Flag of Guinea-Bissau
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The national Flag of Guinea-Bissau was officially adopted on September 24, 1973, when the country attained independence from Portugal. The flag is based on the flag of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissauand Cape Verde and features two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side. There is a black five-pointed star centred in the red band.flagsworld, The flag of Guinea-Bissau resembles the Ghanaian flag except that the red band on the flag of Ghana is horizontally designed and the black star is placed at the centre of the yellow band.
Like the Ghanaina flag, the colours on the Guinea-Bissau's flag are the traditional Pan-African colours of red, golden, and green. Red symbolises the struggle and bloodshed for independence, while yellow symbolises mineral wealth and green denotes the natural resource, particularly forest. The black star stands for African unity. The national flag of Guinea-Bissau has a height to length proportion of 1:2.
COLOURS AND SYMBOLISM OF THE GUINEA BISSAU FLAG
The Guinea Bissau Flag consists of a vertical stripe of red along the hoist that contains a black star and two horizontal stripes of yellow and green that stretch out from the red stripe. The flag's proportions are 1:2, which makes it distinct from many of the other flags in Africa and the rest of the world.
The black star is a symbol of the African people that also appears on the national flag of Ghana.The red stripe represents the blood of the nation's martyrs, the green stripe stands for the country's forests and hope for the future, and the yellow stripe is a symbol of both the nation's mineral resources and the sun. The Guinea Bissau flag meaning corresponds to that of the flag of Ghana, which inspired the flag's design. The colours are also used in the Pan-African flag, which gives them meaning as symbols of the African people. That symbolism is reinforced by the many African flags that use the colours as a show of unity with the rest of the continent.
Symbols Of Guinea-Bissau Coat Of Arms Of Guinea-Bissau
The national flag of Guinea was officially adopted on September 24, 1973, when the country attained independence from Portugal. The flag is based on the flag of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and features two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side. There is a black five-pointed star centred in the red band. The flag of Guinea-Bissau resembles the Ghanaian flag except that the red band on the flag of Ghana is horizontally designed and the black star is placed at the centre of the yellow band.
Like the Ghanaina flag, the colours on the Guinea-Bissau's flag are the traditional Pan-African colours of red, golden, and green. Red symbolises the struggle and bloodshed for independence, while yellow symbolises mineral wealth and green denotes the natural resource, particularly forest. The black star stands for African unity. The national flag of Guinea-Bissau has a height to length proportion of 1:2.
National Anthem
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Anthem Title: Esta É a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada (This Is Our Well Beloved Fatherland)
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Music composer: Xiao He
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Lyricist: Amilcar Cabral
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Date of Adoption: 1974
"Esta É a Nossa Pátria Bem Amada" is the national anthem of Guinea-Bissau, officially adopted at independence in 1974. It also served as Cape Verde's national anthem until 1996, when the country chose a different anthem.The anthem's lyrics were written by Amilcar Cabral, a pan-Africanist and anti-colonial leader who died before the country's independence. However, Xiao He is credited with the composition of the music.
The Currency Of Guinea-Bissau Is The CFA Franc
Guinea-Bissau is a country located on the West African Atlantic coast. It is among the eight countries that form the African Financial Community that was introduced by the French. The French believed that globalisation would steer its wheels to these African nations and the only way to embrace it was through a community. In 1997, Guinea-Bissau joined the financial community and had to change its currency from the Guinea-Bissau peso to the West African CFA franc, which is the currency used by many countries in West Africa. The currency is coded as XOF in the ISO 4217 currency code and is issued by the Central Bank of West African States headquartered in Senegal.
History Of CFA Franc
The CFA franc was established in 1945 in the wake of the Bretton Wood conference as a means of cushioning from the strong devaluation of the franc. In 1958, the CFA became the franc of "French Community in Africa '' after Général de Gaulle incorporated the concept of a community to all French colonies of West and Central Africa. In 1994, the CFA franc was devalued by 50% to stimulate economic growth in the region in terms of increasing imports. With the launch of the UMRAO, an economic union of the West African nation, internal tariffs have been reduced to promote trade in West Africa.
Coins
The first CFA franc coins were introduced in 1948 as aluminium coins in denominations of 1 and 2 franc. Bronze coins in denominations of 5, 10 and 20 franc were introduced in 1957, all bearing the name Afrique Occidentale Français in Togo, and later the minting of coins was transferred to BCEAO which continues to distribute coins up to date. In 1967, 100 nickel and 50 cupro-nickel coins were introduced, followed by bimetallic 200 and 500 franc coins in 2003 that are still used to date as legal tender in Guinea-Bissau.
