W. African troops land in Guinea-Bissau after coup -
17-May-2012
Guinea-Bissau |
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MOST RECENT ALERTS
African Union suspends Guinea-Bissau over coup -
17-Apr-2012
Guinea-Bissau candidate denounces coup before vote -
16-Apr-2012
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| COUNTRY OVERVIEW | ||||||||||||||||
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| COUNTRY GENERAL INFORMATION | |
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| Language: |
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African Languages |
| Currency: | Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States |
| Predominant Religions: |
indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% |
| National Holidays: | Independance Day,24 September (1973) |
| Economic Status: |
The country underwent a civil war in 1998-99 that devastated the economy. One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. |
| Security: |
People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, AirForce,paramilitary force |
| US Presence: |
The US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta. The US Embassy in Guinea-Bissau remains closed. US citizens who plan to enter Guinea-Bissau are encouraged to register with the Consular Section of the US Embassy at Avenue Jean XXIII, Dakar, Senegal. The mailing address is BP 49, Dakar, Senegal. Tel (221) 823-4296 and the fax is (221) 822-2991. The e-mail address is: consulardakar@state.gov. The web site is: http://dakar.usembassy.gov/. |
| Major Airports: |
Airports: 28, Airports w/paved runways: 3 |
