Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers 36,125 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 2,080,000. It borders Senegal to its north and Guinea to its southeast.

Guinea-Bissau was once part of the kingdom of Kaabu and also part of the Mali Empire. Some areas were under the rule of the Portuguese Empire since the 16th century and were colonised as Portuguese Guinea in the 19th century. The country declared independence in 1973, which was recognised in 1974. To avoid confusion with Guinea, the name of its capital, Bissau, was added to the country’s name.

Since independence, Guinea-Bissau has experienced political instability. The official language is Portuguese, spoken by about 2% of the population as a first language and 33% as a second language. Guinea-Bissau Creole, a Portuguese-based creole, is the national language and is spoken by most people. The country is home to followers of Islam, Christianity, and various traditional faiths. Its GDP per capita is among the lowest in the world.

Guinea-Bissau is a member of several international groups, including the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. As of November 2025, its membership in the Economic Community of West African States and African Union has been suspended after a coup d'etat.

History

Main article: History of Guinea-Bissau

Pre-European contact

The ancient history of what is now Guinea-Bissau is not well known. The first known groups to live there were the Jola, Papel, Manjak, Balanta, and Biafada peoples. Later, the Mandinka and Fulani moved into the area in the 1300s and 1400s. They pushed earlier groups toward the coast and the Bijagos islands.

The Balanta and Jola did not have strong leaders but focused on village and family leaders. The Mandinka, Fula, Papel, Manjak, and Biafada had leaders who served kings. Social classes were shown through clothes, housing, and travel. Trade was common, with items like pepper, kola nuts, iron, salt, and dried fish being exchanged.

Kingdom of Bissau

Stories tell of the Kingdom of Bissau starting from a son of a king from Quinara. He brought his sister, wives, and followers to the area. At first, the kingdom and Portuguese settlers got along, but later they fought. The kingdom defended itself well, beating the Portuguese in 1891, 1894, and 1904. But in 1915, Portuguese forces led by Officer Teixeira Pinto and a leader named Abdul Injai took over the kingdom.

Biafada kingdoms

The Biafada people lived around the Rio Grande de Buba in three kingdoms: Biguba, Guinala, and Bissege. Biguba and Guinala were important trading places. They were part of the Kaabu area ruled by Mandinka leaders.

Bijagos Islands

On the Bijagos Islands, people from different groups lived in separate places. Life there was active, with men building boats and raiding the mainland, while women took care of farms, homes, and food. Women could choose their husbands, and successful warriors were respected.

Kaabu

Main article: Kaabu

Kaabu began as part of the Mali Empire in the 1300s. By the 1400s, much of Guinea-Bissau was under Mali’s control. Mali’s power slowly faded, and by the early 1500s, a leader named Koli Tenguella took control. Kaabu became its own group of kingdoms. The leaders were strong warriors called the Nyancho, known for their skills in battle. They lived in Kansala, in today’s Gabú region.

The main activity was trading slaves, and leaders grew rich with goods from other places. Trade with North Africa was strong until the 1400s, when trading with Europeans grew. In the 1700s and 1800s, about 700 slaves were sent out each year from the area, many from Kaabu.

In the late 1700s, a new group called the Imamate of Futa Jallon challenged Kaabu. In the 1800s, a civil war began when local Fula people wanted to be independent. The war included the 1867 Battle of Kansala, where the Fuladu defeated Kaabu. Some smaller kingdoms stayed until they became part of Portuguese colonies.

European contact

Main articles: British Guinea and Portuguese Guinea

15th–16th centuries

The first Europeans to arrive in Guinea-Bissau were Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto in 1455, Portuguese explorer Diogo Gomes in 1456, Portuguese explorer Duarte Pacheco Pareira in the 1480s, and Flemish explorer Eustache de la Fosse in 1479–1480.

At first, Portuguese rules discouraged settlement, but some people ignored this and settled anyway. They traded with local leaders for items like gum arabic, ivory, hides, civet, dyes, enslaved people, and gold. Local rulers usually kept Europeans out of the inner areas to control trade themselves.

Problems grew in the late 1500s as European traders tried to influence local societies. The Portuguese tried to control trade but faced challenges from other European countries. In 1580, Portugal and Spain joined under one king, leading to attacks on Portuguese places by Spain’s enemies.

17th–18th centuries

In the early 1600s, Portugal tried to control all trade through Santiago and limit weapon sales to locals, but these efforts failed. After Portugal and Spain split in 1640, Portugal tried to stop Spanish trade, but Afro-Portuguese traders relied on European goods.

