a handful of secondhand items from France and Spain (2024)
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2023)
Military – note
the FARP is focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties, and it has been influential in the country’s politics since independence was gained in 1974, having staged at least nine coup attempts as well as several mutinies; FARP members were suspected of coup plotting as recently as 2021, and it put down an attempted coup in 2022, while the National Guard attempted a coup in December 2023; since the 2000s, the FARP has undergone various attempts at defense and security sector reforms under the auspices of the African Union, the EU, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), and the UN
from 2012-2020, ECOWAS deployed a security force to Guinea-Bissau to manage the post-coup transition, including protecting key political figures and public buildings, restoring civil institutions, and re-establishing the rule of law; the ECOWAS mission withdrew at the end of 2020, but returned in mid-2022 after the attempted coup in February 2022 (2024)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 7,757 (Senegal) (2022)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — The Government of Guinea-Bissau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Guinea-Bissau was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/guinea-bissau/
Illicit drugs
important transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations due to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography near the capital facilitates drug smuggling
