Bolama/Bijagós: population, jobs, health, schools, water and living standards

Bolama/Bijagós is a region of Guinea-Bissau, number 9 of 9 by population. The Instituto Nacional de Estatística projects the population of the Bolama/Bijagós region at 42,342 for 2026, 2.2% of Guinea-Bissau's projected 1,890,252; the smallest of the 9 regions. This is a projection published in 2022 from the 2009 census and the 2014 MICS survey, not a census count.

Population (INE projection)

42,342

2026

Unemployment rate (ILO definition)

0.07%

2017/18

Household members with access to electricity

9.3%

2018-19

Population with at least basic drinking water

45.6%

2018-19

Population in the poorest national wealth fifth

64.9%

2018-19

Under-five deaths per 1,000 live births (10 years before the survey)

2009-2019

Children under 5 stunted

17.1%

2018-19

Children 12-23 months with all basic vaccines

73.3%

2018-19

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Bolama/Bijagós: The unemployment rate in Bolama/Bijagós was 0.07% in the INE's 2017/2018 employment and informal sector survey (ERI-ESI), the lowest of the 9 regions (Guinea-Bissau: 7.1%).
Health in Bolama/Bijagós: Women in Bolama/Bijagós aged 15 to 19 had 69 births per 1,000 each year in the 2018-2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS6), 2nd lowest of the 9 regions (Guinea-Bissau: 84).
Education in Bolama/Bijagós: 74.1% of children of primary-school age in Bolama/Bijagós were attending primary school (or higher) in 2018-2019 and 19.6% were out of school; 5th highest of the 9 regions for attendance (Guinea-Bissau: 68.7% and 27.7%).
Poverty and living standards in Bolama/Bijagós: 64.9% of people in Bolama/Bijagós lived in households in Guinea-Bissau's poorest fifth by assets and housing in 2018-2019 (20% nationally by definition), the highest of the 9 regions; 3.4% were in the richest fifth. The INE publishes no official poverty rate by region.

Is the population of Bolama/Bijagós growing?

The INE projection has Bolama/Bijagós growing from 33,924 people in 2014 to 42,342 in 2026, 24.8% more, about 2.0% a year now; regions are projected to grow at the national pace because the INE shares the national projection out in proportion to each region's census population.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Guinea-Bissau · saved copy

Are births registered in Bolama/Bijagós?

61.0% of children under five in Bolama/Bijagós had their birth registered with the civil registry in 2018-2019, 4th highest of the 9 regions (Guinea-Bissau: 46.0%).

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Guinea-Bissau and Ministério da Economia e Finanças, with UNICEF · saved copy

How regions are governed in Guinea-Bissau

Regions (8) plus the Autonomous Sector of Bissau. Regional governors appointed and dismissed by the government on the minister's proposal. Represent central government.

Every tier of government in Guinea-Bissau

Other regions of Guinea-Bissau

Sector Autónomo de Bissau 476,154
Oio 280,702
Gabú 268,227
Bafatá 261,989
Cacheu 241,385
Biombo 121,354
Tombali 118,897
Quinara 79,202

Up a level: Guinea-Bissau · government and power in Guinea-Bissau

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Guinea-Bissau, with AFRISTAT: Inquérito Regional Integrado sobre Emprego e Setor Informal (ERI-ESI) 2017/2018, general report (July 2019): tables 19 and 23, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 79c387bd2247…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Guinea-Bissau and Ministério da Economia e Finanças, with UNICEF: Inquérito aos Indicadores Múltiplos (MICS6) 2018-2019, final report: regional tables, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bfaad4e22778…)
Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE), Guinea-Bissau: Relatório de apresentação das projeções da população da Guiné-Bissau de 2014 a 2063 (November 2022), Tabela 14: projected population by region, 2014-2040, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fca32d201d06…)

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