Guinea Bissau is a rural economy, dependent and extremely vulnerable to the price variations of its principal export product, cashew, which represents approximately 95% of total exportation.

The economy is dominated by agriculture, including limited rice production, fruit and horticulture. The country has a very important potential in the fishery sector but is relatively underdeveloped, as is the case for timber production. It also presents a great potential for oil and gas and the mining sector. The country has considerable deposits of bauxite and phosphate.

Guinea Bissau’s local currency is CFA Franc (XOF), a regional currency used in practically all West African French-speaking countries, and has monetary stability with less than 1.1% of inflation.

Economic and commercial legislation is based on the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) regional system, a legal and judicial harmonization process concerning more than 16 African countries. 

Guinea Bissau is a West African country, bordered by Senegal and Guinea (Conakry), with an important Atlantic front that comprises over 200 miles of the maritime platform.

Guinea Bissau is a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

As a member of the ECOWAS, Guinea Bissau is part of a regional market comprising 15 countries, which include all the UEMOA members, forming a common market with a unique external tax.

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