Chic African Culture Blog

Guinea-Bissau History, People, Economy

African Country Guinea-Bissau Information and Stats

All About the African Country Guinea-Bissau


Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval.

Guinea-Bissau Cashew Nut Tree


Chic African Culture

Guinea-Bissau is a small coastal West African country just to the South of Senegal where many indigenous African languages are spoken along with a unique dialect of Crioulo (Creole mixed with Portuguese and French).  Guinea-Bissau was once part of the Mali Empire known as Gabu.

From 1446-47 - First Portuguese arrived; subsequently administered as part of the Portuguese Capo Verde Islands, the Guinea area becomes important in the slave-trade. Guinea-Bissau becomes a separate colony in the Portuguese Empire in 1879.


The country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel; "Bissau," the name of the capital city, distinguishes the country from neighboring Guinea. 

West Africa's Guinea-Bissau was part of the Portuguese Empire for centuries and was once known as the Slave Coast; today 14% of the population speaks Portuguese.

The Portuguese set up slave trade operations in the ports of Bissau and Cacheu on the coast of Guinea, the interior was not explored until around 1915 with heavy resistance from the indigenous population. The islands off the coast of Guinea-Bissau Bijagos Archipelago (islands) are 88 islands and islets of which 23 are inhabited.

The Bijagos islands are a Biosphere Reserve or internationally designated protected areas since 1996, with two National Marine Parks, João Viera-Poilão and Orango. João Viera-Poilão has the largest green sea turtle nesting site on the Atlantic coast of Africa.

Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is under the age of 25. At the end of the 1990s, the country experienced a conflict which drew in Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, and France and ended with the president going into exile. 

Guinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking.


[Read Next: Top 20 Largest Countries in Africa]
With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. 

Guinea-Bissau is the world's fifth-largest cashew exporter behind India, Vietnam, Ivory Coast and Brazil and a major exporter of illegally logged African Rosewood. Average daily consumption of the Guinea-Bissau people is .85 cents, which means the average amount of money people live on in Guinea-Bissau, is .85 cents per day. The World Bank defines extreme poverty as living on no more than $1.25 per day. It is not surprising to see a potentially profitable illegal logging of African Rosewood emerge in a society with such high levels of poverty.

Read more facts and food recipes about Africa

African people are praised for proverbs, history, traditions, and struggles. Learn more about Africa.
West African Ginger Beer Recipe
Sierra Leone Fish Soup Recipe
African Countries and Capitals That Begin with M Word Search
Quick and Easy Bitter Leaf Stew Recipe
All 54 African countries have national anthems.
Guinea Bissau map
Guinea Bissau map


This Week’s Best Posts and Pages

Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals

Image
Gold Olympic Medals Africa Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Nigeria are the top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals. 10 African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals How much do you know about Africa's history at the Summer Olympics Games? The 2016 summer Olympic Games in Rio officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad has been a part of Africa’s history since 1904. Also in Rio 2016, the first-ever Team Refugees will stand before the world and prove that you can succeed no matter where you're from. Top ten African countries with the most Gold Olympic medals African Country Gold Silver Bronze Total Kenya 24 33 29 86 South Africa 23 26 27
Learn More

Using Amen and Ashe or Ase

Image
Usage of Amen and Ashe or Ase Ashe to Amen learn about the custom of using the words Ashe and Amen historically. Where did the word Amen and Ashe come from why is it said and what does it mean? In Judaism, 3,500 years old and Christian religions 2,000 years old, Amen, means may it be so. In the African Yoruba language among the Yoruba people whose culture is as old as time, Ashe or Ase means may it be so. Ase or Ashe means power, commandment, and authority, the ability to make whatever one says happen from the spiritual to the physical realm. In the Yoruba language, Ashe is omnipresent spiritual energy. Followers of Judaism and Christian religions use the word Amen. It is the word utilized to end prayers as an affirmation for the requests to be provided by God. Yoruba is as old as time, Ashe refers to the life force within all living things, the spark that animates life. It is used as a term used in the same manner as Amen at the end of appeals and prayers as an affirmati
Learn More

What's Your Dagara Cosmology Sign

Image
Dagara Cosmology. In the Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition, there are two terms both pointing to the same Earth, Tingan and Tenbalu; Tingan is male, and Tenbalu is female. What is Your Dagara Cosmology Sign. Explore and Understand Africa Through Her Food and Culture. Dagara Cosmology. The Burkina Faso Dagara Cosmology tradition is similar in thought to string theory where it is the theory of everything. Every particle in the universe contains a vibrating string which leads to other dimensions, nothing dies; instead, Tingan and Tenbalu are continually reshaping into other forms of matter. Dagara Elder Malidoma Patrice Somé explains in Dagara Cosmology, the masculine and the feminine have little to do with biology.  The masculine is Tingan similar to fire with an endless propensity to consume . The feminine is Tenbalu because of its nurturing and caring instinct.  Earth is therefore a man and a woman with an endless capacity to generate and regenerate, to give a
Learn More

Highest Temperature Lowest Temperature in Africa

Image
Highest Temperature Lowest Temperature in Africa Highest Temperature Lowest Temperature in Africa The hottest average temperature on Earth is Dallol, Ethiopia, averages a temperature of 93 °F or 33.9 °C throughout the year. The highest temperature recorded anywhere in Africa was at Al Aziziyah, Libya, which reached 136 °F or 57.8 °C on September 13, 1922. The lowest recorded temperature in Africa is -11 °F or -24 °C at Ifrane, Morocco, on February 11, 1935. Africa Weather Extremes Walking to school in the South African snow Azizia, Libya record holder of the highest temperature ever directly measured on Earth The hottest average temperature in the world belongs to Ethiopia's Danakil Depression Ethiopia's Danakil Depression is one of the hottest, driest and lowest places on the planet. Danakil Depression of Ethiopia receives 100 to 200mm of rainfall per year and it is also one of the lowest places on the planet, at 410 ft or 125m below
Learn More

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

African cultures express, encourage, and communicate energy

Support African History and Culture

Chic African Culture and The African Gourmet are dedicated to discovering, collecting and sharing African history and heritage celebrating 14 years of service in 2021. Share and support in the pride of being part of an important cultural and educational resource.


Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

Chic African Culture

Be better than average and support African history and culture.