View source for Cacheu Region

{{short description|Region of Guinea-Bissau}}
{{Coord|12|10|N|16|0|W|display=title}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Cacheu
| native_name             = 
| native_name_lang        = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| settlement_type         = [[Regions of Guinea-Bissau|Region]]
| image_skyline           = Cacheu.jpg
| image_alt               = Cacheu statues
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_seal              = 
| seal_alt                = 
| image_shield            = 
| shield_alt              = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Guinea-Bissau - Cacheu.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Cacheu Region
| pushpin_map             = 
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_map_alt         = 
| pushpin_map_caption     = 
| coordinates             = 
| coor_pinpoint           = 
| coordinates_footnotes   = 
| subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name        = [[Guinea-Bissau]]
| subdivision_type1       = 
| subdivision_name1       = 
| subdivision_type2       = 
| subdivision_name2       = 
| subdivision_type3       = 
| subdivision_name3       = 
| established_title       = 
| established_date        = 
| founder                 = 
| seat_type               = 
| seat                    = [[Cacheu]]
| parts_type              = [[Sectors of Guinea-Bissau|Sectors]]
| parts_style             = collapsed
| parts                   = [[Bigene]], [[Bula (Guinea-Bissau)|Bula]], [[Cacheu]], [[Caio (Guinea-Bissau)|Caió]], [[Canchungo]], [[Sao Domingos (Guinea-Bissau)|São Domingos]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| leader_party            = 
| leader_title            = 
| leader_name             = 
| unit_pref               = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
| area_footnotes          = 
| area_total_km2          = 5174.9
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_water_percent      = 
| area_note               = 
| elevation_footnotes     = 
| elevation_m             = 
| population_footnotes    = 
| population_total        = 192508
| population_as_of        = 2009 census
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      = 
| population_note         = 
| timezone1               = 
| utc_offset1             = 
| timezone1_DST           = 
| utc_offset1_DST         = 
| postal_code_type        = 
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = 
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = GW-CA
| website                 = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
| footnotes               = 
}}
'''Cacheu''' is a region in western [[Guinea-Bissau]], on the border with [[Senegal]]. It has an area of 5,175&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> and a population estimated in 2004 at 164,676. Its capital is [[Cacheu]]. There has not been any local administration since the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War|civil war]] of 1998-99 and all the social services are done by organs of civil society and other government agencies. It is a coastal region covered with [[Mangrove]] swamps, rain forest and tangled forest and receives an annual rainfall of more than {{convert|1000|mm|in|abbr=on}}

As of 2009, the total population of the region was 185,053, with the urban population being 40,051 and rural being 145,002. The sex ratio of the region is 91 females for every hundred males. As of 2009, the net activity rate was 54.24 per cent, proportion of employed labour force was 36.20 per cent, proportion of labour force was 78.17 and the proportion of potentially active population was 36.20 per cent. The absolute poverty rate, people earning less than $2 a day, in the region stood at 63.8 per cent, with a regional contribution of 14.2 per cent to the national poverty totals.

==Geography==
[[File:Cacheu statues in fortress.jpg|250px|Cacheu Statues|thumb]]
Cacheu is a low-lying coastal region and the low-lying coastal areas are periodically submerged during high [[tide]]. All the coastal regions have a maximum elevation of {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}. The internal region has plains, which are interspersed with ''rias''. There are lot of meandering rivers, many of them forming estuaries in the coastal regions. The principal river, [[Cacheu River|Cacheu]], flows through the region. The climate is hot and tropical and the region has two seasons. The onset of summer is from December to May with April - May period having temperature ranges from {{convert|20|°C|°F|abbr=on}} to {{convert|30|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. The rainy season is usually from May to November. The region receives an average rainfall of around {{convert|2000|mm|in|abbr=on}} compared to the inland regions, which receive {{convert|1000|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The coastal regions are covered with [[Mangrove]] swamps, rain forest and tangled forest.<ref>{{cite book|title=Africa South of the Sahara 2004|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jj4J-AXGDaQC&q=Guinea-Bissau+geography&pg=PA526|page=526|publisher= Psychology Press|first=Rene|last=Pelissier|chapter=Guinea-Bassau Physical and Social Geography|year=2003|isbn=9781857431834}}</ref>

