Polls closed in Guinea Bissau`s parliamentary elections on Sunday with international observers hoping the vote will boost stability in the impoverished west African nation.

Polling stations officially closed at 5:00 pm (1700 GMT) while some that opened late allowed some voters to cast their ballots for the 100-seat parliament a little after the deadline.

In the capital Bissau, where most polling booths were set up outside, officials started counting the ballots as soon as the vote closed.

The official results are not expected to be known before Friday.

The international community has bankrolled the elections in an effort to strenghthen the state in Guinea Bissau, which has become a major hub for South American drug trafficking headed to Europe.

Experts warn that drug traffickers have free reign in the tiny west African nation because of the weak government institutions and lack of effective law enforcement.