Guinea-Bissau
Africa ยท Capital: Bissau
How it is run: Guinea-Bissau is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Guinea-Bissau is home to 2.2 million people in Western Africa, where people speak Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole.
Numbers that tell a story ๐ข
๐ฅ People
2.2 million people
That is about 278 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
๐บ๏ธ Land
36,125 kmยฒ
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
๐๏ธ How crowded
About 62 people per square kilometre โ a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
๐ Size in its region
46th most people in Africa
43rd largest by land in Africa.
๐ฃ๏ธ Official languages
Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
More than one language is used for official business.
๐ฐ Money
West African CFA franc (Fr)
Life here today ๐ฉบ
These come from World Bank open data โ the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
โค๏ธ How long people live
64.3 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
๐ผ Money made per person each year
about US$1,124
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
๐ข Living in cities
46.7% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
๐ Kids under 15
38.3% of the population
A very young country โ schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details ๐งญ
๐ Phone code
+245
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
๐ Websites end in
.gw
๐ง People here are called
Guinea-Bissauan
๐ท๏ธ Name at home
Guinรฉ-Bissau
Also written: Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Repรบblica da Guinรฉ-Bissau.
๐ Coast or inland
Has a coastline
๐๏ธ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders ๐ค
Guinea-Bissau touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world ๐ฃ๏ธ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Guinea-Bisรกu
French
Guinรฉe-Bissau
Arabic
ุบูููุง ุจูุณุงู
Chinese
ๅ ๅ ไบๆฏ็ป
Japanese
ใฎใใขใใตใฆ
Russian
ะะฒะธะฝะตั-ะะธัะฐั
Portuguese
Guinรฉ-Bissau
German
Guinea-Bissau
Put it in perspective ๐
- Nigeria โ the most populated country in Africa โ has about 105.6ร as many people as Guinea-Bissau.
- Guinea-Bissau covers roughly 344 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Guinea-Bissau lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 1,125 km.
Fast facts ๐ง
Fact of the day: Guinea-Bissau is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly โ the same as every other member, big or small.
๐ท๏ธ Official name
Republic of Guinea-Bissau
๐๏ธ Capital
Bissau
๐ Region
Africa ยท Western Africa
๐ค Country code
GW
๐๏ธ UN status
UN member state
๐ฉ Independence
Independent country
More about Guinea-Bissau ๐
๐งญ Where on the map
12.0ยฐ N, 15.0ยฐ W
๐ Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
๐ฐ๏ธ Clock check
Roughly UTC-1 โ when it is noon in London it is about 11:00 in Bissau.
- Guinea-Bissau lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Guinea-Bissau shares its part of the world with Cape Verde. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Guinea-Bissau is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- ๐ฌ๐ผ is the flag of Guinea-Bissau. Its country code โ the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics โ is GW.
- The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau โ that's where the country's big decisions get made.
Countries nearby ๐ค
Talk about it ๐ฌ
- Guinea-Bissau has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Guinea-Bissau can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Guinea-Bissau spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz ๐งช
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Guinea-Bissau?
Bissau
Which money do people spend in Guinea-Bissau?
West African CFA franc (Fr)
How many countries share a land border with Guinea-Bissau?
2 โ Guinea, Senegal.
Roughly how many people live in Guinea-Bissau?
2.2 million people
Keep researching ๐
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further โ and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here โ kid-friendly encyclopedias ๐
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ๐๏ธ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy ๐ฐ
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card ๐ซ
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians โ all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.