Welcome to Republic of Guinea-Bissau

Location of Guinea-Bissau• In western Africa, bordering Senegal and Guinea.

• One of the smallest states in continental Africa.

• Independence since 1974

from Portugal rule.

• Capital city: Bissau

People of Guinea-Bissau

• Population: 1,611,000 (est.)

• Nationality: Guinea-Bissauan / Guinean(s)

• 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%

Language of Guinea-Bissau

• Official language: Portuguese

• Other languages: Crioulo/Creole (language spoken by 44% of the population of Guinea-Bissau), African languages

• Local greetings… Next page

English Portuguese Pronunciation/Notes

Hello Olá Olah

How are you? (formal)How are you? (informal)

Como está?Como estás?

Komu eshta?Komu eshtazh?

I’m OK, thank you.Estou bem, obrigadoEstou bem, obrigada

Eshtoh baym[ng], ObrigahduEshtoh baym[ng], ObrigahdaFor ‘thank you’, men say ‘obrigado’, women say ‘obrigada’(regardless of whether the person they are talking to is male or female)

I am fineEstou óptimoEstou óptima

Eshtoh ohtimu – only said by malesEshtoh ohtima – nly said by females

Pleased to meet you Prazer Prazair – lit. “pleasure.”

Good Morning Bom dia Bom[ng] deeya (generally used up until about 1pm)

Good Afternoon Boa tarde Boa tarde (after about 1pm)

Good Evening/Night Boa noite Boa noite (Switch from saying ‘boa tarde’ to ‘boa noite’ around sunset)

Goodbye Adeus Adayush

‘Seeya’ Tchau/Chau Chow – adaptation of the Italian word 'ciao’

Yes Sim Sim[ng]

No Não Now[ng]

Please Se faz favor Se fazh favor – often shortened to ‘faz favor’

Thank youObrigadoObrigada

Obrigahdu – only said by malesObrigahda – only said by females

My name is… Chamo me… O meu nome é…

Shamu-me… – lit. “I call myself…” oo mayu nome eh – lit. “the my name is…”

What is your name?Como se chama?Qual é o seu nome?

Komu se-shama? – lit. "How do you call yourself?"Kwal eh oo sayu nome? – lit. “What is the your name?”

Do you speak English? Fala Inglês? Fahla Ingle[a]ysh?

I am learning Portuguese Eu estou a aprender Português Ayoo eshtoh a aprender Portooge[a]ysh

Sorry! Desculpe! Deshculpe! means: I Love You

means: Congratulations!

means: Welcome!Bem-vinda! (female)

Guinea-Bissau National Anthem(Esta é a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada)

"This is Our Well-Beloved Country"

CHORUS:Viva a pátria gloriosa!(Long live our glorious country!)Floriu nos céus a bandeira da luta. (The banner of our struggleHas fluttered in the skies.)Avante, contra o jugo estrangeiro!(Forward, against the foreign yoke!)

PORTUGUESE (ENGLISH) LYRICSSol, suor e o verde e mar,(Sun, sweat, verdure and sea)Séculos de dor e esperança:(Centuries of pain and hope;)Esta é a terra dos nossos avós! (This is the land of our ancestors!)Fruto das nosas mãos,(Fruit of our hands,)Da flôr do nosso sangue:(Of the flower of our blood:)Esta é a nossa pátria amada.(This is our beloved country.)

Ramos do mesmo tronco,(Branches of the same trunk,)Olhos na mesma luz:(Eyes in the same light;)Esta é a força da nossa união!(This is the force of our unity!)Cantem o mar e a terra(The sea and the land,)A madrugada eo sol(The dawn and the sun are singing)Que a nossa luta fecundou.(That our struggle has borne fruit!)

Nós vamos construirNa patria immortalA paz e o progresso! (We are going to buildPeace and progressIn our immortal country!)Nós vamos construirNa patria immortalA paz e o progresso! (We are going to buildPeace and progressIn our immortal country!)

Regions and sectors of Guinea-Bissau

• Guinea-Bissau is divided into 8 regions (regiões) and one autonomous sector (sector autónomo).

