Guinea-Bissau
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Updated
Population
2.25 million
2025 · World Bank
GDP
$2.53B
2025 · World Bank
GDP per capita
$1,124
2025 · World Bank
Area
36,125 km²
mledoze/countries reference dataset
Capital
Bissau
Median age
19.4 yrs
2025 · UN WPP
Location
- Capital
- Bissau
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Area
- 36,125 km²
- Neighbours
- 2
- Languages
- Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
Leadership
- Head of government
- Rui Duarte de Barros
- In office since December 21, 2023
Wikidata (CC0), checked August 11, 2026. Frozen Factbook mirrors still list the officeholders of January 2026.
Then and now
The CIA World Factbook stopped updating in January 2026. This is what has changed since its final edition.
| Indicator | Factbook, final edition | Current | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,132,3252024 | 2,249,5152025 | +5.5% |
| GDP (nominal) | $2.12B2024 | $2.53B2025 | +19.2% |
| Inflation rate | 3.8%2024 | 0.9%2025 | -2.9 pp |
Trends since 2000
World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).
7 facts about Guinea-Bissau
- 01 Guinea-Bissau ranks 148 of 238 in population, with 2.25 million people as of 2025.
- 02 Its economy produced $2.53B in 2025, or $1,124 per person.
- 03 It shares land borders with 2 neighbours: Guinea, Senegal.
- 04 Population has grown 82% since 2000, from 1.23 million to 2.25 million.
- 05 Prices sit at about 34% of United States levels (World Bank PPP data, 2025).
- 06 30% of the population uses the internet (2024).
- 07 It lists 2 official or major languages: Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole.
Reference
- Languages
- Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Calling code
- +245
- Internet TLD
- .gw
- Demonym
- Guinea-Bissauan
- ISO codes
- GW · GNB · 624
Compare Guinea-Bissau
The Factbook archive 138 fields · 11 categories
The complete World Factbook entry for Guinea-Bissau: 138 fields and 223 sub-entries across 11 categories, kept whole as historical reference. A United States Government work in the public domain, reflecting data as of the final January 2026 edition; the live figures above supersede the fast-moving numbers in it. Last CIA update: January 6, 2026.
Introduction 1 field
- Background
- 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 18 fields
- 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 kmland: 28,120 sq kmwater: 8,005 sq km
- Area - comparative
- slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
- Land boundaries
- total: 762 kmborder countries: Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 km
- Coastline
- 350 km
- Maritime claims
- territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive 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 mlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 mmean elevation: 70 m
- Natural resources
- fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
- Land use
- agricultural land: 29.9% (2023 est.)agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)forest: 75% (2023 est.)other: 0% (2023 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 33 fields
- Population
- total: 2,132,325 (2024 est.)male: 1,042,910female: 1,089,415
- 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)
- 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: 18.5 years (2025 est.)male: 17.8 yearsfemale: 18.9 years
- Population growth rate
- 2.55% (2025 est.)
- Birth rate
- 35.82 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 6.99 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -3.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- 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)/female0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 505 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
- Infant mortality rate
- total: 45.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)male: 52 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 40.6 deaths/1,000 live births
- Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 64.5 years (2024 est.)male: 62.2 yearsfemale: 66.8 years
- Total fertility rate
- 4.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 2.26 (2025 est.)
- Drinking water source
- improved: urban: urban: 73.1% of population (2022 est.)improved: rural: rural: 52.5% of population (2022 est.)improved: total: total: 61.8% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: urban: urban: 26.9% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: rural: rural: 47.5% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: total: total: 38.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Health expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 8.2% of GDP (2021)Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
- Sanitation facility access
- improved: urban: urban: 72.2% of population (2022 est.)improved: rural: rural: 23.8% of population (2022 est.)improved: total: total: 45.6% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: urban: urban: 27.8% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: rural: rural: 76.2% of population (2022 est.)unimproved: total: total: 54.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Obesity - adult prevalence rate
- 9.5% (2016)
- 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.)
- Tobacco use
- total: 6.7% (2025 est.)male: 13.2% (2025 est.)female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 18.8% (2019 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15-49)
- 59% (2019 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.)
- Literacy
- total population: 63.9% (2022 est.)male: 77.3% (2022 est.)female: 52.2% (2022 est.)
Environment 10 fields
- Environmental issues
- deforestation (overharvesting of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
- International environmental 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, Whalingsigned, 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: 29.9% (2023 est.)agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 14.1% (2023 est.)agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 8.9% (2023 est.)agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 6.9% (2023 est.)forest: 75% (2023 est.)other: 0% (2023 est.)
- Urbanization
- urban population: 45.5% of total population (2023)rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- Carbon dioxide emissions
- total 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.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 42.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,500 tons (2024 est.)percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.1% (2022 est.)
