This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image features part of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau in western Africa.

Zoom in or click on the circles to explore this image at its full 10 m resolution.

With an area of 36 125 sq km, Guinea-Bissau is one of the smallest nations in continental Africa. This tropical country is made up of highlands in its northeastern region and, pictured here, lowlands near the Atlantic coast.

Captured in May 2026, the image shows how this coastal region is dominated by low plains scattered with mangrove swamps and cut through by rivers and estuaries, which branch out in the terrain like roots from a plant.

Tidal waters soak the interior on a daily basis, reaching up to 100 km inland – this is possible due to the flat coastal topography. The resulting sea inlets are a distinctive feature of Guinea-Bissau, which has the largest number of saltwater rivers in western Africa. For this reason, Guinea-Bissau features a blend of freshwater and saltwater rivers and estuaries, as shown also in this image.

The Geba River (freshwater) meanders from northeast through plains before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean in the Canal do Geba – the wide estuary at the top of this image. On its way, it carries water and nutrients, useful for agriculture, but also sediment, silt and organic matter which cause the milky colour of the water. The mouth of the Geba estuary is shared with its major tributary, the Corubal River, seen in the image joining from southeast.

Just south of the Canal do Geba is the Rio Grande de Buba, a saltwater estuary, whose shores are surrounded by mangroves in the lower half and which mixes with the seawater of the Atlantic Ocean. It represents a unique example in West Africa of an arm of the sea extending so far inland. At its eastern end lies Buba – visible as a brown, structured area – the largest city in southern Guinea-Bissau and the capital of the region.

Due to its unique environment, Guinea-Bissau is home to remarkably diverse flora and fauna, protected in various national and natural parks. The Cufada Lagoons Natural Park, located between Canal do Geba and Rio Grande de Buba, is also a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and home to a large subpopulation of the critically endangered western chimpanzee.

The decline of western chimpanzees will have significant consequences for Guinea-Bissau’s environmental balance and rich biodiversity. Over the last few decades, the number of these primates in West Africa has fallen by 80% – a trend likely to continue unless urgent, coordinated action is taken at local, national and international levels.