At stake in this election:

• 100 seats in the National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Henrique ROSA *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Artur SANHA
• Assembly: Guinea-Bissau has a unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) with 100 seats.

* President ROSA was named interim president after elected President Kumba YALA was removed from office in a bloodless coup on September 2003. President ROSA will hold the office of the presidency and SANHA will act as the interim prime minister until parliamentary elections are held.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National People's Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular) 100 members are elected by popular vote.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC)
  • Leader: Carlos Domingos GOMES
  • Seats won in this election: 45
  • Seats won in last election: 24
• Party: Social Renovation Party (PRS)
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 35
  • Seats won in last election: 38
• Party: United Social Democratic Party (PUSD)
  • Leader: Francisco FADUL
  • Seats won in this election: 17
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Party: Electoral Union (UE)
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 2
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Party: United Popular Alliance
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 1
  • Seats won in last election: N/A
• Party: Others
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this election: 0
  • Seats won in last election: N/A

Last Parliamentary election:

• Parliamentary elections were last held on November 28,1999.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 1,431,816 (2004)
• Registered Voters: 605,018 (2004)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 722,132 (2004)

·         Is Guinea-Bissau a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Guinea-Bissau ratified CEDAW: Yes (23 August 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 8 (following the 1999 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 178 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Medium (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Guinea-Bissau a signatory to CRPD: Yes (24 September 2013)

·         Has Guinea-Bissau ratified CRPD: Yes (24 September 2014)

·         Population with a disability: 214,772 (est.)