Topic: Photos of Trinidad and Tobago

Topic: Introduction
Background: First colonized by the Spanish, the islands came under British control in the early 19th century. The islands' sugar industry was hurt by the emancipation of the slaves in 1834. Manpower was replaced with the importation of contract laborers from India between 1845 and 1917, which boosted sugar production as well as the cocoa industry. The discovery of oil on Trinidad in 1910 added another important export. Independence was attained in 1962. The country is one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing. The government is struggling to reverse a surge in violent crime.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 5,128 sq km

land: 5,128 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 362 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Elevation: highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 83 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt
Land use: agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 44% (2018 est.)

other: 45.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 70 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms
Geography - note: Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt
Map description: Trinidad and Tobago map showing the major population centers of these islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.Trinidad and Tobago map showing the major population centers of these islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 1,405,646 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)

adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

note: Trinbagonian is used on occasion to describe a citizen of the country without specifying the island of origin
Ethnic groups: East Indian 35.4%, African descent 34.2%, mixed - other 15.3%, mixed - African/East Indian 7.7%, other 1.3%, unspecified 6.2% (2011 est.)
Languages: English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese
Religions: Protestant 32.1% (Pentecostal/Evangelical/Full Gospel 12%, Baptist 6.9%, Anglican 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.1%, Presbyterian/Congregational 2.5%, other Protestant 0.9%), Roman Catholic 21.6%, Hindu 18.2%, Muslim 5%, Jehovah's Witness 1.5%, other 8.4%, none 2.2%, unspecified 11.1% (2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.01% (male 116,953/female 112,805)

15-24 years: 11.28% (male 70,986/female 65,389)

25-54 years: 43.77% (male 276,970/female 252,108)

55-64 years: 13.83% (male 83,650/female 83,585)

65 years and over: 12.11% (2020 est.) (male 64,092/female 82,251)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 46.1

youth dependency ratio: 29.3

elderly dependency ratio: 16.8

potential support ratio: 7.4 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 37.8 years

male: 37.3 years

female: 38.3 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.14% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 10.79 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 8.38 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: population on Trinidad is concentrated in the western half of the island, on Tobago in the southern half
Urbanization: urban population: 53.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 545,000 PORT-OF-SPAIN (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 67 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 15.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17.97 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.94 years

male: 74.02 years

female: 77.93 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 40.3% (2011)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 7% (2019)
Physicians density: 4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 99.9% of population

unimproved: urban: NA

rural: NA

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.7% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 10,000 (2020 est.)

note: estimate does not include children
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <200

note: estimate does not include children
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 18.6% (2016)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.9% (2011)
Education expenditures: 3.6% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99.2%

female: 98.7% (2015)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8.7%

male: 8.9%

female: 8.4% (2016 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; widespread pollution of waterways and coastal areas; illegal dumping; deforestation; soil erosion; fisheries and wildlife depletion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 22.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 43.87 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 1.35 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)
Land use: agricultural land: 10.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 4.9% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 4.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 44% (2018 est.)

other: 45.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 53.3% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 0.23% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 727,874 tons (2010 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 237.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 128.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 16.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 3.84 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

etymology: explorer Christopher COLUMBUS named the larger island "La Isla de la Trinidad" (The Island of the Trinity) on 31 July 1498 on his third voyage; the tobacco grown and smoked by the natives of the smaller island or its elongated cigar shape may account for the "tobago" name, which is spelled "tobaco" in Spanish
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: name: Port of Spain

geographic coordinates: 10 39 N, 61 31 W

time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name dates to the period of Spanish colonial rule (16th to late 18th centuries) when the city was referred to as "Puerto de Espana"; the name was anglicized following the British capture of Trinidad in 1797
Administrative divisions: 9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando ward: Tobago9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 wardregions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarcoborough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortincities: Port of Spain, San Fernandoward: Tobago
Independence: 31 August 1962 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 31 August (1962)
Constitution: history: previous 1962; latest 1976

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional provisions, such as human rights and freedoms or citizenship, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the membership of both houses and assent of the president; passage of amendments, such as the powers and authorities of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, and the procedure for amending the constitution, requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the House membership, two-thirds majority vote by the Senate membership, and assent of the president; amended many times, last in 2007
Legal system: English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Paula-Mae WEEKES (since 19 March 2018)

head of government: Prime Minister Keith ROWLEY (since 9 September 2015)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among members of Parliament

