Country Summary
This page presents high-level information for Guinea-Bissau's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications are derived from the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, which divides climates into five main climate groups divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter). Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Guinea-Bissau's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.
Guinea-Bissau, located in Western Africa (12°00' N, 15°00' W), between Cape Roxo (latitude 12º20' N), the Cajete Ponta (latitude 10°59' N) and the meridians 13°38' and 16°43' W bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Republic of Guinea and Senegal is relatively small in size (36,125 km2 – land 28 000 km2 , water 8,120 km2 ) with a low-lying land mass and an archipelago comprising a large number of islands. The country shares borders with Senegal (338 km) to the north and Guinea-Conakry (386 km) to the south and east. Population was just over 1.9 million as of 2020.
The country lies in the humid tropics within the tropical zone, between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sudanese-Sahelian continental block. The country is subject to the movements and impacts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which migrates between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer over the course of the year broadly dictating its seasons. There are two pronounced seasons in Guinea-Bissau: the hot, rainy season, which lasts from May to November, and the hot, dry season from November to April.
The country listed priority adaptation strategies such as an emergency strategy for supplying seeds and pesticides to compensate for food shortages, capacity building for farmers and their organizations, improved water management, sustainable development of agriculture, improved management of other natural resources, agricultural enterprise development, prevention and management of food crises and other natural disasters (e.g. early warning systems), and institutional reinforcement.