|
Guinea-Bissau
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
71.9% or about 2,022,000 ha of Guinea-Bissau is forested, according to FAO. Guinea-Bissau had 1,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Guinea-Bissau lost an average of 9,700 ha or 0.44% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Guinea-Bissau lost 8.8% of its forest cover, or around 194,000 ha.
Guinea-Bissau's forests contain 96 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Guinea-Bissau has some 620 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.8% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 1.1% are threatened. Guinea-Bissau is home to at least 1000 species of vascular plants, of which 1.2% are endemic. 0.0% of Guinea-Bissau is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
2011 Update
In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.
| Forest definition (canopy cover %) | 10% tree cover | 25% tree cover | 30% tree cover | | Forest Area (M ha) | 3 | 1 | 1 | | Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C) | 74 | 38 | 17 | | Belowground forest carbon (Mt C) | 23 | 12 | 5 | | Total forest carbon (Mt C) | 97 | 50 | 22 | | Average Carbon Density (t C/ha) | 37 | 37 | 35 |
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values
Guinea-Bissau Environmental profile
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Guinea-Bissau
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
|
|
Guinea-Bissau: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 2812 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 2022 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 72 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 0 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 0 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 230 |
| Percent other wooded land | 8 |
Guinea-Bissau: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 0 | 0 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 2021 | 100 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 1 | n.s. |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2216 | 2120 | 2072 | 2022 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -10 | -10 | -10 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.44 | -0.46 | -0.49 | |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2216 | 2120 | 2071 | 2021 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -10 | -10 | -10 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.4 | -0.43 | -0.47
| |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| - | - | - | |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | 1 | 1 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 5.58 | 7.85 | 5.63 | |
Guinea-Bissau: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 29 | 12 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Guinea-Bissau: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| - | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Guinea-Bissau: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 61 | 30 | - | - | 34 |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| 1 | 3 | | | |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 106 | 101 | 98 | 96 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 47 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| -1 | -1 | n.s. |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Guinea-Bissau: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| - | - |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Guinea-Bissau: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 20 | 7 | 7 | - |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 22 | 33 | 35 | - |
Guinea-Bissau: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Guinea-Bissau: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
Guinea-Bissau: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (1992)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (1992) Under revision
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (1991)
Sub-national forest law: No
Guinea-Bissau: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 292 | 11 | 284 | 14 | 263 | 11 |
Guinea-Bissau: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| 121 | 72 | - | 48 | - | 121 | -
|
Guinea-Bissau: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Guinea-Bissau: Environment
| Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires |
Guinea-Bissau: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 10.67%
permanent crops: 8.82%
other: 80.51% (2001) | | Natural resources | fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum |
Guinea-Bissau: Economy
| Economy - overview: | One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, offshore oil prospecting has begun and could lead to much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in continued low growth in 2002-05. | | GDP - per capita | $800 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 2.8% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 62%, industry: 12%, services: 26% (1999 est.) | | Industries | agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks | | Economic aid - recipient | $115.4 million (1995) | | Debt - external | $941.5 million (2000 est.) | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 82% (2000 est.) |
Guinea-Bissau: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 1,416,027 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 1.96% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 50.6 | | Percent rural (2003) | 66.0% | | Median age (years) | total: 18.97 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 4.93 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1% |
Largest Cities in Guinea-Bissau
Cities and urban areas in Guinea-Bissau with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Bissau | Guinea-Bissau | 288300 | 288300 |
Guinea-Bissau: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 10,600 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,300 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 4,400 km
paved: 453 km
unpaved: 3,947 km (1999) |
Guinea-Bissau: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 46.61 years
male: 44.77 years
female: 48.52 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 107.17 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 10% (2003 est.) | | Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004) |
Guinea-Bissau
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
|
|
|
|
