Guinea-Bissau is bounded by Senegal to the North, Guinea to the East and South, and the Atlantic Ocean to the West. The terrain is made up of low coastal plains rising to savanna in the East. Meadows and pastures cover nearly half the land. Forests and woodlands are spread over one-third of the area. Guinea-Bissau also extends through the Bijagos Archipelago, a series of scenic islands off the Western Coast. Many rivers cut through the country and the sea encroaches deeply into the land. Only a few areas are cultivated; inland, the country is largely savanna while the coasts are covered with forests. The climate is tropical with only two seasons. There is a monsoon-type rainy season coupled with South-westerly winds blowing from June to November.

The economy of Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on agriculture, with good prospects for forestry and fishing. Farming and animal husbandry dominate the sector. Some of the important agricultural products are rice, corn, beans, cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, cotton, timber and fish. Cashews account for the major portion of the exports. The country is also endowed with large deposits of bauxite and phosphates. The river Corubal has remarkable hydroelectric potential. Guinea-Bissau is dependent on imported oil, although offshore exploration is under way. Industrial activity is limited to small-scale agro-related factories producing light consumer goods.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	270.61 million US$ (2004)
Per Capita GDP:	175.30 US$ (2004)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	67.81% Agriculture, 12.0% Industry, 25.0% Services, (2003)
Total Exports:	68.38 million US$ (2003)
Total Imports:	- million US$ (2004)
Major Exports Items:	Cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels and sawn lumber
Major Imports Items:	Foodstuffs, transportation equipment and petroleum products
Major Trading Partners:	India, Senegal, Uruguay, Portugal and Thailand

 

Ministero do Equipamento Social

Banque Centrale des Etas de l’Afrique de l’Ouest

Instituto Nacional de Estetica e Censos