Because of you…
There is a Youth for Christ Youth Training Centre located in the heart of the capital city of Bissau. Over 1,000 young people pass through the centre each week. The programs consist of:
- English Language Institute where over 300 students study each year.
- Computer Training School which has over 35 computers in three air-conditioned labs. Over 500 students have the opportunity to study there each year.
- Theological Seminary of Bissau (STEB) is a 3 year Bible Seminary preparing pastors and missionaries. Currently there are over 50 students studying there.
- G-21 Recording Studio which is the top studio in the country producing Christian music.
- A multi-sport complex where soccer and basketball programs run each day.
- The Instituto Canzion Music school which trains musician and worship leaders. Over 100 are enrolled in this inaugeral year.
- English Teacher Training School which prepares English teachers for future centres.
- Cantina/Restaruant where students can eat meals and get snacks.
- A 6 room guesthouse which helps to fund this centre.
Praise the Lord that this ministry has been sustaining itself financially for the last 3 years with money generated by the centre.
Prayer Needs
- Pray for the Youth for Christ staff as they reach out to the youth of Bissau with the Gospel of Jesus.
- Pray for protection for the infrastructure of the Youth Training Centre: Generators/computers/vehicles/etc
- Pray for more national teachers to be prepared and raised up so we can start new centres around West Africa.
- Pray for the country of Guinea-Bissau to have lasting peace and good leaders.
About Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
Introduction
Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable political and military upheaval. In 1980, a military coup established authoritarian dictator Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA as president. Despite setting a path to a market economy and multiparty system, VIEIRA's regime was characterized by the suppression of political opposition and the purging of political rivals. Several coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him. In 1994 VIEIRA was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military mutiny and resulting civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in May 1999. In February 2000, a transitional government turned over power to opposition leader Kumba YALA after he was elected president in transparent polling. In September 2003, after only three years in office, YALA was ousted by the military in a bloodless coup, and businessman Henrique ROSA was sworn in as interim president. In 2005, former President VIEIRA was re-elected president pledging to pursue economic development and national reconciliation; he was assassinated in March 2009. Malam Bacai SANHA was elected in an emergency election held in June 2009.
Geography
Location
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Geographic Coordinates: 12 00 N, 15 00 W
Area
Total Area: 36,125 sq km Rank: 137
Land Area: 28,120 sq km
Water Area: 8,005 sq km
Comparison: slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Land Boundaries: 724 km
Bordering Countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Coastline: 350 km
Climate
tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain
mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Elevations
Lowest Point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Highest Point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
Natural Resources
fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Land Use
Arable land: 8.31%
Permanent Crops: 6.92%
Other: 84.77% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 250 sq km (2003)
Renewable Water Resources: 31 cu km (2003)
Total Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): 0.18 cu km/yr (13%/5%/82%)
Freshwater Withdrawal Per Capita: 113 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment
Natural Hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Environmental Issues: deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
Environmental Agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Geography Notes
this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying inland
People
Population: 1,533,964 (July 2010 est.) Rank: 150
Age Structure
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 312,253/female 313,609)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 414,924/female 445,639)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 19,191/female 28,348) (2010 est.)
Median Age: 18.8 years
Population Growth
Growth Rate: 2.019% (2010 est.) Rank: 58
Birth Rate: 35.97 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 32
Death Rate: 15.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Rank: 14
Net Migration Rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Rank: 81
Urbanization
Urban Population: 30% of total population (2008)
Rate of Urbanization: 3.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Life and Death
Infant Mortality Rate: 99.82 deaths/1,000 live births Rank: 9
Life Expectancy at Birth: 47.9 years Rank: 213
Fertility Rate: 4.58 children born/woman (2010 est.) Rank: 36
Health and Disease
HIV/AIDS - Adult Prevalence Rate: 1.8% (2007 est.) Rank: 34
People living with HIV/AIDS: 16,000 (2007 est.) Rank: 85
HIV/AIDS Deaths: 1,100 (2007 est.) Rank: 70
Degree of Risk for Major Infectious Diseases: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne Diseases: malaria and yellow fever
Water Contact Diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal Contact Diseases: rabies (2009)
Nationality and Culture
Noun: Guinean(s)
Adjective: Guinean
Ethnic Groups: African 99% (includes Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Religion: Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10%
Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Education
Literacy (Meaning, age 15 and over can read and write): 42.4% Male: 58.1% Female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): 5 years Male: 7 years Female: 4 years (2001)
Education expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (1999) Rank: 59
Government
Country Name
Conventional Long Form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
Conventional Short Form: Guinea-Bissau
Local Long Form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
Local Short Form: Guine-Bissau
Formerly: Portuguese Guinea
Government Type: republic
Capital: Bissau Geographic Coordinates: 11 51 N, 15 35 W
Administrative divisions
9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Independence: 24 September 1973 (declared); 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Constitution: 16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996
Legal system: based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State: President Malam Bacai SANHA (since 8 September 2009)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 25 December 2008)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 28 June 2009 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 26 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature
Election Results: Malam Bacai SANHA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Malam Bacai SANHA 63.5%, Kumba YALA 36.5%
Legislative Branch
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 16 November 2008 (next to be held in 2012)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 49.8%, PRS 25.3%, PRID 7.5%, PND 2.4%, AD 1.4%, other parties 13.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 67, PRS 28, PRID 3, PND 1, AD 1
Judicial branch
Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at more than $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases valued at less than $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)
Politics
Political Parties and Leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Democratic Alliance or AD [Victor MANDINGA]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [Rafael BARBOSA]; Electoral Union or UE [Joaquim BALDE]; Guinea-Bissau Civic Forum/Social Democracy or FCGSD [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; Guinea-Bissau Democratic Party or PDG; Guinea-Bissau Socialist Democratic Party or PDSG [Serifo BALDE]; Labor and Solidarity Party or PST [Lancuba INDJAI]; New Democracy Party or PND; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Progress Party or PP; Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]; Union of Guinean Patriots or UPG [Francisca VAZ]; Union for Change or UM [Amine SAAD]; United Platform or UP (coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB); United Popular Alliance or APU; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Frnacisco FADUL]
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders: NA
International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau
Flag Description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; yellow symbolizes the sun; green denotes hope; red represents blood shed during the struggle for independence; the black star stands for African unity
Note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the flag design was heavily influenced by the Ghanian flag
Economy
Economy Overview: One of the six poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks fifth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. Offshore oil prospecting is underway in several sectors but has not yet led to commercially viable crude deposits. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, resulted in continued low growth in 2002-06. Higher raw material prices boosted growth in 2007-09.
Gross Domestic Product
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.726 billion (2009 est.) Rank: 187
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (2009 est.) Rank: 66
GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,100 (2009 est.) Rank: 209
GDP - Composition by Sector: Agriculture: 62% Industry: 12% Services: 26% (1999 est.)
Labor Force
Labor Force: 632,700 (2007) Rank: 151
Labor force - by occupation: Agriculture: 82% Industry and Services: 18% (2000 est.)
Unemployment Rate: NA est.)
Poverty
Population below poverty line: NA
Transnational Issues
International Disputes: in 2006, political instability within Senegal's Casamance region resulted in thousands of Senegalese refugees, cross-border raids, and arms smuggling into Guinea-Bissau
Refugees and internally displaced persons - refugees (country of origin): 7,454 (Senegal) (2007)
