Capital of Guinea-Bissau: Bissau
The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau. Guinea-Bissau sits in Africa, has a population of 2,105,566, and uses the XOF. Official languages include Portuguese.
Quick facts
- Capital: Bissau
- Continent: Africa
- Population: ~2,105,566
- Area: 36,125 km²
- Population density: 58.3 people per km²
- Official language: Portuguese
- Currency: XOF
- ISO code: GW
How big is Guinea-Bissau?
By population, Guinea-Bissau ranks 147th in the world, holding roughly 0.03% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 135th.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Guinea-Bissau has 58.3 people per square kilometre, which is close to the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Africa, Guinea-Bissau is the 46th most populous country of 54.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Guinea-Bissau in population are North Macedonia (2,093,599) and Slovenia (2,119,675).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Taiwan (36,193 km²) and Bhutan (38,394 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Portuguese is spoken officially in 9 countries in this dataset, including Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Equatorial Guinea and Mozambique, and 3 others.
The XOF is not unique to Guinea-Bissau — it is also used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali, and 3 others. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.
Guinea-Bissau in Africa
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Guinea-Bissau belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Guinea-Bissau and a page on the flag of Guinea-Bissau.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Guinea-Bissau?
The capital of Guinea-Bissau is Bissau.
What is the population of Guinea-Bissau?
About 2,105,566, making it the 147th most populous country in the world.
How big is Guinea-Bissau?
36,125 square kilometres, ranking 135th by land area, at a density of 58.3 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Guinea-Bissau use?
The XOF, shared with 7 other countries.