Guinea-Bissau explained to kids

Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. The official name of the country is the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. The country is sometimes called simply Guinea. The capital city of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau. Guinea-Bissau is a small country. It is about the same size as the U.S. state of Maryland. The population of Guinea-Bissau is about 1.8 million people. The official language of Guinea-Bissau is Portuguese. However, many people in the country also speak one of the local African languages, such as Crioulo. The people of Guinea-Bissau are from many different ethnic groups. The largest groups are the Fulani, the Mandinka, and the Balanta. The climate of Guinea-Bissau is tropical. The country has a rainy season and a dry season. The economy of Guinea-Bissau is mostly based on agriculture. The main crops are rice, cassava, peanuts, and corn. Guinea-Bissau was once a Portuguese colony. The country gained its independence from Portugal in 1974. Since independence, Guinea-Bissau has had many political problems. These problems have made it difficult for the country to develop.