The Portuguese could not maintain their trade control. The power of the Mali Empire faded, and local leaders like the farim of Kaabu and the king of Kassa became more independent. In the early 1700s, Portugal left Bissau and went back to Cacheu after being captured by a local king. They returned in the 1750s. Meanwhile, the Cacheu and Cape Verde Company closed in 1706. In the 1790s, Britain tried to set up a base on Bolama Island.

Slave trade

Guinea-Bissau was one of the first places where people were taken as slaves for the Atlantic trade. For years, its people sent slaves to North Africa. Though it did not send as many slaves to the Americas as other areas, the impact was still big. In Cape Verde, slaves helped build up farms growing indigo and cotton and making panos cloth. In the 1600s and 1700s, thousands of people were taken each year; about 3,000 a year from Guinala alone. Many were captured during wars like those between the Imamate of Futa Jallon and Kaabu.

Wars sometimes started just to capture people to sell. Leaders and kings benefited, but ordinary people suffered. If a leader was captured, they were often freed for a price. Kings and European traders worked together, deciding who could be enslaved and for how much. As European countries began to stop the slave trade in the late 1700s, Portugal ended slavery in 1869 and Brazil in 1888. After that, a system of forced labor took its place.

Colonialism

Until the late 1800s, Portuguese control outside their forts and trading places was weak. From the 1860s, European countries began competing more for control. A fight over Bolama was decided in Portugal’s favor with help from U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in 1870, but France kept trying to take land. In 1886, the Casamance area of today’s Senegal went to France.

Struggle for independence

The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) started in 1956 under Amílcar Cabral. At first, they used peaceful ways, but after the 1959 Pidjiguiti massacre, they turned to armed struggle. Planning from Conakry, they began the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence on January 23, 1963.

The PAIGC quickly took control of large areas, helped by the jungle and support from nearby countries and weapons from Cuba, China, the Soviet Union, and other African nations. They even had some ability to defend against airplane attacks. By 1973, PAIGC controlled much of Guinea, though they lost their leader Amilcar Cabral that year. After Cabral’s death, Aristides Pereira took over and later became the first president of Cape Verde.

Independence (1973–2000)

Guinea-Bissau declared independence on September 24, 1973, now celebrated as Independence Day. It was officially recognized on September 10, 1974. Romania, led by Nicolae Ceaușescu, was the first country to recognize Guinea-Bissau.

Luís Cabral, brother of Amílcar and a co-founder of PAIGC, became the first president of Guinea-Bissau. At first, things looked good. Many people returned home, schools were free for everyone, and girls’ education was encouraged.

But in 1980, the economy got worse, causing unhappiness. On November 14, 1980, João Bernardo Vieira, known as “Nino Vieira,” overthrew President Luís Cabral. The constitution was stopped, and a Military Council led by Vieira took control. The country moved toward a market economy, cutting spending on schools and social programs.

The Military Council ruled until 1984. The first elections with many parties were in 1994. An army uprising in May 1998 led to the Guinea-Bissau Civil War, and the president was removed in June 1999. Elections in 2000 made Kumba Ialá president.

21st century

In September 2003, a military coup happened. The military arrested Ialá, saying he “could not solve the problems.” Elections were held in March 2004 after many delays. A mutiny in October 2004 over unpaid salaries led to the death of the armed forces head.

In June 2005, presidential elections were held. Ialá ran again but lost to former president João Bernardo Vieira. Vieira won against Malam Bacai Sanhá. Sanhá did not accept the result at first, saying there was voting problems in some areas, but foreign watchers called the elections “calm and organized.”

Three years later, Sanhá’s PAIGC won most seats in parliament in the November 2008 election. In November 2008, armed forces attacked President Vieira’s home, hurting a guard but not Vieira.

On March 2, 2009, Vieira was killed by soldiers who were said to be seeking revenge for the death of the chief of staff, General Batista Tagme Na Wai, who died in an explosion the day before. Vieira’s death did not cause big trouble, but there were signs of problems. Military leaders said they would follow the country’s rules for leadership. Parliament Speaker Raimundo Pereira became temporary president until an election on June 28, 2009. That election was won by Malam Bacai Sanhá, who ran against Kumba Ialá.

On January 9, 2012, President Sanhá died, and Pereira became temporary president again. On April 12, 2012, the military took control and arrested Pereira and a top election candidate. Former vice chief of staff, General Mamadu Ture Kuruma, led the country during this time and talked with other groups.

