Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Guinea-Bissau is one of the smallest countries in West Africa. It is roughly the same size as the Netherlands and has a population of nearly two million. A large proportion of the population lives in Bissau, the capital.
Although Portuguese is the official language, only a minority of people speak it on a daily basis. Most residents speak Guinea-Bissau Creole, a language that has evolved from Portuguese and various African languages. In addition, more than twenty local languages are spoken.
The landscape is strikingly flat. Large rivers, wide estuaries and vast mangrove forests characterise the coastal area. At high tide, seawater sometimes flows tens of kilometres inland. Further east, the landscape gradually transitions into savannah and open woodland. The climate has two distinct seasons: the dry season from December to May and the rainy season from June to November.
The population comprises more than twenty different ethnic groups. Religion plays an important role in daily life. Most inhabitants are Muslim or Christian, but traditional African customs and ancestor worship continue to hold an important place. These beliefs often coexist.
For centuries, the region formed part of the trade routes in West Africa. From the fifteenth century onwards, the Portuguese settled along the coast. Guinea-Bissau became a major centre in the transatlantic slave trade. Following a protracted war of independence, Guinea-Bissau declared its independence in 1973. A year later, Portugal recognised this independence.
The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Cashew nuts are by far the most important export and provide employment for a large proportion of the population. In addition, rice, peanuts and fruit are grown, and fishing is an important industry along the coast.
Guinea-Bissau is a country where daily life still largely unfolds as it has for generations.
Guinea-Bissau has no major monuments or world-famous cities, but it does have a rich history, stunning natural beauty and cultural diversity.
We visited Guinea Bissau on our overland trip by car (a Toyota LandCruiser 4WD campervan) from West-Africa; see our channel youtube.com/user/JanvanBekkum for hundreds of clips. More clips of Guinea Bissau can be found here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMYlw_C7EP8KqyTKPnPCZ38MjsZxf_bkB.
Music and/or sound effects:
- 'Windswept' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'C-Funk' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'Symphony of the Streets. Hip-Hop Background Music for video 60 second' created by Maksim Dudchyk and uploaded from Pixbay (pixabay.com/nl/music/orkestraal-symphony-of-the-streets-hip-hop-background-music-for-video-60-second-476679/).;
- 'Calm inspiring technology logo short version' created by Alex Zavesa, distributed by Pixabay (pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-calm-inspiring-technology-logo-short-version-518993/).
Guinea-Bissau is one of the smallest countries in West Africa. It is roughly the same size as the Netherlands and has a population of nearly two million. A large proportion of the population lives in Bissau, the capital.
Although Portuguese is the official language, only a minority of people speak it on a daily basis. Most residents speak Guinea-Bissau Creole, a language that has evolved from Portuguese and various African languages. In addition, more than twenty local languages are spoken.
The landscape is strikingly flat. Large rivers, wide estuaries and vast mangrove forests characterise the coastal area. At high tide, seawater sometimes flows tens of kilometres inland. Further east, the landscape gradually transitions into savannah and open woodland. The climate has two distinct seasons: the dry season from December to May and the rainy season from June to November.
The population comprises more than twenty different ethnic groups. Religion plays an important role in daily life. Most inhabitants are Muslim or Christian, but traditional African customs and ancestor worship continue to hold an important place. These beliefs often coexist.
For centuries, the region formed part of the trade routes in West Africa. From the fifteenth century onwards, the Portuguese settled along the coast. Guinea-Bissau became a major centre in the transatlantic slave trade. Following a protracted war of independence, Guinea-Bissau declared its independence in 1973. A year later, Portugal recognised this independence.
The economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Cashew nuts are by far the most important export and provide employment for a large proportion of the population. In addition, rice, peanuts and fruit are grown, and fishing is an important industry along the coast.
Guinea-Bissau is a country where daily life still largely unfolds as it has for generations.
Guinea-Bissau has no major monuments or world-famous cities, but it does have a rich history, stunning natural beauty and cultural diversity.
We visited Guinea Bissau on our overland trip by car (a Toyota LandCruiser 4WD campervan) from West-Africa; see our channel youtube.com/user/JanvanBekkum for hundreds of clips. More clips of Guinea Bissau can be found here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMYlw_C7EP8KqyTKPnPCZ38MjsZxf_bkB.
Music and/or sound effects:
- 'Windswept' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'C-Funk' by Kevin MacLeod. Link: www.incompetech.com. License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;
- 'Symphony of the Streets. Hip-Hop Background Music for video 60 second' created by Maksim Dudchyk and uploaded from Pixbay (pixabay.com/nl/music/orkestraal-symphony-of-the-streets-hip-hop-background-music-for-video-60-second-476679/).;
- 'Calm inspiring technology logo short version' created by Alex Zavesa, distributed by Pixabay (pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-calm-inspiring-technology-logo-short-version-518993/).
