Brief History

Guinea-Bissau has been inhabited for thousands of years, but much of its early history is undocumented. The first people in this area were hunters and gatherers, and later agriculturalists. The region that is now Guinea-Bissau used to be a part of the Kaabu Empire. In the 1400s, Portuguese explorers and traders were the first Europeans to arrive in Guinea-Bissau. The Portuguese settled in the area and set up a slave trade. By 1915, Portugal had total control of Guinea-Bissau. In 1974, Guinea-Bissau gained full independence from Portugal. Since then, Guinea-Bissau has suffered from civil wars, military coups, and civil unrest.

National Flag

The national flag of Guinea-Bissau was adopted in 1972 when the country gained independence from Portugal. At the hoist, there is a vertical stripe of red and a black star. The rest of the flag is made up of two horizontal stripes of yellow and green.

Geography

Guinea-Bissau is located in western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, Guinea, and Senegal. It is a flat country with low coastal plains, swamps, and mangroves. There are over 90 islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, collectively called the Bissagos islands.

World Land Mass Ranking: 138th

Highest Mountain: Monte Torin, 262 m (860 ft)

Longest River: Rio Corubal 560 km (350 mi)

Main Languages

Portuguese

Guinea-Bissau Population: 2.1 million (as of 2022)

 

Capital City: Bissau

 

Capital City Population: 643,000 (as of 2022)

Climate

Guinea-Bissau has a very warm, tropical climate year-round. There are two seasons in Guinea-Bissau: a wet season and a dry season. It is a very wet country, and the monsoon season lasts from June to November.

Key People

Amílcar Cabral

 

Yannick Djaló

 

Suzi Barbosa

 

Armindo Tué Na Bangn

• 

  Cuisine

  Guinea-Bissau cuisine is a mixture of African and Portuguese flavors. Some staple ingredients include rice, cassava, yams, and maize. Along the coast, seafood is a staple part of the cuisine. Cashews, coconuts, and brazil nuts are grown for export in Guinea-Bissau. Caldo stews are very popular in Ginnea-Bissau, including Caldo Mancarra, which is a chicken and peanut stew.

• 

  Sports

  Like many other African nations, football is the most popular sport in Guinea-Bissau. Football was introduced to Guinea-Bissau by Portuguese settlers in the 1400s. The Football Federation of Guinea-Bissau administers the national football team and the national football league. Track and Field is also a popular sport in Guinea-Bissau.

• 

  Culture

  The culture of Guinea-Bissau is a combination of traditional West African customs and Portuguese influence. Guinea-Bissau is very diverse, and the population includes many different ethnic groups. Balanta, Fula, Manjaca, Mandinga, and Papel are the predominant ethnic groups. In Guinea-Bissau, many people are either animists or Muslims. Music and dance are essential parts of the culture in Guinea-Bissau. The most common musical instrument is the calabash, and Gumbe is the most popular musical style.