Besides the Guineans themselves – diverse peoples united by a truly remarkable degree of neighbourly goodwill – Guinea-Bissau’s biggest draw is the Arquipelago dos Bijagos, with its turquoise waters, powdery sand beaches and some of the world’s best sport-fishing.

Guinea-Bissau’s tropical coast consists of estuaries, mangrove swamps and, in the south, rainforest. Inland, the landscape stays flat, and the highest ground, near the Guinean border, reaches only 300 meters. Going north and east from the coast, the land increasingly resembles the semiarid plains of the Sahel. Off the coast, the Arquipelago dos Bijagos is made up of dozens of low-lying islands with tall palm forests and mangrove swamps.

Guinea-Bissau’s 1.4 million citizens represent three major religions, 23 ethnic groups and more than 30 languages. The largest tribes include the Balante in the coastal and southern regions and the Fulani in the north.