Guinea-Bissau Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: Bissau
Official language: Portuguese
Currency: CFA franc
Continent: West Africa
Travel in Guinea-Bissau
The former Kingdom of Kaabu is now one of the poorest countries in the world.
Location
According to Countryaah, Guinea-Bissau is a state in West Africa. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean and borders Senegal and Guinea.
Background
The official language in the country is Portuguese, making it one of the few countries in Africa where Portuguese is still spoken. It is one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world. The country is 10% smaller than Switzerland, with a large part of the area being characterized by marine erosion.
Reachability
TAP flies several times a week from Lisbon to Bissau and TACV daily from Dakar to Bissau, the capital of the country.
Highlights
In Guinea-Bissau there is a high biodiversity of animals to be seen as well as the cultural mix of Portuguese colonial heritage and West African tradition.
Important facts
Capital: Bissau
Official language: Portuguese
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
CFA franc (100 centimes)
ISO 4217 code
XOF / 952
Geography
Continent: Africa
Region: west
Geo coordinates: N 11 ° 48 ‘13.5 ” W -15 ° -10’ -49.5″
Highest mountain: unnamed (300 m)
Total area: 36,120 km²
Mainland: 28,000 km²
National border: 724 km
Coastline: 350 km
Politics
Dependency: Portugal until 1973
UN member since: 1974
Other political affiliation: African Union
Form of government: Presidential Democracy
Economy
Export goods: Peanuts, coconuts
BSP: $ 291,000,000
GDP: $ 304,000,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 1,234,000,000
Export: $ 178,000,000
Import: $ 224,000,000
Electricity consumption: 66 million KWh
Oil consumption: 3,100 million m³
Cultivation area: 14.86%
Bovine: 504,000 pieces
Pigs: 371,000 pieces
Fishing: 5,700 t
Demographic data
Residents: 1,442,100
Residents in cities: 484,000
Average age: 19 years
0-14 years: 41.4%
15-64 years: 55.6%
> 65 years: 3%
Population growth: 2.07%
Birth rate: 37.22 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 16.53 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.94
Fertility: 4.86 children / woman
Infant mortality: 105.21 ‰
Life expectancy men: 45.08 years
Life expectancy women: 48.75 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: GW
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: GNB
ISO 3166 numeric: 624
Top Level Domain: gw
IOC country code: GBS
UN / LOCODE: GW
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 16,000
Cell Phones: 13,000
Radios: 77,000
TV: 87,000
Computer: 15,000
Internet users: 41,000
Transportation
Paved roads: 687 km
Cars: 13,000
Health
Number of doctors: 280
Daily food intake: 2.110 kcal / resident
HIV- infected people: 27,000
Education
Illiteracy: 55%
History
Foundation: 1973
Last sovereign since: 1973
Religion
Main religious group: Natural religions
Crime
Prison inmates: 600
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 10,000
Defense Spending: $ 9,800,000
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline is called Guiné Bissau Airlines (G6).
TAP Air Portugal (TP) (Internet: www.flytap.com) normally offers year-round scheduled flight services from German, Austrian and Swiss airports, but has currently suspended flight connections to Guinea-Bissau.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Bissau: 11 hours; Vienna – Bissau: 21 hours; Zurich – Bissau: 13 hours
Departure fee
No.
Arrival by car
There are some paved connecting roads to Senegal and Guinea (entry via Senegal is not recommended). The route from Conakry (Republic of Guinea) to Bissau is around 1000 km long. In the rainy season the roads are partially impassable.
Travelers should inquire about local safety and travel conditions before commencing their journey. The Foreign Office advises against driving to Guinea-Bissau in your own vehicle, as foreigners are charged high fines even for minor offenses.
Arrival by ship
Ferries connect the coastal ports with the inland ports and are an important part of the transportation system as the roads are often impassable. The main sea port is Bissau, which has been modernized along with four inland ports in recent years. A new inland cargo port is being built in N’Pungda.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
There are over 20 small landing strips. The national airline Guiné Bissau Airlines (G6) offers domestic flights, including to the offshore islands.
On the way by car / bus
There is right-hand traffic. The road network covers 4150 km, 360 km of which are paved and around another 20% are weatherproof. Improvements are planned. The Foreign Office advises against driving to Guinea-Bissau in your own vehicle, as foreigners are charged high fines even for minor offenses. There is a risk of mines when driving overland. There are long distance taxis and a limited bus service.
Rental cars: limited availability in Bissau, but very expensive.
Documentation: International driver’s license recommended, but not required. You can obtain a temporary driving license on presentation of your own driver’s license.
On the way by ship
Most cities can be reached by ship, and river boats operate in almost all regions. There are ferry connections from Bissau to BolamaBubaque Island, Catio and Enyudé (depending on the tide) as well as from Bissau to Bafatá, with several small ports on the route. Coastal ferries connect the north coast with Bissau.
