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.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 1,472,780 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 41.2% (male 302,408/female 303,786) 15-64 years: 55.8% (male 394,799/female 427,055) 65 years and over: 3% (male 18,463/female 26,269) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 19.1 years male: 18.5 years female: 19.7 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 2.052% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 36.81 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 16.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.995 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.924 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.703 male(s)/female total population: 0.945 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 103.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 113.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 93.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.18 years male: 45.37 years female: 49.04 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 4.79 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 10% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 17,000 (2001 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 1,200 (2001 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

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Ethnic groups: African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

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Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

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Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.249 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $292.9 million (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 2.1% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $900 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)

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Labor force: 480,000 (1999)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 82% industry and services: 18% (2000 est.)

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Unemployment rate: NA%

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA

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Agriculture - products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

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Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

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Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2003 est.)

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Electricity - production: 58.02 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 53.96 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 2,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $116 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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Exports - commodities: cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

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Exports - partners: India 72.7%, Nigeria 17.3%, Ecuador 4.1% (2006)

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Imports: $176 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

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Imports - partners: Senegal 22.5%, Portugal 17.6%, Italy 12.2%, Pakistan 4.3% (2006)

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Debt - external: $941.5 million (2000 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $115.4 million (1995)

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Currency (code): Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

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Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

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Fiscal year: calendar year