Demographics of Guinea-Bissau

The population of Guinea-Bissau is ethnically diverse with distinct languages, customs, and social structures. Most people are farmers, with traditional religious beliefs (animism); 45% are Muslim, principally Fula and Mandinka-speaker concentrated in the north and northeast. Other important groups are the Balanta[?] and Papel[?], living in the southern coastal regions, and the Manjaco[?] and Mancanha[?], occupying the central and northern coastal areas.

Population: 1,285,715 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 42% (male 271,100; female 272,304)
15-64 years: 55% (male 335,150; female 370,667)
65 years and over: 3% (male 16,574; female 19,920) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.4% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 39.63 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 15.62 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 112.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 49.04 years
male: 46.77 years
female: 51.37 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guinean (s)
adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions: indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages: Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53.9%
male: 67.1%
female: 40.7% (1997 est.)

See also : Guinea-Bissau