- Total water withdrawal
- municipal: 34.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)industrial: 11.9 million cubic meters (2022 est.)agricultural: 144 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 31.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government 23 fields
- Country name
- conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissauconventional short form: Guinea-Bissaulocal long form: Republica da Guine-Bissaulocal short form: Guine-Bissauformer: Portuguese Guineaetymology: 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: Bissaugeographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 Wtime 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 1984amendment 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: yescitizenship by descent only: yesdual citizenship recognized: noresidency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Executive branch
- chief of state: Interim President Gen. Horta Nta Na MAN (since 27 November 2025)head of government: Interim Prime Minister Ilídio Vieira TE (since 28 November 2025)cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the presidentelection/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for up to 2 consecutive 5-year terms; prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assemblymost recent election date: 23 November 2025election results:
2025: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) and Fernando DIAS da Costa (PRS) both claimed victory in first round; a coup prevented the release of election results after ballots were destroyed
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% (2019)expected date of next election: 2025 - Legislative branch
- legislature name: People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 102 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 4 yearsmost recent election date: 11/23/2025parties 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 2029
- 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 lifesubordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
- 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 20006telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222FAX: [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 20521-2080email 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 left side; a five-pointed black star is centered in the red band
meaning: yellow stands for the sun, green for hope, red for blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity
history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement; the Ghanaian flag heavily influenced the design - National symbol(s)
- black star
- National color(s)
- red, yellow, green, black
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This is Our Beloved Country)lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO Hehistory: adopted 1974; a delegation from 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 fight for independence
- National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)selected World Heritage Site locales: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (n)
Economy 30 fields
- 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)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $5.912 billion (2024 est.)Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $5.64 billion (2023 est.)Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $5.399 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4.8% (2024 est.)Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.5% (2023 est.)Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.6% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita
- Real GDP per capita 2024: $2,700 (2024 est.)Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,600 (2023 est.)Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,600 (2022 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $2.12 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate - Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 3.8% (2024 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 7.1% (2023 est.)Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.4% (2022 est.)
- GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture: 36.8% (2024 est.)industry: 16.6% (2024 est.)services: 42.1% (2024 est.)
- GDP - composition, by end use
- household consumption: 77% (2024 est.)government consumption: 17.8% (2024 est.)investment in fixed capital: 22.8% (2024 est.)investment in inventories: -1.9% (2024 est.)exports of goods and services: 12.5% (2024 est.)imports of goods and services: -28.2% (2024 est.)
- 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
- 8% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency - Labor force
- 845,300 (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work - Unemployment rate
- Unemployment rate 2024: 2.7% (2024 est.)Unemployment rate 2023: 2.7% (2023 est.)Unemployment rate 2022: 2.7% (2022 est.)
- Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total: 2.8% (2024 est.)male: 3.4% (2024 est.)female: 2% (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 50.5% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line - Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
- Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021: 33.4 (2021 est.)
- Household income or consumption by percentage share
- lowest 10%: 3.4% (2021 est.)highest 10%: 26.1% (2021 est.)
- Remittances
- Remittances 2023: 9.8% of GDP (2023 est.)Remittances 2022: 10.3% of GDP (2022 est.)Remittances 2021: 11% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Budget
- revenues: $269.794 million (2023 est.)expenditures: $450.953 million (2023 est.)
- Public debt
- Public debt 2016: 57.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 8.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP - Current account balance
- Current account balance 2023: -$160.169 million (2023 est.)Current account balance 2022: -$146.64 million (2022 est.)Current account balance 2021: -$14.128 million (2021 est.)
- Exports
- Exports 2023: $284.5 million (2023 est.)Exports 2022: $280.065 million (2022 est.)Exports 2021: $334.904 million (2021 est.)
- 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
- Imports 2023: $592.095 million (2023 est.)Imports 2022: $577.899 million (2022 est.)Imports 2021: $518.162 million (2021 est.)
- 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 - Debt - external
- Debt - external 2023: $896.812 million (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates
- Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -Exchange rates 2024: 606.345 (2024 est.)Exchange rates 2023: 606.57 (2023 est.)Exchange rates 2022: 623.76 (2022 est.)Exchange rates 2021: 554.531 (2021 est.)Exchange rates 2020: 575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy 6 fields
- 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.)
- 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.)
- Energy consumption per capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 2.351 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Communications 6 fields
- Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions: 0 (2022 est.)subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- total subscriptions: 2.76 million (2023 est.)subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (2022 est.)
- 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
Transportation 4 fields
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- J5
- Airports
- 7 (2025)
- Merchant marine
- total: 20 (2023)by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 12, other 5
- Ports
- total ports: 2 (2024)large: 0medium: 0small: 0very small: 2ports with oil terminals: 1key ports: Bissau, Rio Cacheu
Military and Security 6 fields
- 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 (2025)
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
- Military Expenditures 2024: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)Military Expenditures 2023: 1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)Military Expenditures 2021: 1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)Military Expenditures 2020: 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 (2025)
- Military service age and obligation
- 18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service for men and women (Air Force service is voluntary) (2025)
- Military - note
- the Armed Forces (FARP) are focused on external security, but also has some internal security duties; the FARP and the paramilitary National Guard have been influential in the country’s politics since independence and have attempted several coups; 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 (2025)
Transnational Issues 1 field
- Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees: 54 (2024 est.)
Frequently asked
- What is the population of Guinea-Bissau in 2025?
- Guinea-Bissau has a population of 2.25 million (2,249,515) according to World Bank, World Development Indicators data for 2025.
- What is the capital of Guinea-Bissau?
- The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau.
- How large is the economy of Guinea-Bissau?
- Guinea-Bissau's GDP is $2.53B (2025, World Bank, World Development Indicators), which is $1,124 per capita.
- Who leads Guinea-Bissau?
- Head of government: Rui Duarte de Barros (since December 21, 2023). Source: Wikidata, checked August 11, 2026.
Guinea-Bissau