African Folklore: An Encyclopedia - Marshalls University

African Americans 331
GUINEA-BISSAU (REPUBLIC OF
GUINEA-BISSAU)
Guinea-Bissau is a small tropical country of over 1 million peoples, and is located on
West Africa’s coast between Senegal and Guinea. Bissau is the country’s capital and
largest city with a population of 200,000. Thirty percent of the population is Balante, 20
percent Fulani, 14 percent Manjaca, 13 percent Mandinka, and 23 percent are composed
of various smaller groups. Portuguese is the official language and Kriolo (or Crioulo) is
the lingua franca. Fula, Mandinka, Manjanka, and Balanta are the most widely spoken
indigenous languages. Over half of all Guinea-Bissauans still practice traditional
indigenous religions (65 percent). Thirty percent of the remaining population is Muslim
and 5 percent are Christian.
On September 10, 1974, Guinea-Bissau gained its independence from Portugal after a
long struggle for independence that began in 1962. The successful liberation struggle
played a major role in the liberation of other African colonies. A Marxist governmental
model was followed for a number of years. After ten years of one-party rule, Guinea-
Bissau shifted to a multiparty system in 1991. The political system, however, is still
unstable and there was a military coup in 1999.
Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. The recent discovery of oil,
bauxite, and phosphates could potentially create revenue from foreign exploitation.
Eighty percent of the population is engaged in agriculture, such as the production of
peanuts, rice, palm kernels, and groundnuts. Fish is one of the major exports. Despite this
fact, much of the country’s food must still be imported because of poor infrastructure and
a lack of governmental incentives to produce surplus.
JENNIFER JOYCE