Foundation Islamic Union
Guinea Bissau
Official Name: Republic of Guinea Bissau (GW)
Capital city : Bissau
Important Cities: 9 regions; Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama (Bolama/Bijagos), Cacheu,
Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali.
Area : 36,125 km²
Population : 1,820,000 (2020)
Population Growth Rate: 2% (2006)
Average Human Lifespan: 46 years
Ethnic Structure: Balantes 32%, Fulanis 22%, Mandyakos 14.5%, Mandingos 13% and Pepels 7%. In addition to these, there are Portuguese, Syrians and Lebanese who play an active role in trade and service sectors. Since the majority of the population lives in rural areas, the urbanisation rate is low.
Language: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages.
Religion: Muslims 50%, local beliefs 45%, Christian 5%.
Geography: Located in West Africa, facing the Atlantic Ocean, the country is bordered by Guinea to the south and east and Senegal to the north. Irrigated by the Corubal, Geba and Cacheu rivers, which originate from the Futa Calon mountainous plateaus, the largest part of the country is covered by alluvial plains with an elevation of no more than 100 metres and gently cleaved plateau plains. Off the coast of the coastal region, which is extremely indented and swampy, lies the Bijagos archipelago, which consists of about forty islands, but only twenty of them are inhabited. In the inland plains of the complex coastal region, which has large estuaries cleared by tide and ebb movements at the mouths of the rivers, the rivers flow in meanders.
Guinea Bissau has a generally hot and rainy climate. The rainy summer months are followed by an arid season. The average annual rainfall is around 3000 mm in the coastal region and 1500 mm in the interior of the country. In the coastal region, which is covered with swamps, mangrove and palm forests, sugar cane and rice fields lie. The inland lands are covered with dense forests and the north-eastern region is covered with savannas. The forests and waters are inhabited by a variety of animals typical of the region.
Mode of Government: Presidential Republic
Political Parties: Partido Africano da Independencia da Guinea-Bissau Cabo Verde (PAIGC)
History: The resistance of some tribes against the western colonisers continued until 1936. The Muslim Fulani in the interior were the first group to adapt to colonial rule and its economic expansion. This allowed Muslims to take part in the administration and led many of them to migrate to urban centres.
Portuguese Guinea remained a province of Portugal until 1930, at which time it became an independent colony; in 1951 it was reinstated as a province. The Portuguese prioritised the production of sugar cane and peanuts and did not allow the cultivation of other crops.
Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, who came to power in Portugal in 1932 and established a dictatorial regime called "New State" and ruled the country with a statist mentality until 1968, imposed a regime of oppression on the colonies in such a way that all economic resources were transferred to the Portuguese economy. After World War II, with the influence of this regime and the independence tendencies that started in Africa, an organisation called Partido Africano da İndependencia da Guinea-Bissau Cabo Verde (PAIGC) was founded in 1956 under the leadership of Amilcar Cabral to fight against the Portuguese administration. In 1959, the bloody prevention of a strike by workers at the Port of Bissau by the colonial administration led to the transformation of the passive independence movement into armed action. In 1962, with the help of Guinea, the front of armed struggle was officially opened. Although Portugal responded in an extremely harsh and bloody manner, it could not prevent the party's successes from increasing day by day. In the regions liberated from the Portuguese, the party opened schools for the people, who had been neglected for centuries, to learn to read and write, and sent students abroad to train specialists. It established dispensaries to solve health problems. He also made important changes in the economic field and brought diversity to the crops grown by liberalising the agricultural crops that the colonialists had not allowed to be cultivated.
Amilcar Cabral, the leader of the Party, which dominated most of the country until 1971, was assassinated in Guinea's capital, Conakry, as he was preparing to declare independence. Although this event delayed the declaration of independence, it did not prevent it and the Party announced the establishment of the new state as Guinea Bissau on 24 September 1973. The government that came to power in April 1974 after the coup d'état that led to the return to democracy in Portugal decided to start negotiations with the Party and then recognised the independence of Guinea Bissau by signing the treaty ending Portuguese rule in the country.
