About the People

Guinea-Bissau is the world’s fifth-poorest nation and has the fifth-lowest Human Development Index. Two-thirds of the population lives in extreme poverty. During the civil war of 1998-99, much of the country’s infrastructure was destroyed, and it has been slow to recover under a cloud of persistent anarchy. The UN has declared it as the first narcotic state in Africa. It has become a transit point for cocaine from Colombia to Europe and heroin from Southeast Asia to the United States.

Guinea-Bissau’s population is dominated by more than 20 African ethnicities, including the Balante, one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, the Fulani and their subgroups, the Diola, Nalu, Bijagó, Landuma, Papel and the Malinke. There is also a small Cape Verdean minority with mixed African, European, Lebanese and Jewish origins. During the colonial period, the European population consisted mainly of the Portuguese and included some Lebanese, Italian, French and English groups and other nationalities. Notably, there was never a substantial settler population in Guinea-Bissau as in other Portuguese colonies.

About 40% of Guinea-Bissau’s population is Muslim. Among Christians, who make up about 20% of the population, Roman Catholicism predominates. About 17% of the population practices traditional beliefs, including ancestor worship, demonic possession and animism. Christianity and Islam tend to be syncretized with African traditional beliefs.

About the Project

More information coming soon.

People-Group Facts

• Population: 318,000 Animists
• Language: Portuguese (official)
• Religion: Animism