Travel to Guinea-Bissau
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Last Minute Tips Before you Travel to Guinea-Bissau
- Time Zone: GMT/UTC 0
- Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz (bring an adapter/transformer for your hair drier, laptop, cellular phone etc.)
- Currency: West African CFA Franc (CFA)
- Country Dialing Code: 245
Guinea-Bissau
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Capital
Bissau
Population
1,416,027 (July 2005 est.)
Regions
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos
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
Ethnic groups
African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Government type
republic, multiparty since mid-1991
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 and 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 August 2005 former President VIEIRA was re-elected President in the second round of presidential polling. Since formally assuming office in October 2005, Vieira has pledged to pursue economic development and national reconciliation.
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