After independence, Luis de Almeida Cabral, a former guerrilla leader and half-brother of Amilcar Cabral, was appointed as the head of state and authoritarian one-party rule was established. First of all, the economy, education and social issues, which had been neglected during the colonial period, were addressed. Although a policy of non-alignment was followed in foreign affairs, military aid was received from the Soviet Union and Democratic Germany. Economic aid was mostly provided by the United Nations, some European countries, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. From 1978 onwards, efforts were made to improve relations with Portugal, despite the grudges and hatred left over from the colonial period. On 14 November 1980, a coup overthrew Cabral and Joao Bernardo Vieira became the new leader. In 1984, a new constitution was adopted by the National People's Assembly and a fifteen-member state council was established. In the 1980s the country faced serious economic and social problems. Some efforts to liberalise the economy, which had been guided by central planning, were initiated in 1987. State control over the economy was loosened and one-party rule was ended. In elections held in June 1990, the ruling party won a majority and Vieira was re-elected president.
Internal Problems: Unemployment is very high.
External Problems: Guinea Bissau has disagreements with Senegal on some border and territorial waters issues and armed conflicts arise between them from time to time.
Islamisation in the Country: Islamisation reached Guinea Bissau in the first half of the XIth century and its development here follows the same course as that of Senegal and Gambia. Islam came to the country from the north and east, usually through traders speaking Mande languages. Muslim merchants, who established commercial towns around the Senegal and Gambia rivers, penetrated Gabu from here and played an important role in the gradual recognition and spread of Islam. While the Portuguese colonisation of these lands by dominating the region prevented the spread of Islam, it enabled the establishment of Christianity through missionary activities. However, despite this, the Christianisation of the population is very limited. There is no organisation or Islamic research institution to gather the Muslims, who are under the influence of the Qādiriyya and Tijāniyya sects and are both culturally and economically backward, under one roof.[1]
Economy: Most of the population is employed in the agricultural sector, which provides half of the national income. Agricultural land in the country covers only a small part of the territory, equal to about 8 per cent. Various tuberous plants, coconuts, rice, peanuts and millet are the most important crops grown. The main activity in the coastal area is fishing. A significant portion of the trees cut from the forests covering 38 per cent of the country's territory is used as fuel and some of them are used in industry. Bauxite and phosphate deposits are the most important underground resources that have not yet been utilised. The primitive industrial sector is mostly based on food processing facilities. Activities in branches such as weaving and automobile assembly are still at the level of establishment and development.
The economy of Guinea-Bissau, one of the 20 poorest countries in the world, is based mainly on farming and fishing. The country exports small quantities of peanuts, palm seeds and timber, as well as fish and seafood. Rice is the most important crop and staple food.
Currency: African Franc CFA
National Income per Capita: 888 USD.(2021)[2]
Foreign Trade: Exports: Hacmi az olan dış ticarette ihracatın büyük bölümünü tarım ürünleri, balık ve balık ürünleri sağlar. İhracattan daima daha fazla olan ithalâtta ise besin maddeleri, içecekler, her türlü makine ve ekipmanlar en önemli yeri tutar.
Export products: Mahogany, shrimp, peanuts, palm seed.
Export partners: India 71.9%, Nigeria 17.1%, Ecuador 4%
Imports: $176 million (2004)
Import Products: Food products, machinery and vehicles, petroleum products.
Import Partners: Italy 24.8%, Senegal 18.2%, Portugal 15.4%, Ivory 4.2% (2005)
Industry: Agricultural products, beer, soft drinks.
Energy: Electricity production: 58 million kWh (2004)
Electricity consumption: 54 million kWh (2004)
Transport: Roads 3,455 km; ports, Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim.
Education: Its literacy rate is 42.4%.
International Organisations and Institutions of which it is a Member: UN, OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation),[3] ACCT, ACP (African - Caribbean - Pacific Countries), AfDB (African Development Bank).
[1] Encyclopaedia of Islam, TDV.
[2] www.ticaret.gov.tr (October-2021 Access)
[3] OIC-OCI.org
