Guinea-Bissau
Updated: Oct 1, 2022
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Country Name
Guinea-Bissau, or officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
Location
Guinea-Bissau is located in Western Africa. Guinea-Bissau is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the east.
Capital
Bissau.
The reason for naming the country
In the 19th century, it was colonized as Portuguese Guinea. Upon independence, declared in 1973 and recognized in 1974, the name of its capital, Bissau, was added to the country's name to prevent confusion with Guinea (formerly French Guinea).
Flag
The Guinea-Bissau flag was adopted on September 24, 1973, the day the country declared independence from Portugal.
The flag of Guinea-Bissau consists of two equal-sized horizontal stripes the top stripe is yellow, and the bottom one is green, On the left side of the flag is a red vertical stripe with a black five-pointed star in the center of it.
The yellow color represents the sun and labor; and the green stands for the lush vegetation, agriculture, and hope of Guinea-Bissau.
The black star symbolizes freedom and the African people; the red stripe represents the blood spilled for the country's liberty and for the nation's suffering during colonial rule.
It is believed the Pan-African colors of the Guinea-Bissau flag originated from the flag of Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa.
Language
The official language Of Guinea-Bissau is Portuguese. The most widely spoken language in Guinea-Bissau is Guinea-Bissau Creole, a Portuguese-based creole language. Only about 2% of the population speaks Portuguese, the official language, as a first language, and 33% speak it as a second language. However, Creole is the national language and is also considered the language of unity.
Religion
Islam is the most popular religion in Guinea-Bissau with Muslims accounting for 45% of the total population of the country. About 22% of the country’s population are Christians while 31% adhere to traditional African beliefs. Most of the Muslims in Guinea-Bissau are Sunnis with a significant population being Sufi-oriented.
Currency
West African CFA franc (XOF).
Time Zone
+00:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary semi-presidential republic.
Climate
In Guinea Bissau, the climate is tropical, and hot all year round, with a dry season from November to May, and a rainy season from June to October due to the African monsoon. The hottest period runs from February to May, before the rains, while the rainy season, though less hot, it's muggy. The heat is intense especially in the interior, while along the coast, where Bissau is located, it is relieved by the breeze. The monsoon rains are definitely heavy, especially from July to September. August is the rainiest month, and if possible, it should be avoided. During winter, the weather is good and the air is dry because of the prevailing wind, which blows from the desert, and can bring dust, making the sky whitish. Normally, the daytime temperature is about 30 °C (86 °F), but it can sometimes reach 40 °C (104 °F). However, this is the best time of the year. Starting from February, both temperature and humidity gradually increase, reaching a peak between March and May, when the temperature can easily surpass 40 °C (104 °F). Starting from June, the rains lower the temperature to about 28/30 °C (82/86 °F), but moisture makes the heat muggy. However, the heat on the coast is tempered by the breeze.
International Phone Code
+245
Internet Code
.gw