Part 312

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

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

Terrain: mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m

Natural resources: phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum, fish, timber

Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 43% forest and woodland: 38% other: 7%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands

People ------

Population: 1,151,330 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 43% (male 247,471; female 246,725) 15-64 years: 54% (male 295,132; female 329,681) 65 years and over: 3% (male 15,603; female 16,718) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.35% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 39.7 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 16.23 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female all ages: 0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 115.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 48.28 years male: 46.63 years female: 49.99 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.34 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinea-Bissauan(s) adjective: Guinea-Bissauan

Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 65%, Muslim 30%, Christian 5%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Criolo, African languages

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 54.9% male: 68% female: 42.5%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau local long form: Republica de Guine-Bissau local short form: Guine-Bissau former: Portuguese Guinea