Chapter 52
Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993) head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote--Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16%, Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24%
Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992; of the more than 40 with legal status, the following won seats in the legislature in the 11 June 1995 elections other: Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Aly THIAM chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tibor P. NAGY, Jr. embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band
Economy
Economy--overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped nation. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1998. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-98. Except in the mining industry, foreign investment remains minimal but is expected to pick up in 1999.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$8.8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 4.9% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,180 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 31% services: 45% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 31.7% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (1998 est.)
Labor force: 2.4 million (1983)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 11%, services 5.4%, civil service 3.6%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $553 million expenditures: $652 million, including capital expenditures of $317 million (1995 est.)
Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)
Electricity--production: 525 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 63.81% hydro: 36.19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 525 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
Exports: $695 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, fish, agricultural products
Exports--partners: Russia, US, Belgium, Ukraine, Ireland, Spain (1997)
Imports: $560 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs (1997)
Imports--partners: France, Cote d'Ivoire, US, Belgium, Hong Kong (1997)
Debt--external: $3.15 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $433.6 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Guinean francs (FG) per US$1--1,292.5 (January 1999), 1,095.3 (1997), 1,004.0 (1996), 991.4 (1995), 976.6 (1994) note: the official exchange rate of the Guinean franc was set and quoted weekly against the US dollar until the end of October 1993; since 1 November 1994, the exchange rate is determined in the interbank market for foreign exchange
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 18,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone system: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios: 257,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)
Televisions: 65,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Railways: total: 1,086 km standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry)
Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft
Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 15 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 1,726,933 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 871,615 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $56 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 1.4% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Guinea-Bissau -------------
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: 36,120 sq km land: 28,000 sq km water: 8,120 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 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 coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
Natural resources: fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land use: arable land: 11% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 38% forests and woodland: 38% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 17 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 1,234,555 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% (male 260,821; female 259,520) 15-64 years: 55% (male 322,607; female 356,513) 65 years and over: 3% (male 16,233; female 18,861) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.31% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 38.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 15.13 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 109.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 49.57 years male: 47.91 years female: 51.28 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guinean (s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53.9% male: 67.1% female: 40.7% (1997 est.)
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
Data code: PU
Government type: republic, multiparty since mid-1991
Capital: Bissau
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular--regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali note: Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence: 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (initially assumed power 14 November 1980 in a coup d'etat) head of government: Prime Minister Francisco FADUL (since NA November 1998); note--named in an agreement between President VIEIRA and a military-led junta which rebelled against the President FADUL's administration in June 1998 cabinet: none; an interim National Unity Government was provided for in the agreement between President VIEIRA and the military junta and was scheduled be inaugurated in February 1999 elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held NA July 1999); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote--Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Koumba YALLA 48%
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years) elections: last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held by NA) election results: percent of vote by party--PAIGC 46.0%, RGB-MB 19.2%, PRS 10.3%, UM 12.8%, FLING 2.5%, PCD 5.3%, PUSD 2.9%, FCG 0.2%, others 0.8%; seats by party--PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, UM 6, FLING 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica, consists of 9 justices who are appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases; Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appeals for sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000; 24 Sectoral Courts, judges are not necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence secretary general]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social
International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA chancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta
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; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy
Economy--overview: One of the 20 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. 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. Inflation dropped sharply in the first quarter of 1997. Membership in the WAMU (West African Monetary Union), begun in May 1997, was expected to support 5% annual growth and contribute to fiscal discipline. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources was not a near-term prospect.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.2 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 11% services: 35% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: 48.8% (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 25.6% (1997)
Labor force: 480,000
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: $NA
Industries: agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Industrial production growth rate: 2.6% (1997 est.)
Electricity--production: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 40 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Exports: $25.8 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities: cashews 95%, fish, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber (1994)
Exports--partners: Spain 35%, India 30%, Thailand 10%, Italy 10% (1995)
Imports: $63 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment (1994)
Imports--partners: Portugal 29.2%, Thailand 8.4%, Netherlands 8.4%, US 7.5% (1996)
Debt--external: $953 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient: $115.4 million (1995)
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes; note--on 1 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau adopted as its currency the CFA franc following its membership into the BCEAO
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--566.65 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); Guinea-Bissauan pesos (PG) per US$1-- 26,373 (1996), 18,073 (1995), 12,892 (1994) note: as of 2 May 1997, Guinea-Bissau has adopted the CFA franc as the national currency following its membership in BCEAO
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 13,120 (1997 est.)
Telephone system: small system domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 40,000 (1994 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: several rivers are accessible to coastal shipping
Ports and harbors: Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 30 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 22 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-49: 284,998 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 162,485 (1999 est.)
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $8 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.8% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
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@Guyana ------
Geography
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela
Geographic coordinates: 5 00 N, 59 00 W
Map references: South America
Area: total: 214,970 sq km land: 196,850 sq km water: 18,120 sq km
Area--comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho
Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Coastline: 459 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)
Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m
Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Land use: arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 84% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 1,300 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Environment--current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Environment--international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
People
Population: 705,156 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 109,156; female 105,017) 15-64 years: 65% (male 230,624; female 227,677) 65 years and over: 5% (male 14,684; female 17,998) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.32% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 18.23 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 48.64 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 61.82 years male: 59.15 years female: 64.61 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Guyanese (singular and plural) adjective: Guyanese
Ethnic groups: East Indian 49%, black 32%, mixed 12%, Amerindian 6%, white and Chinese 1%
Religions: Christian 57%, Hindu 33%, Muslim 9%, other 1%
Languages: English, Amerindian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.1% male: 98.6% female: 97.5% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana conventional short form: Guyana former: British Guiana
Data code: GY
Government type: republic
Capital: Georgetown
Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo
Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)
Constitution: 6 October 1980
Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Janet JAGAN (since NA December 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since NA December 1997) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature elections: president elected by the majority party in the National Assembly after legislative elections, which must be held within five years; legislative elections last held 15 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2000; this date was part of a negotiated settlement between the two main political parties following a dispute over the December elections); prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (65 seats, 53 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 15 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2000; this date was negotiated following a dispute over the December elections) election results: percent of vote by party--PPP 54%, PNC 41%, AFG 1%, TUF 1%; seats by party--PPP 36, PNC 25, AFG 2, TUF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature
Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Party or PPP
Political pressure groups and leaders: Trades Union Congress or TUC; Guyana Council of Indian Organizations or GCIO; Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC note: the latter two organizations are small and active but not well organized