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by an electoral college of selected Senate and House of Representatives members for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 19 January 2018 (next to be held by February 2023); the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as prime minister

election results: Paula-Mae WEEKES (independent) elected president; ran unopposed and was elected without a vote; she is Trinidad and Tobago's first female head of state
Legislative branch: description: bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;)
House of Representatives (42 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the house speaker - usually designated from outside Parliament; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: Senate - last appointments on 28 August 2020 (next appointments in August 2025)
House of Representatives - last held on 10 August 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results: Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of May 2020 - men 19, women 13, percent of women 40.6%
House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 22, UNC 19; composition - as of May 2022 - men 31, women 11, percent of women 26.2%; note - overall Parliament percent of women 32.4%

note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councilors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court of the Judicature (consists of a chief justice for both the Court of Appeal with 12 judges and the High Court with 24 judges); note - Trinidad and Tobago can file appeals beyond its Supreme Court to the Caribbean Court of Justice, with final appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition; other judges appointed by the Judicial Legal Services Commission, headed by the chief justice and 5 members with judicial experience; all judges serve for life with mandatory retirement normally at age 65

subordinate courts: Courts of Summary Criminal Jurisdiction; Petty Civil Courts; Family Court
Political parties and leaders: Congress of the People or COP [Kirt SINNETTE]
People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]
Progressive Democratic Patriots (Tobago) [Watson DUKE]
United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]
International organization participation: ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony Wayne Jerome PHILLIPS-SPENCER, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) (since 27 June 2016)

chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036-1975

telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490

FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130

email address and website:
embdcinfo@foreign.gov.tt

https://foreign.gov.tt/missions-consuls/tt-missions-abroad/diplomatic-missions/embassy-washington-dc-us/

consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Shante MOORE (since 20 January 2021)

embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port of Spain

mailing address: 3410 Port of Spain Place, Washington DC  20521-3410

telephone: (868) 622-6371

FAX: (868) 822-5905

email address and website:
acspos@state.gov

https://tt.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side to the lower fly side; the colors represent the elements of earth, water, and fire; black stands for the wealth of the land and the dedication of the people; white symbolizes the sea surrounding the islands, the purity of the country's aspirations, and equality; red symbolizes the warmth and energy of the sun, the vitality of the land, and the courage and friendliness of its people
National symbol(s): scarlet ibis (bird of Trinidad), cocrico (bird of Tobago), Chaconia flower; national colors: red, white, black
National anthem: name: "Forged From the Love of Liberty"

lyrics/music: Patrick Stanislaus CASTAGNE

note: adopted 1962; song originally created to serve as an anthem for the West Indies Federation; adopted by Trinidad and Tobago following the Federation's dissolution in 1962

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget, but the country is still in a recession and the government faces the dual challenge of gas shortages and a low price environment. Large-scale energy projects in the last quarter of 2017 are helping to mitigate the gas shortages.   Energy production and downstream industrial use dominate the economy. Oil and gas typically account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports but less than 5% of employment. Trinidad and Tobago is home to one of the largest natural gas liquefaction facilities in the Western Hemisphere. The country produces about nine times more natural gas than crude oil on an energy equivalent basis with gas contributing about two-thirds of energy sector government revenue. The US is the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for 28% of its total imports and 48% of its exports.   Economic diversification is a longstanding government talking point, and Trinidad and Tobago has much potential due to its stable, democratic government and its educated, English speaking workforce. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism, agriculture, information and communications technology, and shipping. Unfortunately, a host of other factors, including low labor productivity, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption, have hampered economic development.Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget, but the country is still in a recession and the government faces the dual challenge of gas shortages and a low price environment. Large-scale energy projects in the last quarter of 2017 are helping to mitigate the gas shortages. Energy production and downstream industrial use dominate the economy. Oil and gas typically account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports but less than 5% of employment. Trinidad and Tobago is home to one of the largest natural gas liquefaction facilities in the Western Hemisphere. The country produces about nine times more natural gas than crude oil on an energy equivalent basis with gas contributing about two-thirds of energy sector government revenue. The US is the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for 28% of its total imports and 48% of its exports. Economic diversification is a longstanding government talking point, and Trinidad and Tobago has much potential due to its stable, democratic government and its educated, English speaking workforce. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism, agriculture, information and communications technology, and shipping. Unfortunately, a host of other factors, including low labor productivity, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption, have hampered economic development.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $33.21 billion (2020 est.)

$36.03 billion (2019 est.)

$36.48 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: -2.6% (2017 est.)

-6.1% (2016 est.)

1.7% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $23,700 (2020 est.)

$25,800 (2019 est.)

$26,300 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $24.031 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.9% (2017 est.)

3.1% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: Ba1 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BBB- (2020)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.4% (2017 est.)

industry: 47.8% (2017 est.)

services: 51.7% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 78.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 8.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 45.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -48.7% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: poultry, fruit, coconuts, citrus fruit, milk, plantains, maize, oranges, eggs, gourds
Industries: petroleum and petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, methanol, ammonia, urea, steel products, beverages, food processing, cement, cotton textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -4.3% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 629,400 (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3.1%

industry: 11.5%

services: 85.4% (2016 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (2017 est.)

4% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 8.7%

male: 8.9%

female: 8.4% (2016 est.)
Population below poverty line: 20% (2014 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 5.581 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 7.446 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -8.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 41.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

37% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 24.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Current account balance: $2.325 billion (2017 est.)

-$653 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $9.57 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$11.57 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: United States 33%, Guyana 9%, Spain 6%, China 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities: natural gas, industrial alcohols, crude petroleum, ammonia, iron products, refined petroleum (2019)
Imports: $7.93 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$9.16 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United States 40%, Guyana 19%, China 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, excavation machinery, shipping containers, iron, cars (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $8.892 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.995 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $8.238 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.746 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Trinidad and Tobago dollars (TTD) per US dollar -

6.78 (2017 est.)

