One fifth of all children born in Guinea-Bissau do not live to see their fifth birthday.
Cashew nuts are the country's largest export.
Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portugal in 1974, through a bitter war of liberation. The centrally planned economy implemented shrank the productive sector. Unfortunately, the growth rates have not been able to improve the lives of the poor. The scarcity of finance for trade and investment is a severe limitation to potential growth. Additionally, the unemployment rate among urban young people is alarming.