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Guinea

Guinea

Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea is a country in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea. Guinea's territory has a curved shape, with its base at the Atlantic Ocean, inland to the east, and turning south. The base borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal to the north, and Mali to the north and north-east; the inland part borders Cote d'Ivoire to the south-east, Liberia to the south, and Sierra Leone to the west of the southern tip.

Country name:

  • conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  • conventional short form: Guinea
  • local long form: Republique de Guinee
  • local short form: Guinee
  • former: French Guinea

Nationality:

  • noun: Guinean(s)
  • adjective: Guinean

Capital:

  • name: Conakry
  • geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W
  • time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Independence:

  • 2 October 1958 (from France)

Population:

  • 10,211,437 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

  • 2.612% (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

  • 3.2% (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups:

  • Peuhl 40%
  • Malinke 30%
  • Soussou 20%
  • smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:

  • Muslim 85%
  • Christian 8%
  • indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:

  • French (official)
  • note - each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:

  • definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  • total population: 29.5%
  • male: 42.6%
  • female: 18.1% (2003 est.)

Government type:

  • republic

Location:

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

Area - comparative:

  • slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate:

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

Natural resources:

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

Economy - overview:

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounts for over 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and the political uncertainty due to the failing health of President Lansana CONTE. Guinea is trying to reengage with the IMF and World Bank, which cut off most assistance in 2003, and is working closely with technical advisors from the U.S. Treasury Department, the World Bank and IMF, seeking to return to a fully funded program. Growth rose slightly in 2006-07, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of most Guineans. Dissatisfaction with economic conditions prompted nationwide strikes in February and June 2006

GDP - real growth rate:

  • 1.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

  • $1,100 (2007 est.)

Background:

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls have been marred by irregularities. Guinea has maintained its internal stability despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006; a third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests in many Guinean cities and prompted two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, CONTE named a new prime minister in March 2007.

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

For more info please contact:
African Studies
(310) 825-3686
africa@international.ucla.edu