Guinea-Bissau is granted independence

Guinea-Bissau Flag

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Guinea-Bissau is granted independence — Guinea-Bissau Flag

In 1974 Guinea-Bissau, formally Guine Portuguesa, was granted independence by Portugal. The country became independent eight months after the death of the leader of, Portuguese for African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC)., Almeida Cabral. Cabral was assassinated in Conakry in January 1973. Guinea-Bissau became independent after a coup in Portugal in April 1974 Luis Cabral, Amilcar Cabral's half-brother, became President of Guinea-Bissau. In late 1980, his government was overthrown in a bloodless coup led by Prime Minister and former armed forces commander Joao Bernardo "Nino" Vieira

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How we know this

01Boddy-Evans A. ‘This day in African history: 10 September’, from About African History, [online], available at www.africanhistory.about.com (Accessed: 16 August 2012)
02Brittain V. (2011), ‘Africa: a continent drenched in the blood of revolutionary heroes’, from The Guardian, 17 January, [online], available at www.guardian.co.uk(Accessed: 16 August 2012)
03U.S. Department of State, ‘Guinea-Bissau’, [online], available at www.state.gov(Accessed: 16 August 2012)

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, September 5). Guinea-Bissau is granted independence. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093336

South African History Online (2012) 'Guinea-Bissau is granted independence', South African History Online, 5 September. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093336 (Accessed: 22 August 2026).

South African History Online, Guinea-Bissau is granted independence [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093336, (accessed 22 August 2026).

"Guinea-Bissau is granted independence." South African History Online, 5 Sept. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093336. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Guinea-Bissau is granted independence." South African History Online. September 5, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093336.