Guinea
Guinea is at a turning point after decades of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Sekou TOURE ruled the country as president from independence to his death in 1984. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after TOURE's death. Gen. CONTE organized and won presidential elections in 1993, 1998, and 2003, though results were questionable due to a lack in transparency and neutrality in the electoral process. Upon CONTE's death in December 2008, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution. His unwillingness to yield to domestic and international pressure to step down led to heightened political tensions that peaked in September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally killing more than 150 people. In early December 2009, CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and exiled to Burkina Faso. A transitional government led by Gen. Sekouba KONATE paved the way for Guinea's transition to a fledgling democracy. The country held its first free and competitive democratic presidential and legislative elections in 2010 and 2013 respectively, and in October 2015 held a second consecutive presidential election. Alpha CONDE was reelected to a second five-year term as president in 2015, and the National Assembly was seated in January 2014. CONDE's first cabinet is the first all-civilian government in Guinea. The country held a successful political dialogue in August and September 2016 that brought together the government and opposition to address long-standing tensions. Local elections were held in February 2018, and disputed results in some of the races resulted in ongoing protests against CONDE's government.

geography

location

11.0° N, 10. 0° W
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

area

245,857 sq km
land
245,717 sq km
water
140 sq km

land boundaries

4,046 km

coastline

320 km

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

472 m
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean
0 m
highest point
Mont Nimba
1,752 m

natural resources

  • bauxite
  • iron ore
  • diamonds
  • gold
  • uranium
  • hydropower
  • fish
  • salt

land use

arable land
11.8 %
permanent crops
2.8 %
permanent pasture
43.5 %
forest
26.5 %
other
15.4 %

population distribution

areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated

people

population

  • 12,527,440
  • 76
    global rank

nationality

  • Guinean(s)
    noun
  • Guinean
    adjective

ethnic groups

Fulani
33.4 %
Malinke
29.4 %
Susu
21.2 %
Guerze
7.8 %
Kissi
6.2 %
Toma
1.6 %
other/foreign .4%
%

languages

  • French
    official
  • Pular
  • Maninka
  • Susu
  • other native languages

religions

Muslim
89.1 %
Christian
6.8 %
animist
1.6 %
other .1%
%
none
2.4 %

birth rate

  • 36.1
    per 1,000 population
  • 18
    global rank

death rate

  • 8.4
    per 1,000 population
  • 77
    global rank

urban population

36.5 %

major urban areas

  • Conakry
    pop. 1,938,000

life expectancy

  • 63.2
    total population
  • 204
    global rank
61.3
male
65
female

adult obesity rate

  • 7.7%
    percent of adults
  • 158
    global rank

government

country name

    conventional

  • Republic of Guinea
    long form
  • Guinea
    short form

    local

  • Republique de Guinee
    long form
  • Guinee
    short form

government type

presidential republic

capital

Conakry
9.30 N, 13.42 W

independence

national holidays

  • Independence Day
    2 October

legal system

civil law system based on the French model

age of suffrage

18

flag description

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; red represents the people's sacrifice for liberation and work; yellow stands for the sun, for the riches of the earth, and for justice; green symbolizes the country's vegetation and unity

national colors

  • red
  • yellow
  • green

national anthem

"Liberte" (Liberty)

economy

overview

Guinea is a poor country of approximately 12.9 million people in 2016 that possesses the world's largest reserves of bauxite and largest untapped high-grade iron ore reserves, as well as gold and diamonds. In addition, Guinea has fertile soil, ample rainfall, and is the source of several West African rivers, including the Senegal, Niger, and Gambia. Guinea's hydro potential is enormous and the country could be a major exporter of electricity. The country also has tremendous agriculture potential. Gold, bauxite, and diamonds are Guinea’s main exports. International investors have shown interest in Guinea's unexplored mineral reserves, which have the potential to propel Guinea's future growth. Following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE in 2008 and the coup that followed, international donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, significantly curtailed their development programs in Guinea. However, the IMF approved a 3-year Extended Credit Facility arrangement in 2012, following the December 2010 presidential elections. In September 2012, Guinea achieved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries completion point status. Future access to international assistance and investment will depend on the government’s ability to be transparent, combat corruption, reform its banking system, improve its business environment, and build infrastructure. In April 2013, the government amended its mining code to reduce taxes and royalties. In 2014, Guinea complied with requirements of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by publishing its mining contracts. Guinea completed its program with the IMF in October 2016 even though some targeted reforms have been delayed. Currently Guinea is negotiating a new IMF program which will be based on Guinea’s new five-year economic plan, focusing on the development of higher value-added products, including from the agro-business sector and development of the rural economy. Political instability, a reintroduction of the Ebola virus epidemic, low international commodity prices, and an enduring legacy of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of government transparency are factors that could impact Guinea’s future growth. Economic recovery will be a long process while the government adjusts to lower inflows of international donor aid following the surge of Ebola-related emergency support. Ebola stalled promising economic growth in the 2014-15 period and impeded several projects, such as offshore oil exploration and the Simandou iron ore project. The economy, however, grew by 6.6% in 2016 and 6.7% in 2017, mainly due to growth from bauxite mining and thermal energy generation as well as the resiliency of the agricultural sector. The 240-megawatt Kaleta Dam, inaugurated in September 2015, has expanded access to electricity for residents of Conakry. An combined with fears of Ebola virus, continue to undermine Guinea's economic viability. Guinea’s iron ore industry took a hit in 2016 when investors in the Simandou iron ore project announced plans to divest from the project. In 2017, agriculture output and public investment boosted economic growth, while the mining sector continued to play a prominent role in economic performance. Successive governments have failed to address the country's crumbling infrastructure. Guinea suffers from chronic electricity shortages; poor roads, rail lines and bridges; and a lack of access to clean water - all of which continue to plague economic development. The present government, led by President Alpha CONDE, is working to create an environment to attract foreign investment and hopes to have greater participation from western countries and firms in Guinea's economic development.

GDP

27,970,000,000 USD
2017

agriculture products

  • rice
  • coffee
  • pineapples
  • mangoes
  • palm kernels
  • cocoa
  • cassava
  • manioc
  • tapioca
  • bananas
  • potatoes
  • sweet potatoes
  • cattle
  • sheep
  • goats
  • timber

poverty level

47%
2006

budget

  • 1,700,000,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 1,748,000,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

0

broadcast media

government maintains marginal control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio broadcast station also operates several stations in rural areas; a dozen private television stations; a steadily increasing number of privately owned radio stations, nearly all in Conakry, and about a dozen community radio stations; foreign TV programming available via satellite and cable subscription services (2019)

internet

.gn
country code

    users

  • 2,133,974
    total
  • 18
    % of population
  • 121
    global rank

energy

electricity access

33.5%
2017

transportation

air transport

    airports

  • 16
    total
  • 4
    paved

railways

1,086 km
total length

roadways

44,301 km
total length

waterways

1,300 km
total length

military

expenditures

expenditures here