6.669 (2016 est.)

6.669 (2015 est.)

6.4041 (2014 est.)

6.4041 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 10.07 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 9.867 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 2.608 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 63,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 31,030 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 80,860 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 243 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 134,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 51,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 106,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 36.73 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 21.24 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 15.49 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 447.4 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 323,905 (2020)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2,163,730 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 155.11 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: excellent international service; good local service; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launch; regulatory development; major growth in mobile telephony and data segments which attacks operation investment in fiber infrastructure; moves to end roaming charges (2020)

domestic: fixed-line over 23 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular teledensity 142 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 1-868; landing points for the EC Link, ECFS, Southern Caribbean Fiber, SG-SCS and Americas II submarine cable systems provide connectivity to US, parts of the Caribbean and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and Guyana (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: 6 free-to-air TV networks, 2 of which are state-owned; 24 subscription providers (cable and satellite); over 36 radio frequencies (2019)
Internet country code: .tt
Internet users: total: 1,074,126 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 77% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 376,771 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,525,130 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 41.14 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9Y
Airports: total: 4 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 257 km condensate, 11 km condensate/gas, 1,567 km gas, 587 km oil (2013)
Merchant marine: total: 105

by type: general cargo 1, other 104 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough

oil terminal(s): Galeota Point terminal

LNG terminal(s) (export): Port Fortin

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF): Army/Land Forces (Trinidad and Tobago Regiment), Coast Guard, Air Guard, Defense Force Reserves; Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) (2022)

note - the Ministry of National Security oversees defense, immigration, and the police
Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2020 est.)

1% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $350 million)

1% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $340 million)

1.3% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $420 million)

1.4% of GDP (2016 est.) (approximately $460 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 4,500 TTDF personnel (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the TTDF's ground force inventory includes only light weapons, while the Coast Guard and Air Guard field mostly second-hand equipment from a mix of countries, including Australia, China, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (men and women; some age variations between services, reserves); no conscription (2022)

note - as of 2017, women comprised about 14% of the active military
Military - note: the primary responsibilities for the TTDF are conducting border and maritime security, providing disaster relief, and countering narcotics trafficking in support of law enforcement (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Trinidad and Tobago-Barbados: Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's EEZ Trinidad and Tobago-Barbados-Guyana-Venezuela: in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration, as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may also extend into its watersTrinidad and Tobago-Barbados: Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago abide by the April 2006 Permanent Court of Arbitration decision delimiting a maritime boundary and limiting catches of flying fish in Trinidad and Tobago's EEZTrinidad and Tobago-Barbados-Guyana-Venezuela: in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters; Guyana has expressed its intention to include itself in the arbitration, as the Trinidad and Tobago-Venezuela maritime boundary may also extend into its waters
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 28,500 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2021)
Illicit drugs: a transit point for illegal drugs destined for Europe, North America, and the rest of the Caribbean; drug trafficking organizations use proximity to Venezuela, porous borders, vulnerabilities at ports of entry, limited law enforcement capacity and resources, and law enforcement corruption to traffic illicit drugs;  marijuana the only locally-produced illicit drug  a transit point for illegal drugs destined for Europe, North America, and the rest of the Caribbean; drug trafficking organizations use proximity to Venezuela, porous borders, vulnerabilities at ports of entry, limited law enforcement capacity and resources, and law enforcement corruption to traffic illicit drugs;  marijuana the only locally-produced illicit drug


This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Topic: Afghanistan8.478 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Albania1.104 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Algeria10.859 million (2017 est.)

Topic: American Samoa17,850 (2015 est.)

Topic: Andorra39,750 (2016)

Topic: Angola12.51 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Anguilla6,049 (2001)

Topic: Antigua and Barbuda30,000 (1991)

Topic: Argentina18 million (2017 est.)

note: urban areas only

Topic: Armenia1.507 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Aruba51,610 (2007 est.)

note: of the 51,610 workers aged 15 and over in the labor force, 32,252 were born in Aruba and 19,353 came from abroad; foreign workers are 38% of the employed population

Topic: Australia12.568 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Austria3.739 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Azerbaijan4.939 million (2019 est.)

Topic: Bahamas, The196,900 (2013 est.)

Topic: Bahrain831,600 (2017 est.)

note: excludes unemployed; 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national

Topic: Bangladesh66.64 million (2017 est.)

note: extensive migration of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Malaysia

Topic: Barbados144,000 (2017 est.)

Topic: Belarus4.381 million (2016 est.)

Topic: Belgium4.122 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Belize120,500 (2008 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel

Topic: Benin3.662 million (2007 est.)

Topic: Bermuda33,480 (2016 est.)

Topic: Bhutan397,900 (2017 est.)

note: major shortage of skilled labor

Topic: Bolivia5.719 million (2016 est.)

Topic: Bosnia and Herzegovina806,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Botswana1.177 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Brazil86.621 million (2020 est.)

Topic: British Virgin Islands12,770 (2004)

Topic: Brunei203,600 (2014 est.)

