system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations,
and new radio relay system; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM 1
FM, 1 TV; 65,000 TV sets; 200,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth station
:Guinea Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Republican Guard,
paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,759,811; 888,968 fit for military service (1989)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.2% of GDP (1988)
:Guinea-Bissau Geography
Total area:
36,120 km2
Land area:
28,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
724 km; Guinea 386, Senegal 338 km
Coastline:
350 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 12 November 1991 rendered its
decision on the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal maritime boundary in favor of Senegal
Climate:
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoon-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
Natural resources:
unexploited deposits of petroleum, bauxite, phosphates; fish, timber
Land use:
arable land 11%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 43%; forest and
woodland 38%; other 7%
Environment:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
:Guinea-Bissau People
Population:
1,047,137 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
42 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
18 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
124 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
45 years male, 48 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
5.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guinea-Bissauan(s); adjective - Guinea-Bissauan
Ethnic divisions:
African about 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 and numerous African languages
Literacy:
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