Republic of Guinea-Bissau
western africa
_was once part of the mali empire
_colonized by the Portuguese, since the 16th century
_independence 1974
_first multi-party elections 1994
_37,000 square kilometres
_estimated population of 1,600,000
_warm all year it averages 26.3°C
_agriculture; fish, cashew nuts and ground nuts are its major exports
_human development index is one of the lowest on earth
_two-thirds of guine bissau's population lives below the poverty line
_years of political intability has resulted in depressed economic activity
guiné bissau along with several neighboring West African nations, as a transshipment point to Europe for cocaine.
The nation was described by a United Nations official as being at risk for becoming a "narco-state".
