Guinea-Bissau Information, Geography and History

INFORMATION

•  Full name: Republic of Guinea-Bissau

•  Capital City: Bissau

•  Language: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African regulated medieval Portuguese.

•  Currency: West African CFA Franc (CFA)

•  Religion: Tribal religions, Muslim, Christian

•  National Anthem: Esta é a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada, (This Is Our Beloved Country)

•  Newspaper: Guinea-Bissau, Expresso África - Guiné-Bissau, IRINnews Guinea-Bissau (EN) and many others.

•  Places to Visit: Bissau, Jemberem, Arquipélago Dos Bijagós, Ilha de Bolama, Ilha de Orango

Transport: One can avail flights like TAP Air Portugal, Air Senegal and TACV i.e. Cape Verde's airline, Air Luxor from the airport of Guinea-Bissau . The flights are inclusive of the Departure tax can can be charged upon. One may even opt for Taxis and minibuses from the airport that take you to the centre of Bissau. One get to cross several boders while traveling through a bush taxis onland like Kandika and Saréboïdo, Gabú and Koundara; Quebo and Boké that are kept open all the time.

Shopping: Native artifacts and wood carvings

INTRODUCTION

Guinea-Bissau gives a striking note about the unscathed scenic beauty while charming the travelers with the unmatched charisma of the Portuguese colonialism. From scenic highlands to the enchanting coastal plains, from the wooded forests to the notable ruins of the Bolama islands, from the royal architectural piece to the Museum of African Artifacts, find yourself engrossed within the West African traditions that is surely going to make you visit a worthwhile experience.

LOCATION OF GUINEA-BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau, is nestled in the region of western Africa, and is known to be one of the smallest nations within the African continent. The place is engulfed by Senegal towards the northern front, Guinea to the southern and eastern front and with the Atlantic Ocean towards the western front.

PHYSICAL MAP OF GUINEA-BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau covers nearly 13,945 sq mi of land area that can be compared to Taiwan as far as size is concerned. Guinea-Bissau is placed on a lower altitude where the highest elevated area being 984 feet high. Covered with savannah grassland and marshy plains along the coastal area, the temperature is affected with rainy season after a prolonged period of hot weather. The major portion of Guinea-Bissau is affected with swampy marshlands, rainforests and mangrove-bordered wetland. The Bijagos archipelago is seen to broaden along a stretch of 48 km away from the sea.

Guinea-Bissau is separated into 8 distinct regions along with a single autonomous sector that are further separately divided into 37 sectors.

Bafata

Biombo

Bissau (Independent sector)

Bolama

Cacheu

Gabu

Oio

Quinara

Tombali

With no specific mountains, the place is streamlined with important rivers like Cachew, Mansoa, Geba, Corubal, Rio Grande de Buba and Cacine. Natives use these freshwater rivers inland, for navigational purposes.

CLIMATE OF GUINEA-BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau's climatic condition can be characterized as typically tropical in nature, where the weather remains relatively hotter and humid with slight amount of down pouring affecting the area during mid months of May to November. During the rainy seasons the average temperature ascends from 26°C to 28°C though it may reach to a level of 90°F.

•  Months of July, August and September witness heavy down pouring with a rise in the humidity level.

•  The months of December and January are comparatively colder.

•  The months of December to April are recognized as the region's dry months.

•  The months of April and May are relatively hotter thereby rising to a high of 90s F.

The harmattan wind seems to move from the Sahara region during the dry season, thereby resisting the temperature to ascend above 24°C. The weather conditions vary from place to place especially from the distance it maintains from the coastal area. Don't forget to carry along raincoats or water-resistant shoes during the rainy season.

FLORA AND FAUNA OF GUINEA-BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau is known to possess substantial forest area in its interior regions covered with rice and mangrove plantation along the coastal swampy plains. The savanna grasslands cover the area in the northern part where animals like antelope, buffalo, monkeys, and snakes reside.

The Bijagós Archipelago is constituted with 88 islands and atolls and is covered with mudflats and mangroves all over. Lying off the coast, the place faces just over to Rio Gêba that features wooded forestlands, savannah grasslands and floodplains.

Nearly 900,000 birds resort to this area. The place boasts of five different species of marine turtles especially the Green Turtle Chelonia mydas, Loggerhead Turtle Caretta, Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea, Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata and Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys coriacea.

C. Mydas breeds along the Ilhéu do Poilão that is placed in the eastern Atlantic region. Watch out species specific to the region like the West African Manatee in Western Africa, Hippopotamus, Sharks, West African Dwarf Crocodile and Atlantic Hump-backed Dolphin.

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