West African country of Guinea Bissau borders Senegal on north, Guinea-Conakry on south-east and Atlantic Ocean on west. Coastal plain savannah, with the highest point at 300 m above sea level, prevails in the east and north of the country and gradually transforms into tropical forest in the south. Big river estuaries with surrounding mangroves and an incredible archipelago of Bijagos islands remain almost intact due to prevailing absence of industry and mining.
Relatively small, covering around 36.000 km2 Guinea Bissau is a home for approximately 1.600.000 people of diverse ethnic origin, such as Balanta, Fula, Manjaca, Mandinka, Pepel and others. Around 50% of people pledge to indigenous beliefs, another 40% is Muslim and 10% Christian. Fula and Mandinka, principally Muslims, are concentrated in the north and northeast, Balanta and Pepel in the southern coastal regions and Manjaca and Mancanha, in the central and northern coastal areas. A significant part of population, more then 450.000 lives in a capital city of Bissau. Being a truly multilingual country, with Portuguese as an official and Creole as the most widely spoken language, it is common for people to be fluent in 3 to 4 languages, namely Balanta-Kentohe, Fula, Mandjak, Mandinka and Pepel or less common Biafada, Mancanha, Bidyogo, Ejamat, Mansoanka, Bainoukgunyuno, Nalu, Soninke, Badjara, Bayote, Kobiana, Cassanga and Basary.
Agriculture is the basis of Guinea-Bissau's economy, with cashew nuts and groundnuts being the main export, followed by tobacco, coconuts, sugar, shrimps and palm kernels. Although there is potential for gold, phosphate, bauxite and oil mining, at present the costs of exploration are too high. Industrial capacity remains low also due to the 1998 internal conflict.
Relatively small, covering around 36.000 km2 Guinea Bissau is a home for approximately 1.600.000 people of diverse ethnic origin, such as Balanta, Fula, Manjaca, Mandinka, Pepel and others. Around 50% of people pledge to indigenous beliefs, another 40% is Muslim and 10% Christian. Fula and Mandinka, principally Muslims, are concentrated in the north and northeast, Balanta and Pepel in the southern coastal regions and Manjaca and Mancanha, in the central and northern coastal areas. A significant part of population, more then 450.000 lives in a capital city of Bissau. Being a truly multilingual country, with Portuguese as an official and Creole as the most widely spoken language, it is common for people to be fluent in 3 to 4 languages, namely Balanta-Kentohe, Fula, Mandjak, Mandinka and Pepel or less common Biafada, Mancanha, Bidyogo, Ejamat, Mansoanka, Bainoukgunyuno, Nalu, Soninke, Badjara, Bayote, Kobiana, Cassanga and Basary.Agriculture is the basis of Guinea-Bissau's economy, with cashew nuts and groundnuts being the main export, followed by tobacco, coconuts, sugar, shrimps and palm kernels. Although there is potential for gold, phosphate, bauxite and oil mining, at present the costs of exploration are too high. Industrial capacity remains low also due to the 1998 internal conflict.
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