Off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, the Bijagós Archipelago provides a particular mixture of coastal wilderness, wildlife, and island traditions. Its 88 islands and islets characteristic sandy seashores, mangrove forests, tidal waterways, and lagoons that help all kinds of marine and birdlife. The archipelago is house to sea turtles, dolphins, and manatees, whereas its wetlands present an necessary stopover for migratory birds. Earlier surveys have recorded greater than 870,000 shorebirds, highlighting the islands’ ecological significance. Worldwide recognition has bolstered the archipelago’s conservation worth: UNESCO designated the Bijagós as a Biosphere Reserve in 1996 and added it to the World Heritage Record in 2025 for its coastal and marine ecosystems. Nonetheless, the archipelago’s ecosystem is weak as fishing strain and altering human exercise threaten its delicate steadiness.
