Bijagós Archipelago - Guinea Bissau

I'm back from my holidays and with lots of new cards. Most of them were both in southern Portugal and yesterday I also got a few cards for free in a tourism fair in my city. 

Leninha also went to a tourism fair a few weeks ago, a big one in Lisbon. Next year I want to go there. 

João Vieira and Orango Grande are only 2 of the 88 islands belonging to the Bijagós archipelago in Guinea-Bissau. These islands are part of a protected area, classified by UNESCO in 1996 as a biosphere reserve. This reserve has a diverse fauna that includes, among other species, monkeys, hippos, crocodiles, wading birds, sea turtles and otters.

© Photos: Maurice Ascani

 João Vieira Island together with Poilão Island, form one of the two national parks of this archipelago. These islands are one of the most important breeding sanctuaries of sea turtles.

© Photos: Maurice Ascani

On the island of Orango lies the largest colony of marine hippopotamuses in the world. According to the religious beliefs of the local population, the hippopotamus is a sacred animal, so it can not be killed or injured.

Not so common african countries

I believe that Angola, St. Tomé and Príncipe and Guinea-Bissau are on many people's missing countries lists. I already had cards from all these countries but only had 1 card from St. Tomé and Guinea-Bissau. The cards have been sent by Paulo. If someone wants to trade with him, just ask, i've his contact.

A card from Luanda, Angola's capital city.

This is my 1st card of St. Tomé and Príncipe on the blog but i've another card from this country in my collection. The card shows some local beaches.
São Tomé and Príncipe is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe.

And a card from Guinea-Bissau with one of my favorite animals, an hippopotamus.

Déa's birthday card

I've received new unesco cards, new national parks cards, new capital cities and i've also received a card from a new country as a birthday present.

This is a Guinea-Bissau card and it was sent by Déa, my dear friend from Brazil.

"The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in western Africa, and one of the smallest states in continental Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west.
Its size is nearly 37,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi) with an estimated population of 1,600,000. Formerly the Portuguese colony of Portuguese Guinea, upon independence, the name of its capital, Bissau, was added to the country's name to prevent confusion with the Republic of Guinea. Guinea-Bissau's GDP per capita is one of the lowest in the world." - in: wikipedia

This is the Cacheu river, also known as Farim river.

"Its total length is about 257 km and its headwaters are near the northern border of the country, north of Contobeul and close to a bend of the Geba River. It runs west, by the town of Farim and close to Bigenè, and broadens into an estuary on whose south shore the of Cacheu may be found.

It is navigable to large (2,000-ton) ships for about 97 km in, and to smaller vessels much further; it was an important route for commerce." - in: wikipedia