Guinea Online Business Education. Administration. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Guinea
Online Business Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Guinea Flag
Guinea

Country Profile

Capital City: Conakry (pop. 1.5 million).

Other Cities: Guéckédou (pop. 350 000), Boké (pop. 300 000), Kindia (pop. 280 000), N'Zérékoré (pop. 300 000), Macenta (pop. 280 000), Mamou, Kankan (270 000), Labe (250 000).

Local Time: UTC +0h

Geography:
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.
Area: 245,860 sq. km. (95,000 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Generally flat along the coast and mountainous in the interior. The country's four geographic regions include a narrow coastal belt; pastoral highlands (the source of West Africa's major rivers); the northern savanna; and the southeastern rain forest.
Border countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone

Climate: Tropical. Generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds.

Government:
Type: Republic.
Independence: 2 October 1958. Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April 1984.
Government based on ordinances, decrees, and decisions issued by a president and his ministers or through legislation produced by the National Assembly and approved by the President.

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Guinean(s)
Population (2002 est.): 7 775 000, including refugees and foreign residents. Refugee population (June 2001 est.): 180 000-200 000 Liberians and Sierra Leoneans.
Ethnic groups: Fulani 40.3%; Malinke 25.8%; Susu 11.0%; Kissi 6.5%; Kpelle 4.8%, other ethnic groups 11.6%.
Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, traditional beliefs 7%.
Languages: French (official); Eight national languages, Soussou (Susu, in coastal Guinea), Peulh (Fulani, in Northrn Guinea), Maninka (Upper Guinea), Kissi (Kissidougou Region), Toma and Guerze (Kpelle) in rain forest Guinea; plus various ethnic groups with their own language.
Literacy: 28% to 35%.

Business

Currency: Guinea Franc (GNF)

Natural resources:
Bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, water power, uranium, fisheries.
Agriculture products: Rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber.

Industries: Bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries.

Exports partners: South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, USA 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%, Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)

Imports partners: France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, USA 4.5% (2003)

Internet Links

Gouvernement du Guinée

Assemblée Nationale de Guinée

Diplomatic Missions
Diplomatic Missions of Guinea Abroad

Diplomatic representations in Guinea

Maps
Map of Guinea

Introduction

Guinea

Background: Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He
was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into
Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.

Geography Guinea

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610
km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km,
Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June
to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium,
hydropower, fish

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% other: 94% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
during dry season

Environment - current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies
of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion;
overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have
led to environmental damage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the
Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the
Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population: 7,775,065 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,660,795; female 1,669,850)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 2,067,991; female 2,165,625) 65 years and over:
2.7% (male 86,968; female 123,836) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: as a result
of civil war in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately
150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 127.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 48.82 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.32 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.54% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 55,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 5,600 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups: Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic
groups 10%

Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages: French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Republique
de Guinee

Government type: republic

Capital: Conakry

Administrative divisions: 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone
special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba,
Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou,
Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa,
Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita,
Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system: based on French civil law system, customary law, and
decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of
military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December
1993) head of government: Ministers appointed by the president elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must
receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election
last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the
prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana
CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%,
Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%,

Legislative branch: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 June 1995 (next
election postponed indefinitely) election results: percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2,
PDG-AST 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party of Guinea or PDG-AST
[Marcel CROS]; Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally
or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP;
Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party;
People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean
People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR; note -
Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP and Union for the New Republic or
UNR merged into UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG
[Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for the New Republic or UNR
[Mamadou Boye BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO,
NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed
Aly THIAM FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 chancery:
2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Barrie WALKLEY embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603,
Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side),
yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview: Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and
agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second
largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of
exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements,
literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out
of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management
in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October
2000 assessment. However, escalating fighting along the Sierra Leonean
and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to
direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor
confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while
panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets.
Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
debt relief - and single digit inflation should permit 5% growth in 2002.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $15 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 3.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,970 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 38% services:
38% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 40% (1994 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $395.7 million expenditures: $472.4 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.)

Industries: bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light
manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate: 3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production: 770 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 46.1% hydro: 53.9%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 716.1 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava
(tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Exports: $694.5 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish,
agricultural products

Exports - partners: Belgium, US, Ireland, Russia

Imports: $555.2 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport
equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners: France, US, Belgium, Cote d'Ivoire

Debt - external: $3.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $359.2 million (1998)

Currency: Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code: GNF

Exchange rates: Guinean francs per US dollar - 1,974.4 (December 2001),
1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.8 (1998), 1,095.3
(1997)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use: 37,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 21,567 (1998)

Telephone system: general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire
lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave
radio relay system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone
communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus
7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios: 357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (2001)

Televisions: 85,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .gn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (2001)

Internet users: 8,000 (2000)

Transportation Guinea

Railways: total: 1,086 km standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow
gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service
from Kankan to Conakry) (2000 est.)

Highways: total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996)

Waterways: 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Ports and harbors: Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Airports: 15 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to
1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2001)

Military Guinea

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential
Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete
National)

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,812,131 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 915,028
(2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $137.6 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international: major border incursions from Revolutionary
United Front combatants from Sierra Leone, dissident Guinean forces,
Liberian Army, and mercenaries between September 2000 and March 2001
killed over 1,500 Guinean civilians and military personnel; the borders
remain mostly sealed

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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