Topic: Bulgaria3.113 million (2020 est.)

note: number of employed persons

Topic: Burkina Faso8.501 million (2016 est.)

note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to neighboring countries for seasonal employment

Topic: Burma22.3 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Burundi5.012 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Cabo Verde196,100 (2007 est.)

Topic: Cambodia8.913 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Cameroon9.912 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Canada18.136 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Cayman Islands39,000 (2007 est.)

note: nearly 55% are non-nationals

Topic: Central African Republic2.242 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Chad5.654 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Chile7.249 million (2020 est.)

Topic: China774.71 million (2019 est.)

note: by the end of 2012, China's working age population (15-64 years) was 1.004 billion

Topic: Christmas IslandNA

Topic: Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA

Topic: Colombia19.309 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Comoros278,500 (2016 est.)

Topic: Congo, Democratic Republic of the20.692 million (2012 est.)

Topic: Congo, Republic of the2.055 million (2016 est.)

Topic: Cook Islands6,820 (2001)

Topic: Costa Rica1.843 million (2020 est.)

note: official estimate; excludes Nicaraguans living in Costa Rica

Topic: Cote d'Ivoire8.747 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Croatia1.656 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Cuba4.691 million (2017 est.)

note: state sector 72.3%, non-state sector 27.7%

Topic: Curacao73,010 (2013)

Topic: Cyprus416,000 (2019 est.)

Topic: Czechia5.222 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Denmark2.736 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Djibouti294,600 (2012)

Topic: Dominica25,000 (2000 est.)

Topic: Dominican Republic4.732 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Ecuador8.086 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Egypt24.113 million (2020 est.)

Topic: El Salvador2.908 million (2019 est.)

Topic: Equatorial Guinea195,200 (2007 est.)

Topic: Eritrea2.71 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Estonia648,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Eswatini427,900 (2016 est.)

Topic: Ethiopia52.82 million (2017 est.)

Topic: European Union238.9 million (2016 est.)

Topic: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)1,850 (2016 est.)

Topic: Faroe Islands27,540 (2017 est.)

Topic: Fiji353,100 (2017 est.)

Topic: Finland2.52 million (2020 est.)

Topic: France27.742 million (2020 est.)

Topic: French Polynesia126,300 (2016 est.)

Topic: Gabon557,800 (2017 est.)

Topic: Gambia, The777,100 (2007 est.)

Topic: Gaza Strip1.24 million (2017 est.)

note: excludes the West Bank

Topic: Georgia686,000 (2019 est.)

Topic: Germany44.585 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Ghana12.49 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Gibraltar24,420 (2014 est.)

Topic: Greece4 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Greenland26,840 (2015 est.)

Topic: Grenada55,270 (2017 est.)

Topic: Guam73,210 (2016 est.)

note: includes only the civilian labor force

Topic: Guatemala6.664 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Guernsey31,470 (March 2006)

Topic: Guinea5.558 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Guinea-Bissau731,300 (2013 est.)

Topic: Guyana313,800 (2013 est.)

Topic: Haiti4.594 million (2014 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor; unskilled labor abundant

Topic: Holy See (Vatican City)4,822 (2016)

Topic: Honduras3.735 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Hong Kong3.627 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Hungary4.414 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Iceland200,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: India521.9 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Indonesia129.366 million (2019 est.)

Topic: Iran30.5 million (2017 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor

Topic: Iraq8.9 million (2010 est.)

Topic: Ireland2.289 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Isle of Man41,790 (2006)

Topic: Israel3.893 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Italy22.92 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Jamaica1.113 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Japan66.54 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Jersey59,950 (2017 est.)

Topic: Jordan731,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Kazakhstan8.685 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Kenya19.6 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Kiribati39,000 (2010 est.)

note: economically active, not including subsistence farmers

Topic: Korea, North14 million (2014 est.)

note: estimates vary widely

Topic: Korea, South26.839 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Kosovo500,300 (2017 est.)

note: includes those estimated to be employed in the gray economy

Topic: Kuwait2.695 million (2017 est.)

note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 60% of the labor force

Topic: Kyrgyzstan2.841 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Laos3.582 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Latvia885,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Lebanon2.166 million (2016 est.)

note: excludes as many as 1 million foreign workers and refugees

Topic: Lesotho930,800 (2017 est.)

Topic: Liberia1.677 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Libya1.114 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Liechtenstein38,520 (2015 est.) (2012)

note: 51% of the labor force in Liechtenstein commute daily from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany

Topic: Lithuania1.333 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Luxembourg476,000 (2020 est.)

note: data exclude foreign workers; in addition to the figure for domestic labor force, about 150,000 workers commute daily from France, Belgium, and Germany

Topic: Macau392,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Madagascar13.4 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Malawi7 million (2013 est.)

Topic: Malaysia15.139 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Maldives222,200 (2017 est.)

Topic: Mali6.447 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Malta223,000 (2019 est.)

Topic: Marshall Islands10,670 (2013 est.)

Topic: Mauritania1.437 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Mauritius554,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Mexico50.914 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Micronesia, Federated States of37,920 (2010 est.)

Topic: Moldova1.295 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Monaco52,000 (2014 est.)

note: includes all foreign workers

Topic: Mongolia1.241 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Montenegro167,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Montserrat4,521 (2012)

Topic: Morocco10.399 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Mozambique12.9 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Namibia956,800 (2017 est.)

