4 Sectoral Courts, judges are not
necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and
misdemeanor criminal cases

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence
secretary general]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of
president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social

International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP,
AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
Adriano DA SILVA
chancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended
operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between
forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and
green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black
five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular
pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

Economy--overview: One of the 20 poorest countries in the world,
Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops
have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks
sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood
along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice
is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting
between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta
destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread
damage to the economy in 1998. Before the war, trade reform and
price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's
structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening
of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had
also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Inflation dropped sharply in
the first quarter of 1997. Membership in the WAMU (West African
Monetary Union), begun in May 1997, was expected to support 5%
annual growth and contribute to fiscal discipline. Because of high