- 26.4% of the national territory of Guinea Bissau is protected by eight coastal, marine, and terrestrial parks, which play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem goods and services, and in promoting the sustainable socio-economic wellbeing of resident communities.
- Mangroves cover 338,652 ha or 9.4% of the country, making Guinea Bissau the world leader in proportional area covered by mangroves, and the second in total area of mangroves in Africa, after Nigeria.
- The island of Poilão is the largest nesting site for the green turtle – Chelonia mydas – from West and Central Africa, and is the third largest in the Atlantic.
- Cufada Lagoons have been designated as Wetlands of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention.
- Because of the interdependence of natural and cultural values, the Bijagós Archipelago has been internationally recognized as a Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program.
The conservation of Guinea-Bissau’s natural resources depends almost entirely on external funding and donors, which makes it vulnerable to changing international priorities. The BioGuinea Foundation contributes to addressing the vulnerability of national conservation efforts and the sustainable development of local populations.