==Administration==
[[Image:Cacheu sectors.png|thumb|left|250px|Sectors of Cacheu]]
Cacheu is divided into six administrative sectors are [[Bigene]], [[Bula (Guinea-Bissau)|Bula]], [[Cacheu]], [[Caio (Guinea-Bissau)|Caió]], [[Canghungo]] and [[Sao Domingos (Guinea-Bissau)|São Domingos]]. Guinea-Bissau got independence from [[Portugal]] on 24 September 1973 after wars and diplomatic political actions under the [[Partido Africano da Independência de Cabo Verde]] (PAICV), while Portugal accepted the independence of Cape Verde on 5 July 1975. PAICV ruled both the countries after independence. While international funds came pouring in for the economic development of the nation, the party was accused of misusing power in authoritarian manner. The one-party state mechanism was turbulent during the period of 1980s and 1990s with army taking control of power more frequently and the resultant civil war resulted in loss of property and lives. To decentralize power, an administrative region and eight regions were created.<ref>{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbJ8AQAAQBAJ&q=tombali+region&pg=PA243|first1=Peter Karibe|last1= Mendy |last2= Lobban Jr.|pages=3–8|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2013|isbn=9780810880276}}</ref> There has not been any local administration since the civil war of 1998-99 and all the social services are done by organs of civil society and other government agencies. There is minimal health and education services offered by the government and all the government departments have operated in a limited fashion. A transitional government was selected during 2003-4 with an adopted Public Transition Charter. The Military Committee appointed two civilians as interim President and Prime Minister. Elections were held for a five year term on 24 July 2005 with a multi party representation.<ref>{{cite report|page=7|url=http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan023267.pdf|year=2004|publisher=Division for Public Administration and Development Management (DPADM), Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations|title=Republic of Guinea-Bissau Public Administration, Country Profile|accessdate=15 November 2016|archive-date=9 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109174614/https://www.un.org/maintenance/|url-status=dead}}</ref> There was a military coup in 2012, after which EU and international donations stopped. The latest elections were held during April 2014 with 13 Presidential candidates and representation from 15 parties. The elections were monitored by 550 international observers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Guinea-Bissau votes for new president and parliament|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27005788|publisher=BBC.com|accessdate=15 November 2016|date=13 April 2014}}</ref> Jose Mario Vaz and his party, won the Presidential and parliamentary elections against the military backed [[Nuno Gomes Nabiam]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Guinea-Bissau: Presidential runoff vote held | agency=AP|date=20 May 2014|url=https://apnews.com/article/0ef7d6c85ea74d5ab7e4d4b63e0ac072|accessdate=15 November 2016}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|align = right
|2005|176012
|2006|178247
|2007|180498
|2008|182768
|2009|185053|2010|187355|2011|189674|2012|192010| footnote = Sources:<ref name=census>{{cite web|title=Census of Guinea Bissau, 2012|url=http://guinebissau.opendataforafrica.org/GWSECD2015/guinea-bissau-socio-economic-data-2015|year=2012|publisher=Central National Institute of Statistics, Guinea Bissau|accessdate=12 November 2016}}</ref>}}

As of 2009, the total population of the region was 185,053, with the urban population being 40,051 and rural being 145,002. The sex ratio of the region is 91 females for every hundred males. The total resident population in the region is 185,053. The total agricultural population in the region is 78,522. The average number of household in the region is 8.0 and the density of the population is 35.8 sq. km. The intercensal rate of average annual growth (adjusted data) is 1.51 per cent. The non-agricultural population in the country is 106,531. The total number of households per capita in the region is 26,475. The fraction of [[Christianity|Christians]] in the region is 30.7 per cent, [[Islam|Muslims]] is 14.80 per cent, animists is 34.00 per cent, not detailed was 17.30 per cent and people following no religion was 3.0 per cent.<ref name=census/>