Topic: NauruNA

Topic: Nepal16.81 million (2017 est.)

note: severe lack of skilled labor

Topic: Netherlands8.907 million (2020 est.)

Topic: New Caledonia119,500 (2016 est.)

Topic: New Zealand2.709 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Nicaragua3.046 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Niger6.5 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Nigeria60.08 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Niue663 (2001)

Topic: Norfolk Island978 (2006)

Topic: North Macedonia793,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Northern Mariana Islands27,970 (2010 est.)

note: includes foreign workers

Topic: Norway2.699 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Oman2.255 million (2016 est.)

note: about 60% of the labor force is non-national

Topic: Pakistan61.71 million (2017 est.)

note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use of child labor

Topic: Palau11,610 (2016)

Topic: Panama1.633 million (2017 est.)

note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled labor

Topic: Papua New Guinea3.681 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Paraguay3.428 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Peru3.421 million (2020 est.)

note: individuals older than 14 years of age

Topic: Philippines41.533 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Pitcairn Islands15 (2004)

Topic: Poland9.561 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Portugal4.717 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Puerto Rico1.139 million (December 2014 est.)

Topic: Qatar1.953 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Romania4.889 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Russia69.923 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Rwanda6.227 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha2,486 (1998 est.)

Topic: Saint Kitts and Nevis18,170 (June 1995 est.)

Topic: Saint Lucia79,700 (2012 est.)

Topic: Saint Martin17,300 (2008 est.)

Topic: Saint Pierre and Miquelon4,429 (2015)

Topic: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines57,520 (2007 est.)

Topic: Samoa50,700 (2016 est.)

Topic: San Marino21,960 (September 2013 est.)

Topic: Sao Tome and Principe72,600 (2017 est.)

Topic: Saudi Arabia13.8 million (2017 est.)

note: comprised of 3.1 million Saudis and 10.7 million non-Saudis

Topic: Senegal6.966 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Serbia3 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Seychelles51,000 (2018 est.)

Topic: Sierra Leone132,000 (2013 est.)

Topic: Singapore3.778 million (2019 est.)

note: excludes non-residents

Topic: Sint Maarten23,200 (2008 est.)

Topic: Slovakia2.511 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Slovenia885,000 (2020 est.)

Topic: Solomon Islands202,500 (2007 est.)

Topic: Somalia4.154 million (2016 est.)

Topic: South Africa14.687 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Spain19.057 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Sri Lanka8 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Sudan11.92 million (2007 est.)

Topic: Suriname144,000 (2014 est.)

Topic: Svalbard1,590 (2013)

Topic: Sweden5.029 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Switzerland5.067 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Syria3.767 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Taiwan11.498 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Tajikistan2.295 million (2016 est.)

Topic: Tanzania24.89 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Thailand37.546 million (2020 est.)

Topic: Timor-Leste286,700 (2016 est.)

Topic: Togo2.595 million (2007 est.)

Topic: Tokelau1,100 (2019 est.)

Topic: Tonga33,800 (2011 est.)

Topic: Trinidad and Tobago629,400 (2017 est.)

Topic: Tunisia4.054 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Turkey25.677 million (2020 est.)

note: this number is for the domestic labor force only; number does not include about 1.2 million Turks working abroad, nor refugees

Topic: Turkmenistan2.305 million (2013 est.)

Topic: Turks and Caicos Islands4,848 (1990 est.)

Topic: Tuvalu3,615 (2004 est.)

Topic: Uganda15.84 million (2015 est.)

Topic: Ukraine16.033 million (2017 est.)

Topic: United Arab Emirates5.344 million (2017 est.)

note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce

Topic: United Kingdom35.412 million (2020 est.)

Topic: United States146.128 million (2020 est.)

note: includes unemployed

Topic: Uruguay1.748 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Uzbekistan13.273 million (2018 est.)

Topic: Vanuatu115,900 (2007 est.)

Topic: Venezuela14.21 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Vietnam54.659 million (2019 est.)

Topic: Virgin Islands48,550 (2016 est.)

Topic: Wallis and Futuna4,482 (2013)

Topic: West Bank1.24 million (2017 est.)

note: excludes Gaza Strip

Topic: World3.432 billion (2017 est.)

Topic: Yemen7.425 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Zambia6.898 million (2017 est.)

Topic: Zimbabwe7.907 million (2017 est.)


Topic: Photos of Guinea-Bissau

Topic: Introduction
Background: For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trade was lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire.

Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In May 1999, a military mutiny and civil war led to VIEIRA's ouster. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In September 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. In June 2009, Malam Bacai SANHA was elected president, but he passed away in January 2012 from a long-term illness. In April 2012, a military coup prevented the second-round of the presidential election from taking place. Following mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS), a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president after a free and fair election. In June 2019, VAZ became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full presidential term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in December 2019, but he did not take office until February 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.For much of its history, Guinea-Bissau was under the control of the Mali Empire and the Kaabu Kingdom. In the 16th century, Portugal began establishing trading posts along Guinea-Bissau’s shoreline. Initially, the Portuguese were restricted to the coastline and islands. However, the slave and gold trade was lucrative to local African leaders, and the Portuguese were slowly able to expand their power and influence inland. Starting in the 18th century, the Mali Empire and Kingdom of Kaabu slowly disintegrated into smaller local entities. By the 19th century, Portugal had fully incorporated Guinea-Bissau into its empire.

Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established General Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. VIEIRA's regime suppressed political opposition and purged political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In May 1999, a military mutiny and civil war led to VIEIRA's ouster. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA. In September 2003, a bloodless military coup overthrew YALA and installed businessman Henrique ROSA as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was reelected, pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. In June 2009, Malam Bacai SANHA was elected president, but he passed away in January 2012 from a long-term illness. In April 2012, a military coup prevented the second-round of the presidential election from taking place. Following mediation from the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS), a civilian transitional government assumed power. In 2014, Jose Mario VAZ was elected president after a free and fair election. In June 2019, VAZ became the first president in Guinea-Bissau’s history to complete a full presidential term. Umaro Sissoco EMBALO was elected president in December 2019, but he did not take office until February 2020 because of a prolonged challenge to the election results.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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: 36,125 sq km

land: 28,120 sq km

water: 8,005 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 762 km

border countries (2): Guinea 421 km; Senegal 341 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 May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coastal plain with a deeply indented estuarine coastline rising to savanna in east; numerous off-shore islands including the Arquipelago Dos Bijagos consisting of 18 main islands and many small islets
Elevation: highest point: Dongol Ronde 277 m
note - the Factbook map is incorrect; it shows the wrong location of the high elevation

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation: 70 m
Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: agricultural land: 44.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 8.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 6.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 55.2% (2018 est.)

other: 0% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 250 sq km (2012)
Major aquifers: Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Population distribution: approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Geography - note: this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland
Map description: Guinea-Bissau map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean.Guinea-Bissau map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 2,026,778 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bissau-Guinean(s)

adjective: Bissau-Guinean
Ethnic groups: Balanta 30%, Fulani 30%, Manjaco 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%, unspecified smaller ethnic groups 6% (2015 est.)
Languages: Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo
Religions: Muslim 46.1%, folk religions 30.6%, Christian 18.9%, other or unaffiliated 4.4% (2020 est.)
Demographic profile: Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.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. 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. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing.Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.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. 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. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing.
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.17% (male 417,810/female 414,105)

15-24 years: 20.38% (male 192,451/female 200,370)

25-54 years: 30.24% (male 275,416/female 307,387)

55-64 years: 3.12% (male 29,549/female 30,661)

65 years and over: 3.08% (2020 est.) (male 25,291/female 34,064)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 81.2

youth dependency ratio: 76

elderly dependency ratio: 5.2

potential support ratio: 19.1 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 18 years

male: 17.4 years

female: 18.6 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.53% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 36.45 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: approximately one-fifth of the population lives in the capital city of Bissau along the Atlantic coast; the remainder is distributed among the eight other, mainly rural, regions as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 45% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 643,000 BISSAU (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 667 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 49.05 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.84 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 43.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 63.68 years

male: 61.45 years

female: 65.99 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.69 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 20.6% (2018)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 90.6% of population

rural: 59.1% of population

total: 73.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 9.4% of population

rural: 40.9% of population

total: 26.9% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 8.4% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.2 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 62.4% of population

rural: 7.6% of population

total: 31.8% of population

unimproved: urban: 37.6% of population

rural: 92.4% of population

total: 68.2% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 3% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 37,000 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,500 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Guinea-Bissau is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 9.5% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 9% (2020 est.)

male: 17% (2020 est.)

female: 0.9% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 18.8% (2019)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 8.1%

women married by age 18: 25.7%

men married by age 18: 2.2% (2019 est.)
Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2019)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 59.9%

male: 71.8%

female: 48.3% (2015)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: deforestation (rampant felling of trees for timber and agricultural purposes); soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 27.12 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.29 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 1.46 megatons (2020 est.)
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
Land use: agricultural land: 44.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 8.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 6.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.7% (2018 est.)

forest: 55.2% (2018 est.)

other: 0% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 45% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.22% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 9.24% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Guinea-Bissau is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 289,514 tons (2015 est.)
Major aquifers: Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 34.1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 11.9 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 144 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 31.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau

local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau

local short form: Guine-Bissau

former: Portuguese Guinea

etymology: 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
Government type: semi-presidential republic
Capital: name: Bissau

geographic coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the meaning of Bissau is uncertain, it might be an alternative name for the Papel people who live in the area of the city of Bissau
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama/Bijagos, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali
Independence: 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution: history: promulgated 16 May 1984; note - constitution suspended following military coup April 2012, restored 2014; note - in May 2020, President EMBALO established a commission to draft a revised constitution

amendments: proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 1991, 1993, 1996
Legal system: mixed legal system of civil law, which incorporated Portuguese law at independence and influenced by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), African Francophone Public Law, and customary law
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Umaro Sissoko EMBALO (since 27 February 2020); note - President EMBALO was declared winner of the 29 December 2019 runoff presidential election by the electoral commission. In late February 2020, EMBALO inaugurated himself with only military leadership present, even though the Supreme Court of Justice had yet to rule on an electoral litigation appeal lodged by his political rival Domingos Simoes PEREIRA