• These in turn are subdivided into thirty-seven sectors. The regions are:

• Bafatá • Biombo • Bissau* • Bolama • Cacheu • Gabu • Oio • Quinara • Tombali *autonomous sector

Time zone of Guinea-Bissau

• Guinea-Bissau uses UTC+0 (Singapore is UTC+8) time zone.

• Therefore, when we wake up at 8am in the morning, it is still 12 midnight over at Guinea-Bissau.

Economy of Guinea-Bissau

• Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF)

DO YOU KNOW?SGD $1 = CFAF $325

(estimated)

Climate of Guinea-Bissau

• The climate in Guinea-Bissau is tropical. This means it is generally hot and humid. Average temperature: 26.3°C

• The average rainfall for Bissau is 2024mm.

• It has a monsoonal-type rainy season from June to November.

• From December through May, the country experiences drought.

Typical scenery in Guinea-Bissau

Economy of Guinea-Bissau

• The economy depends mainly on agriculture and fishing.

• Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production.

• The major exports are fish and seafood, cashew nuts, peanuts, along with small amounts of palm kernels, and timber.

• Rice is the major crop and staple food.

Guinea-Bissau- Food Consumption

• Most Guineans eat rice with fish.• The more costly meals contain beef, goat, chicken or pork.• Meals are also made with palm oil and peanut sauces and

diverse vegetables.

• Fruit available depends on the season, but mangos, papayas, oranges, grape fruits, bananas, cashews and peanuts are abundant.

• Also try the sour "fole" fruits and the baobab fruit juice (sumo de cabaceira).

• Apples, pears, pineapples, watermelons are imported.

• Vegetables sold in the markets include lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, parsley, okra, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, chili, sweet potatoes.

• Street snacks are typically sandwiches with hardboiled egg, omelete, fish or beef - or donuts, cake or hardboiled eggs.

• Frozen juice in small plastic bags is popular among locals.

Baobab fruit

Guinea-Bissau- Drinks

• The people of Guinea-Bissau love to drink a sweet green tea known as “warga”.

• Non- Muslims also enjoy drinking cashew wine or palm wine.

Warga (strong sweet green tea)

Foods & Drinksof Guinea-Bissau

• National specialities:– Jollof rice served with

chicken or fish.

• National drinks:– Palm wine.– Cana de cajeu (cashew

rum made from the fruit of the cashew nut).

Palm Wine and Palm Juice

Culture of Guinea-Bissau- Music

• The music of Guinea-Bissau is usually associated with the polyrhythmic gumbe genre, the country's primary musical export.

Kora (21-string harp-lute)A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin

The calabash is the primary musical instrument of Guinea-Bissau, and is used in extremely swift and rhythmically complex dance music.

Sports in Guinea-Bissau

• There are many traditional African sports in Guinea-Bissau, but wrestling is among the oldest and most popular.

• The African board game of ouri is played throughout the country.

• Football (soccer) is the most popular Western sport in Guinea-Bissau.

• Guinea-Bissau made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where it competed in wrestling events.

Ouri (Owari) Game Board

Places-of-Interest inGuinea-Bissau

River Zoo Farm

The presidential palace – bombed-out during the civil war, but still

standing, though now only inhabited by bats.

Bissau Velho –the old Portuguese colonial centre.

The French Cultural Center –in the Bayana roundabout often features concerts, movies, dance classes, French

classes etc.

Hotel Bissau Palace –probably the best restaurant in town. Has a swimming pool that non-guests can use for 5000 FCFA (eat lunch at the pool) and

wireless internet.

Education in Guinea-Bissau

• Officially, six years of primary education is compulsory for children age 7 to 14.

• For those children who show scholastic promise, there are five years of secondary education.

• 2 universities are founded in 2003 (based in Bissau), provide opportunities for higher education.

Holiday in Guinea-Bissau

HOLIDAY NAME DATE

New Year's Day January 1

Heroes' Day (death of Amilcar Cabral) January 20

International Women's Day March 8

Labour Day May 1

Pidjiguoiti Day August 3

Korite (End of Ramadan) September 21

National Day September 24

Readjustment Movement Day November 14

Tabaski (Feast of Sacrifice) November 28

Christmas Day December 25