asing efforts to
eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law
enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection
efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not
report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of
resources, the government does not provide shelter services for
trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the
demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008)

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction
Guinea-Bissau

Background:

Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has
experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a
military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo
'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market
economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by
the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political
rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s
failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the
country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting
civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In
February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to
opposition leader Kumba YALA, after he was elected president in
transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in
office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and
businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In
2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to
pursue economic development and national reconciliation.

Geography
Guinea-Bissau

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:

12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 36,120 sq km
land: 28,000 sq km
water: 8,120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

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

Coastline:

350 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June
to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to