head of government: Prime Minister Nuno NABIAM (since 27 February 2020)

cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term; election last held on 24 November 2019 with a runoff on 29 December 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the National People's Assembly; note - the president cannot apply for a third consecutive term, nor during the 5 years following the end of the second term

election results: Umaro Sissoco EMBALO elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Domingos Simoes PEREIRA (PAIGC) 40.1%, Umaro Sissoco EMBALO (Madem G15) 27.7%, Nuno Gomez NABIAM (APU-PDGB) 13.2%, Jose Mario VAZ (independent) 12.4%, other 6.6%; percent of vote in second round - Umaro Sissoco EMBALO 53.6%, Domingos Simoes PEREIRA 46.5%
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; 100 members directly elected in 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 2 elected in single-seat constituencies for citizens living abroad (Africa 1, Europe 1 ); all members serve 4-year terms)

elections: note: President dissolved parliament on 16 May 2022 and decreed new elections for 18 December 2022

last held on 10 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 35.2%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 21.1%, other 22.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 47, Madem G-15 27, PRS 21, other 7; composition - men 88, women 14, percent of women 13.7%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (consists of 9 judges and organized into Civil, Criminal, and Social and Administrative Disputes Chambers); note - the Supreme Court has both appellate and constitutional jurisdiction

judge selection and term of office: judges nominated by the Higher Council of the Magistrate, a major government organ responsible for judge appointments, dismissals, and judiciary discipline; judges appointed by the president for life

subordinate courts: Appeals Court; regional (first instance) courts; military court
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA]
Democratic Convergence Party or PCD [Vicente FERNANDES]
Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 [Braima CAMARA]
National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB [Nuno Gomes NABIAM]
New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO]
Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]
Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]
Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: none; note - Guinea-Bissau does not have official representation in Washington, DC
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau; US diplomatic representation in Guinea-Bissau is conducted through the US Embassy in Dakar and the Guinea-Bissau Liaison Office located in Bissau

mailing address: 2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC  20521-2080

email address and website:
dakarACS@state.gov

https://gw.usmission.gov/
Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanaian flag
National symbol(s): black star; national colors: red, yellow, green, black
National anthem: name: "Esta e a Nossa Patria Bem Amada" (This Is Our Beloved Country)

lyrics/music: Amilcar Lopes CABRAL/XIAO He

note: adopted 1974; a delegation from then Portuguese Guinea visited China in 1963 and heard music by XIAO He; Amilcar Lopes CABRAL, the leader of Guinea-Bissau's independence movement, asked the composer to create a piece that would inspire his people to struggle for independence

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. The combination of limited economic prospects, weak institutions, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe.   Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. The country’s climate and soil make it feasible to grow a wide range of cash crops, fruit, vegetables, and tubers; however, cashews generate more than 80% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities.   The government was deposed in August 2015, and since then, a political stalemate has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support.   The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau’s poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort.Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. The combination of limited economic prospects, weak institutions, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe. Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. The country’s climate and soil make it feasible to grow a wide range of cash crops, fruit, vegetables, and tubers; however, cashews generate more than 80% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities. The government was deposed in August 2015, and since then, a political stalemate has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support. The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau’s poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.64 billion (2020 est.)

$3.73 billion (2019 est.)

$3.56 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 5.9% (2017 est.)

6.3% (2016 est.)

6.1% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $1,800 (2020 est.)

$1,900 (2019 est.)

$1,900 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.339 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.2% (2019 est.)

0.3% (2018 est.)

1.6% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 50% (2017 est.)

industry: 13.1% (2017 est.)

services: 36.9% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 83.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 4.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 26.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -26.5% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, cashew nuts, roots/tubers nes, oil palm fruit, plantains, cassava, groundnuts, vegetables, coconuts, fruit
Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: 2.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 731,300 (2013 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 82%

industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NANA
Population below poverty line: 67% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 50.7 (2010 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 28% (2002)
Budget: revenues: 246.2 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: 263.5 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 53.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

57.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 18.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$27 million (2017 est.)

$16 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $290 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$380 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: India 50%, Belgium 28%, Cote d'Ivoire 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities: cashews, gold, fish, lumber, aluminum ores (2019)
Imports: $500 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$460 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Portugal 31%, Senegal 20%, China 10%, Netherlands 7%, Pakistan 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, rice, wheat products, soups/broths, malt extract (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $356.4 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$349.4 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $1.095 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$941.5 million (31 December 2000 est.)
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

605.3 (2017 est.)

593.01 (2016 est.)

593.01 (2015 est.)

591.45 (2014 est.)