Banknotes
The franc was first introduced in 1946 in several denominations including 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 1,000 francs. When Guinea-Bissau took over the issuance of the currency, the minimum denomination of the banknote was 50 franc. In 2003, the 500 franc banknote was replaced with a coin due to the devaluation of the currency. In 2004, other denominations of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, and 10,000 francs were issued with the new notes signifying the rich heritage of West Africa. The 500 franc denoted the advancement in technology, the 1,000 franc was a symbol of education and health, the 2,000 franc symbolised a rich network in transportation, the 5,000 franc denoted the rich agricultural field, and the 10,000 franc symbolised telecommunication networks.
Historical Currencies Of Guinea-Bissau
The Guinea-Bissau peso was a major currency in circulation in Guinea-Bissau from 1975 to 1997, having replaced the Portuguese Guinean escudo. It was minted in the form of coins and banknotes, with the coins being in denominations of 1, 2½, 5 and 20 pesos and 50 centavos, while banknotes in denominations of 50, 100, and 500 pesos were printed in 1975, followed by 1,000 peso notes in 1978, and 10,000 peso notes in 1990. The peso continued to be used in Guinea-Bissau until it was phased out at the rate of 65 Guinea-Bissau pesos for 1 CFA franc.
Neighbouring Countries of Guinea-Bissau
It is located in West Africa. It is neighbours to Senegal and Guinea- Bissau to the north, Sierra Leone and Liberia to the south, Mali and Ivory Coast to the east. To the west is the Atlantic Ocean.
Main Characteristics of Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau was named after the Berbers in the area between the south of the Sahara Desert and the Gulf of Guinea-Bissau. It means ’the country of blacks‘. The country has a young population. The majority live in the capital. The capital is Conakry. It is the most developed city in the country. Although the official languages are French, the most spoken language is Fulanese. They use the Guinea-Bissau franc as currency.
A tropical climate prevails. The average annual temperature varies between 22 and 32 degrees. From April to November is the Monsoon rain season. Between November and April is a dry period. The main food used in country cuisine is beef. One of the most popular dishes is Guinea-Bissau rice. Sea products are also very consumed foods.
Climate of Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissauexperiences a tropical climate with high temperature and humidity levels. The temperature ranges from 29°C- 23°C. Overall,Guinea-Bissau weather conditions can be divided into two main seasons such as wet and dry. The wet season goes from June to November, with frequent rainfall and windy conditions. In fact, Guinea-Bissau is known as one of the wettest countries in West Africa. The dry season is from December to May, with April being the hottest month of the year. The best time to visit Guinea-Bissau is from November to December when the weather is mild.
Geography of Guinea-Bissau
The south of Guinea-Bissau is bordered by Sierra Leone and Liberia, the east by Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, and the north by Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. The west of Guinea-Bissau faces the Atlantic Ocean. Guinea-Bissau can be segmented into four major geographical regions known as Lower Guinea-Bissau(coastal region), Fouta Djallon (mountainous region), Upper Guinea (Niger Plains), and Guinea Highlands (forest region). Many rivers of Western Africa, including Gambia, Niger, and Senegal, originate from Guinea-Bissau.
People and Culture of Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a multi-ethnic country consisting of 24 ethnicities, to be exact. Out of them, Fulani, Malinké, and Soussou communities dominate the population. They make up nearly 80% of the population, while the rest consists of small indigenous groups. When it comes to composition by religion, 85% of people are Muslims. The rest consists of Christians, animists, and other groups.
Although the majority adheres to Islamic beliefs and practices, there are distinct differences between customs, cultural activities, and traditions between different ethnic communities within the country. Guinea-Bissau culture also gives a lot of priority to folk music and use different
Transportation Options in Guinea-Bissau
Getting around Guinea-Bissau, especially in rural areas, is very difficult. The primary mode of transportation in Guinea-Bissau is Taxi. There are bush taxis, van taxis, and motor taxis that you can hire for both short and long distances. They are not expensive, but they are not extremely comfortable and well-maintained either. You also have the option of renting your car but since navigation in the country is quite difficult, it’s not an advisable choice. Although there are railroads and a few bus stations, the service is almost non-existent. Airports operate quite well, and some areas of Guinea-Bissau are accessible by ferry rides as well.
Is Guinea-Bissau Safe for Travellers?
Travellers who visit Guinea-Bissau are generally advised to be very cautious of their safety and their belongings, especially in rural parts of the country.Guinea-Bissau is infamous for its corruption, crime, and theft rates. While the security forces provide the best possible protection to visitors, caution on your part is a necessary precaution. Be more vigilant when you are in places frequented by tourists like airports, hotels, and restaurants. It’s always better to avoid seeking help from unknown people, so we recommend you book a tour guide beforehand.
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