Guinea Bissau

 


Turn your attention to Africa’s west coast and learn about a small country of coastal plains, rugged highlands and grassy savannas. Guinea-Bissau is a hot and humid nation and one of Africa’s poorest, after decades of unstable government. Our printable resources below are a great way to test your knowledge.

Port of Bissua, Guinea Bissau
Port of Bissua, Guinea Bissau

A Little Geography…

  • Guinea-Bissau lies on the Atlantic coast and borders Guinea and Senegal. The country also owns the Bijagós Islands to the southwest.
  • With an area of about 36,000 square kilometres, Guinea-Bissau is also home to mangrove swamps and lush tropical forests. The capital is Bissau.
  • The country has a population of around 1.6 million people. Portuguese is the official language, but around 20 ethnic groups also speak local dialects. About a third of the people live in cities.
  • The country’s economy depends on farming, although many just grow enough food to feed their families. Important exports include cashew nuts, peanuts and palm kernels, as well as fish and timber. Guinea-Bissau also has petroleum deposits, but these have yet to be explored.

A Little History…

  • When the Portuguese arrived in the 15th Century, they set their sights on the area around Guinea-Bissau. Soon it became an important trading area for slaves sent to the Americas. When the area was divided between France, Britain and Portugal, Guinea-Bissau became the Portuguese part.
  • Guinea-Bissau joined Cape Verde to campaign for independence from Portugal, which Guinea-Bissau achieved in 1974, and Cape Verde the following year. The country’s capital Bissau was added to its name, to avoid confusion with neighbouring Guinea, for example.
  • Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde planned to be a unified nation, but separated in 1980. Following independence, Guinea-Bissau has faced years of civil unrest and military coups. No elected leader has served a full term in office and a civil war in 1988 forced many people to leave.

And Some Interesting Facts…

  • The country is known for its diverse wildlife, including crocodiles, snakes, leopards, apes, flamingos and pelicans.
  • The Bijagós Islands (part of the Orango Islands National Park) are also one of the few places in the world where you can see saltwater hippos.
  • The country’s flag has a vertical band of red and two horizontal bands of yellow and green. The red stands for the struggle for independence, the yellow represents the sun and the green is a symbol of hope and a reminder of the country’s farmland. The black star on the red stands for African unity. This flag is very similar to the flag of Ghana.

The Guinea Bissau Flag

The Guinea Bissau Flag

The Guinea-Bissau flag was officially adopted on September 24, 1973. The flag is red, yellow and green, and has a black star to symbolise African unity.


Our Guinea-Bissau Resources

Guinea Bissau Flag Printable

Guinea Bissau Flag Printable

The Guinea-Bissau flag is red, yellow and green. We have four different sizes that you can print in the PDF file below.

Guinea Bissau Worksheet

Guinea Bissau Worksheet

Use our Guinea Bissau worksheet to find out some facts and kickstart your work on this African country...

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