494.42 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 28% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 56% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 7% (2019)
Electricity - production: 39 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 36.27 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 28,300 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 2,700 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 2,625 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 1,913,858 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 97 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: small system including a combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and mobile cellular communications; 2 mobile network operators; one of the poorest countries in the world and this is reflected in the country's telecommunications development; radio is the most important source of information for the public (2020)

domestic: fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile cellular teledensity is just over 97 per 100 persons (2020)

international: country code - 245; ACE submarine cable connecting Guinea-Bissau with 20 landing points in Western and South Africa and Europe (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media: 1 state-owned TV station, Televisao da Guine-Bissau (TGB) and a second station, Radio e Televisao de Portugal (RTP) Africa, is operated by Portuguese public broadcaster (RTP); 1 state-owned radio station, several private radio stations, and some community radio stations; multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Internet country code: .gw
Internet users: total: 452,640 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 23% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 2,383 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.12 (2020 est.) less than 1

Topic: Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: J5
Airports: total: 8 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Roadways: total: 4,400 km (2018)

paved: 453 km (2018)

unpaved: 3,947 km (2018)
Waterways: (2012) (rivers are partially navigable; many inlets and creeks provide shallow-water access to much of interior)
Merchant marine: total: 8

by type: general cargo 5, other 3 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, Air Force

Ministry of Internal Administration: Guard Nacional (a gendarmerie force), Public Order Police, Border Police, Rapid Intervention Police, Maritime Police (2022)

note - the Public Order Police is responsible for maintaining law and order, while the Judicial Police, under the Ministry of Justice, has primary responsibility for investigating drug trafficking, terrorism, and other transnational crimes
Military expenditures: 1.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.9% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $50 million)

1.7% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $45 million)

1.7% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $45 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 4,000 total active troops, including a few hundred air and naval personnel (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the FARP is poorly armed with an inventory consisting of Soviet-era equipment, much of which is reportedly unserviceable; the only reported deliveries of military equipment since 2015 were patrol boats from Spain in 2017 and non-lethal equipment from China in 2015; Guinea-Bissau has also discussed acquiring military equipment with Indonesia (2022)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service (2022)
Military - note: from 2012-2020, the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) deployed a security force to Guinea-Bissau to manage the post-coup transition, including protecting key political figures and public buildings, restoring civil institutions, and re-establishing the rule of law; at the height of the deployment, the force, known as the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), deployed nearly 700 military and police personnel from Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Senegal (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: a longstanding low-grade conflict continues in parts of Casamance, in Senegal across the border; some rebels use Guinea-Bissau as a safe havena longstanding low-grade conflict continues in parts of Casamance, in Senegal across the border; some rebels use Guinea-Bissau as a safe haven
Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 7,757 (Senegal) (2022)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: Guinea-Bissau is a country of origin and destination for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the scope of the problem of trafficking women or men for forced labor or forced prostitution is unknown; boys reportedly were transported to southern Senegal for forced manual and agricultural labor; girls may be subjected to forced domestic service and child prostitution in Senegal and Guinea; both boys and girls are forced to work as street vendors in cities in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Guinea-Bissau does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; efforts include identifying forced child begging victims, cooperating with Moroccan authorities on international crime investigations, and approving a new action plan; yet, the government has not convicted a trafficker, identified fewer trafficking victims, and lacked resources or the political will to fight trafficking or to enact its action plan, which would meet minimum standards; Guinea-Bissau was granted a waiver under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from downgrade to Tier 3 (2020)
Illicit drugs: important transit country for South American cocaine en route to Europe; enabling environment for trafficker operations due to pervasive corruption; archipelago-like geography near the capital facilitates drug smuggling


US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens exercise normal precautions in Austria. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport will not expire for at least 6 months after they enter the country even if they do not intend to stay that long. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required. A visa is not required as long as you do not stay in the country more than 89 days.
US Embassy/Consulate: [43] (1) 31339-0; US Embassy in Austria, Boltzmanngasse 16, 1090 Vienna, Austria; https://at.usembassy.gov/; ConsulateVienna@state.gov
Telephone Code: 43
Local Emergency Phone: 112, 122
Vaccinations: See WHO recommendations

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with occasional showers
Currency (Code): Euro (EUR)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, F

Major Languages: German, Turkish, Serbian, Croatian
Major Religions: Catholic 57%, Eastern Orthodox 8.7%, Muslim 7.9%, Evangelical Christian 3.3%
Time Difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March, ends last Sunday in October
Potable Water: Yes
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Right
Tourist Destinations: Vienna Hofburg; Salzburg Altstadt; Innsbruck's Hofburg and Hofkirche; Melk Benedictine Abbey; Austrian National Library; Karlskirche (St. Charles Borromeo Church); UN Office in Vienna; Shoenbrunn Palace; Salzkammergut (includes Hallstatt and Dachstein); Skiing at Kitzbuehel and Kitzbueheler Horn; prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps
Major Sports: Soccer, alpine skiing, ice hockey
Cultural Practices: While some Austrian men will kiss the hand of a female as a greeting, it would be improper for a foreigner to kiss the hands of Austrian females.
Tipping Guidelines: It is customary to round up and leave the change at restaurants for the server. Taxi drivers usually receive an extra 10% over the meter fare. Porters or bellhops should receive up to 1 euro per bag.
Souvenirs: Handbags, crystal, porcelain, winter sports equipment, bronze and Hummel figurines, carved Nativity scenes featuring Alpine villagesPlease visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Tuesday, May 10, 2022