Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is the one of the poorest and least developed nations in the world. Located in western Africa on the north Atlantic Ocean, Guinea-Bissau is bordered by Senegal on the north and Guinea on the south and east. The population of approximately 1.7 million lives on an area of only 36,125 square miles. Swamps cover both the western coast and low-lying inland areas. Some 44 percent of the population lives in urban areas. Approximately 82 percent of the population is [Page 708]engaged in the agricultural and fishing sectors, and Guinea-Bissau is heavily dependent on cashew production. Females perform most agricultural work. In rural areas, women are subject to Islamic laws and customs that place them in inferior positions. International reports suggest that the Bissau-Guinean economy ...