Guinea
Country Guide

Explore Guinea

Guinea with its capital Conakry is located in Africa (Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 245,858 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Oregon) with a population of 12,413,900. French is the official language spoken by people in Guinea. Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone are bordering countries.

Guinea is a former French colony that borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north, Mali on the north and north-east, Côte d'Ivoire to the east and Liberia and Sierra Leone to the south. Guinea is a remarkable country with very warm, genuine people but little infrastructure. While they have tremendous natural resources available to them (which includes around one half of the world's reserves of bauxite, and many major gold, jewel, and metal industries), they rate very poorly in the UN's quality of life index. Guinea is roughly the size of the United Kingdom.

Popular Destinations in Guinea

Administrative regions of Guinea

• Boke Region
• Conakry Region
• Faranah Region
• Kankan Region
• Kindia
• Labe Region
• Mamou Region
• Nzerekore Region

About the country

The topography is generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior. The average density of population is about 50 per km². The climate in Guinea can be described as generally hot and humidmonsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds, dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds. Potential natural disasters are hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season.

To reach someone Guinea dial +224 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".gn". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 220 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, F, K). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is GNF.

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.

Guinea is at a turning point after decades of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Guinea 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. Likewise, President CONDE’s election as AU chairperson has instilled confidence in Guinea. Previously, 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 all the polls were rigged. 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 culminated in September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally killing more than 150 people, and in early December 2009 when 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.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 80)	245,857	sq km
Land (World Rank: 78)	245,717	sq km
Water (World Rank: 141)	140	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 28)	43.50	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Oregon
Coastline
320
Landborder
4046
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 137)	1,752	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 48)	58.10	%
Arable (World Rank: 97)	11.80	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 77)	2.80	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 28)	43.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 101)	950	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - desertification - inadequate potable water - overfishing - overpopulation in forest region - poor mining practices have led to environmental damage - soil contamination and erosion
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Hazardous Wastes - Law of the Sea - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Wetlands - Whaling
Hazzards	hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 74)	12,413,900
Deathrate (World Rank: 66)	0.90	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 20)	3.51	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 16)	2.61	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 18)	4.77	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 200)	18.70
Female (World Rank: 203)	19.10
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 68)	2,603,510
0 14 female (World Rank: 68)	2,550,710
15 24 male (World Rank: 73)	1,236,090
15 24 female (World Rank: 73)	1,212,940
25 54 male (World Rank: 88)	1,905,250
25 54 female (World Rank: 88)	1,892,640
55 64 male (World Rank: 97)	266,848
55 64 female (World Rank: 98)	289,697
65 x male (World Rank: 101)	201,598
65 x female (World Rank: 105)	254,589
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 29)	5.00	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 198)	61	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 199)	63	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 198)	60	years
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 178)	0.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 193)	20.10	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 158)	7.70	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 167)	76.80	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 149)	1,000,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 155)	930,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 152)	50.00	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 37)	49.70	%
Source renew (World Rank: 149)	0.30	%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 144)	16,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 124)	16,130	bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 132)	19	m³
Carbon footprint
1400000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 131)	3	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 37)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 119)	6	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 133)	-4	% of GDP
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Guinean
Noun
Guinean(s)
Background
Guinea is at a turning point after decades of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Guinea 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. Likewise, President CONDE’s election as AU chairperson has instilled confidence in Guinea. Previously, 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 all the polls were rigged. 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 culminated in September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally killing more than 150 people, and in early December 2009 when 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.
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

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 140)	24,380,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 19)	6.60	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 207)	1,900	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 49)	19.90	%
Source industry (World Rank: 33)	37.60	%
Source service (World Rank: 195)	42.50	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 72)	6,138,000
In poverty (World Rank: 23)	47.00	%
Products
Industries	- agricultural processing - bauxite - diamonds - gold - iron ore - light manufacturing
Agriculture	- bananas - cassava - cattle - cocoa - coffee - goats - mangoes - manioc - palm kernels - pineapples - potatoes - rice - sheep - sweet potatoes - tapioca - timber
Exports	- agricultural products - bauxite - coffee - diamonds - fish - gold
Imports	- grain - machinery - metals - other foodstuffs - petroleum products - textiles - transport equipment

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Communication

Phone
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 191)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 149)	89.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 128)	1,185,150
Population (World Rank: 209)	9.80	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 159)	4.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 123)	12.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 88)	1,086
Road
Total length (World Rank: 81)	44,348
Paved length (World Rank: 104)	4,342
Unpaved length (World Rank: 40)	40,006
Water
Total length (World Rank: 56)	1,300

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