Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/101.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 9.1 KB | 339 lines

@node Geography (Guinea-Bissau)
@section Geography (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and
  Senegal
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  36,120 km2
 land area:
  28,000 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
  total 724 km, Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
  350 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 12 November 1991 rendered its
  decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary in favor of Senegal
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 coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Natural resources:
  unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates, fish, timber
Land use:
 arable land:
  11%
 permanent crops:
  1%
 meadows and pastures:
  43%
 forest and woodland:
  38%
 other:
  7%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season



@end display

@node People (Guinea-Bissau)
@section People (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Population:
  1,072,439 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  2.38% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  41.26 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  17.45 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  122.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  47.03 years
 male:
  45.38 years
 female:
  48.73 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  5.6 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Guinea-Bissauan(s)
 adjective:
  Guinea-Bissauan
Ethnic divisions:
  African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%),
  European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%
Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
 total population:
  36%
 male:
  50%
 female:
  24%
Labor force:
  403,000 (est.)
 by occupation:
  agriculture 90%, industry, services, and commerce 5%, government 5%
 note:
  population of working age 53% (1983)



@end display

@node Government (Guinea-Bissau)
@section Government (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Guinea-Bissau
 conventional short form:
  Guinea-Bissau
 local long form:
  Republica de Guine-Bissau
 local short form:
  Guine-Bissau
 former:
  Portuguese Guinea
Digraph:
  PU
Type:
  republic highly centralized multiparty since mid-1991; the African Party for
  the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) held an
  extraordinary party congress in December 1990 and established a two-year
  transition program during which the constitution will be revised, allowing
  for multiple political parties and a presidential election in 1993
Capital:
  Bissau
Administrative divisions:
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama,
  Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence:
  10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
Constitution:
  16 May 1984
Legal system:
  NA
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC),
  President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; Democratic Social Front (FDS),
  Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader;
  Democratic Front, Aristides MENEZES, leader
 note:
  PAIGC is still the major party (of 10 parties) and controls all aspects of
  the government
Suffrage:
  15 years of age; universal
Elections:
 National People's Assembly:
  last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 15 June 1994); results - PAIGC is
  the only party; seats - (150 total) PAIGC 150, appointed by Regional
  Councils
 President of Council of State:
  last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results - Gen. Joao
  Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without opposition by the National People's
  Assembly
Executive branch:
  president of the Council of State, vice presidents of the Council of State,
  Council of State, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:   unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
Judicial branch:
  none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers



@end display

@node Government (Guinea-Bissau 2. usage)
@section Government (Guinea-Bissau 2. usage)

@display

Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President of the Council of State Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power
  14 November 1980 and elected President of Council of State on 16 May 1984)
Member of:
  ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
  UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL
 chancery:
  918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006
 telephone:
  [phone]
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Roger A. MAGUIRE
 embassy:
  17 Avenida Domingos Ramos, Bissau
 mailing address:
  1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau
 telephone:
  [245] 20-1139, 20-1145, 20-1113
 FAX:
  [245] 20-1159
Flag:
  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; similar to the
  flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star raised above the center of the
  red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell



@end display

@node Economy (Guinea-Bissau)
@section Economy (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Overview:
  Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world, with a per
  capita GDP of roughly $200. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic
  activities. Cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels are the primary exports.
  Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a
  weak infrastructure and the high cost of development. The government's
  four-year plan (1988-91) targeted agricultural development as the top
  priority.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $210 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:   2.3% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $210 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  55% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  NA%
Budget:
  revenues $33.6 million; expenditures $44.8 million, including capital
  expenditures of $.57 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $20.4 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
 commodities:
  cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
 partners:
  Portugal, Senegal, France, The Gambia, Netherlands, Spain
Imports:
  $63.5 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
 commodities:
  capital equipment, consumer goods, semiprocessed goods, foods, petroleum
 partners:
  Portugal, Netherlands, Senegal, USSR, Germany
External debt:
  $462 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 1.0% (1989 est.); accounts for 10% of GDP (1989 est.)
Electricity:
  22,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks
Agriculture:
  accounts for over 50% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of employment;
  rice is the staple food; other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew
  nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton; not self-sufficient in food;
  fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $68
  million
Currency:
  1 Guinea-Bissauan peso (PG) = 100 centavos
Exchange rates:
  Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1 - 1987.2 (1989), 1363.6 (1988), 851.65
  (1987), 238.98 (1986)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year



@end display

@node Communications (Guinea-Bissau)
@section Communications (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Highways:
  3,218 km; 2,698 km bituminous, remainder earth
Inland waterways:
  scattered stretches are important to coastal commerce
Ports:
  Bissau
Airports:
 total:
  33
 usable:
  15
 with permanent-surface runways:
  4
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  5
Telecommunications:
  poor system of radio relay, open-wire lines, and radiocommunications; 3,000
  telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 3 FM, 1 TV



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Guinea-Bissau)
@section Defense Forces (Guinea-Bissau)

@display

Branches:
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; including Army, Navy, Air Force),
  paramilitary force
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 235,931; fit for military service 134,675 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $9.3 million, 5%-6% of GDP (1987)



@end display