{| class="wikitable"
! Faith !! Percentage
|-
| Christian || 30.7%
|-
| Muslim || 14.8%
|-
| Animist || 34.0%
|-
| Not Detailed || 17.3%
|-
| No Religion || 3.0%
|}

==Economy==
[[File:Rio Farim-Cacheu, São Vicente, Guinea-Bissau (9087168099).jpg|250px|thumb|left|Cacheu river, close to São Vicente]]
As of 2009, the net activity rate was 54.24 per cent, proportion of employed labour force was 36.20 per cent, proportion of labour force was 78.17 and the proportion of potentially active population was 36.20 per cent.<ref>{{cite web|title=Work profile Guinea Bissau, 2012|url=http://guinebissau.opendataforafrica.org/GWSECD2015/guinea-bissau-socio-economic-data-2015|year=2012|publisher=Central National Institute of Statistics, Guinea Bissau|accessdate=12 November 2016}}</ref> The major economic activity in the parts around the rivers and the coastal areas was fishing, while it was agriculture in the inland areas. As of 2011, the total population which was active constitutes 60 per cent nationwide indicating there are lot of employed people. But the [[Poverty threshold|poverty rate]] was very high in the country with an estimated two-thirds below the poverty line. Out of the working population, an estimated 58.4 per cent are employed in freelance activities, while wage earners formed 42 per cent. The unemployment in the region as of 2001 was 10.2 per cent, compared to the capital Bwassau which has 19.3 per cent. Totally 63.5 per cent were employed in agriculture (including forestry), 8.9 in industry and 6.1 per cent in public adminwastration. As per [[IMF]] report in 2011, people who were engaged in agriculture were poorer compared to others, while educated and higher educated people earned more. The absolute poverty rate, people earning less than $2 a day, in the region stood at 63.8 per cent, with a regional contribution of 14.2 per cent to the national poverty totals.<ref name="International Monetary Fund">{{cite book|title=Guinea-Bwassau: Second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper wassues 11-353 of IMF country report|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yNz12RxhkxkC&q=biombo&pg=PA11|publisher= International Monetary Fund|page=11|year=2011}}</ref>

[[File:Map of rice polders.png|thumb|Map of mangroves and bolanhas]]

Totally 63.5 per cent were employed in agriculture (including forestry), 8.9 in industry and 6.1 per cent in public adminwastration. As per IMF report in 2011, people who were engaged in agriculture were poorer compared to others, while educated and higher educated people earned more. The absolute poverty rate, people earning less than $2 a day, in the region stood at 63.8 per cent, with a regional contribution of 14.2 per cent to the national poverty totals.<ref name="International Monetary Fund"/>

==Bolanhas==
Bolanhas are rice [[polder]]s amidst the [[mangrove]]s along sea arms (creeks) intruding the coastal area of Guinea Bissau. The rice polders are protected from flooding by seawater with bunds. There are [[acid sulfate soil]]s inside the polders. Over decades, farmers have been able to improve the soils by continuous [[Tile drainage|drainage]] during the rainy season.<ref>International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), 1980. ''Rice polders in the acid sulfate soils of the bolanhas in the mangroves of Guinea Bissau.'' Published in Annual Report 1980, ILRI, Wageningen, The Netherlands. On line: [https://www.waterlog.info/pdf/bolanhas.pdf]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Regions of Guinea-Bissau]]
*[[Sectors of Guinea-Bissau]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Cacheu Region}}
{{GuineaBissau-regions}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cacheu Region| ]]
[[Category:Regions of Guinea-Bissau]]