The 2014 general election made José Mário Vaz president. Vaz was the first elected president to finish his five-year term. In the 2019 presidential elections, Vaz lost in the first round, and Umaro Sissoco Embaló became president. Embaló was the first president not backed by PAIGC, taking office in February 2020.

On February 1, 2022, there was an attempted coup d'état against Embaló. On February 2, 2022, state radio said four attackers and two members of the presidential guard were killed. The African Union and ECOWAS said they did not support the coup. Six days later, on February 7, 2022, there was an attack on Rádio Capital FM, a radio station that criticized the government. This was the second attack on the station in less than two years.

In 2023, there was a reported coup attempt in the capital, Bissau. Embaló said he would not run for a second term in the 2025 elections, but in March 2025, he said he would run again. On November 26, 2025, soldiers said they had seized power after the 2025 general election. They set a curfew, closed borders, and stopped media; Embaló and opposition leader Domingos Simões Pereira were arrested.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a republic. The president is the head of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. The country has a single legislative body called the National People's Assembly, with 100 members elected for four-year terms. The highest court is the Supreme Court, led by judges chosen by the president.

The two largest political parties are the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde and the Party for Social Renewal. There are also many smaller parties. In November 2025, the military took control of the government after an election dispute, and a new leader was appointed to guide the country during this time.

Foreign relations

Further information: Foreign relations of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, a group of nations where Portuguese is the official language.

Military

Further information: Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People (Guinea-Bissau)

The military of Guinea-Bissau has around 4,400 people, and the country supports a treaty that bans nuclear weapons.

Administrative divisions

Main articles: Regions of Guinea-Bissau and Sectors of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is divided into eight regions and one special sector. These areas are further divided into 37 smaller sectors. The regions include:

• Bafatá
• Biombo
• Bissau
• Bolama
• Cacheu
• Gabú
• Oio
• Quinara
• Tombali

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is next to Senegal to the north and Guinea to the south and east. The Atlantic Ocean lies to the west. It is a bit bigger than Belgium, covering 36,125 square kilometres (13,948 sq mi). The highest point is Monte Torin, which is 262 metres (860 ft) tall. The land is mostly low and flat near the coast, with swamps and forests further inland.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau stays warm all year, with temperatures around 26.3 °C (79.3 °F). It rains a lot from June to September or October, with most of the rain falling in the capital, Bissau. From December to April, the country can go through dry periods.

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Guinea-Bissau, Mining industry of Guinea-Bissau, and Tourism in Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau has one of the smallest economies in the world. Most people there live in poverty, and the country relies mainly on farming. Its biggest exports are fish, cashew nuts, and ground nuts.

The country has faced many years of political trouble, which made its economy weak and caused poor living conditions. Starting in 2005, some bad people started using the country to move illegal goods to Europe, making things even harder for the people there.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau has a population of about 2 million people. Many people in the country are young, with over 40% being under 15 years old. The country has many different ethnic groups, each with its own languages and traditions. The largest groups are the Fula and Mandinka, followed by the Balanta, Papel, Manjaco, and others. Most people also have mixed heritage from Portuguese and African ancestors.

The main language in Guinea-Bissau is Portuguese, but it is mainly used for government and school. Many people speak a local version called Kriol, which helps different groups communicate. Other languages are also spoken, such as Fula, Balanta, and Mandinka. Islam and Christianity are the main religions, but many people also follow traditional African beliefs. Education is important, but not everyone can attend school, especially girls.

Culture

Media

Main article: Media of Guinea-Bissau

Music

Main article: Music of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is well known for its gumbe music, which is its most famous style. Gumbe mixes many traditional sounds and often uses the calabash as an instrument. The lyrics are usually in Guinea-Bissau Creole and talk about everyday life and events.

Cuisine

Further information: Cuisine of Guinea-Bissau

People in Guinea-Bissau enjoy eating soups and stews. Common ingredients include yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, onions, tomatoes, and plantains. Spices like Aframomum melegueta seeds are also used in cooking.

Film

Flora Gomes is a famous film director from Guinea-Bissau. His film Nha Fala (My Voice) is well known around the world. Another of his films, Mortu Nega (Death Denied), made in 1988, was the first fiction film in the country. Gomes has been part of many film festivals in Africa.

Sports

Football is the most popular sport in Guinea-Bissau. The country's football team is part of the Confederation of African Football and FIFA.