Guinea Bissau

The West African country of Guinea-Bissau is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, diverse wildlife,
and beautiful beaches. Once colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century, it gained independence in
1974 after a long struggle against colonial rule. Since then, it has been ruled by both military and civilian
governments. Let’s take a look at some more facts about this fascinating country.
The flag of Guinea-Bissau consists of three equal horizontal stripes—the top stripe being yellow, the
middle one green, and the bottom one red—with a black five-pointed star centered in the green stripe.
The colors are said to represent the sun, forests and savannas, and rivers respectively; while the star
stands for unity between different ethnic groups. The landscape of Guinea-Bissau is mostly comprised of
lowlands with some hills towards the interior part of the country. It also has many rivers that flow into
its coastlines which offer stunning views for tourists!
The first president of independent Guinea-Bissau was Luis Cabral who served from 1974 to 1980 when
he was overthrown in a military coup led by Joao Bernardo Vieira. Vieira would go on to be reelected as
president in 1994 but would again be overthrown by a military coup in 1999. After many tumultuous
years, Malam Bacai Sanha was elected as president in 2005 but unfortunately passed away due to illness
four years later. Currently, Jose Mario Vaz is serving as president since 2014 after being elected by
popular vote with over 60% support from the people.
Guinea Bissau is known for its vibrant culture including traditional music styles such as Bataka or
Balanta; native dishes like Jollof Rice; traditional festivals such as Bida or N’Dama; and even its own
language called Kriolu which is an evolving creole language derived from Portuguese colonists mixed
with African languages spoken by natives! These traditions have endured despite colonization, civil war
and political turmoil throughout its history making them integral parts of what makes this country
unique!
Guinea Bissau has come a long way since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974. Even today it
continues to be a source of great pride amongst its citizens due to their rich history and culture that
have endured through turbulent times! From stunning landscapes to vibrant pastimes, there’s plenty to
explore here! This blog post only scratched the surface so make sure you visit this beautiful nation soon!
Thank you for reading!