Guinea-Bissau straddles two major biomes: coastal and marine ecosystems in the western part of the country, featuring islands, mangroves, estuaries and adjacent areas; and terrestrial ecosystems covering the remaining two-thirds of the country, dominated by forests, savannas, lakes and wetlands. Both biomes harbor globally significant biodiversity, measured in terms of habitat diversity and constituent species richness. However, the conservation status of these two biomes is highly imbalanced. In terms of protected area coverage, all of the country's existing protected areas are located in marine and coastal zones. The proposed project will correct this imbalance by establishing the first purely terrestrial protected area units in Guinea-Bissau, while simultaneously increasing the effectiveness and sustainability of the national PA system. This will enhance the country's operational and financial capacities to manage an expanded national PA estate.