Geography

Area; 245,860 sq. km. (95,000 sq. mi.), about the size of Oregon. Cities; Capital--Conakry. Other cities--Kankan, Kamsar, Boké, Kindia, N'Zérékoré, Macenta, Mamou, Faranah, Siguiri, Dalaba, Labe, Guéckédou, Pita. 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. Climate; Tropical.

People

Nationality; Noun and adjective--Guinean(s). Population (July 2009 estimate, CIA World Factbook); 10,057,975, including refugees and foreign residents. Refugee population (2009 UNHCR est.); 21,488 Liberians, Sierra Leoneans, and Ivoiriens. Population of Conakry; 2 million. Population of largest prefectures--Guéckédou (487,017), Boké (366,915), Kindia (361,117), N'Zérékoré (328,347), Macenta (365,559). Annual growth rate (2009 estimate, CIA World Factbook); 2.572%. Ethnic groups; Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, other ethnic groups 10%. Religions; Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, traditional beliefs 7%. Languages; French (official), national languages. Education; Years compulsory--8. Enrollment--primary school, 64.32% (male 78.71%, female 69.03%); secondary, 15%; and post secondary, 3%. Literacy (total population over age 15 that can read and write, 2003 est.)--29.5% (male 42.6%, female 18.1%). Health (2009 est.); Life expectancy--total population 57.09 years. Infant mortality rate (2009)--65.22/1,000. Work force (2006, 3.7 million); Agriculture--76%; industry and commerce--18%; services--6%.

Government

Type; Military. Constitution; 1990; amended 2001; constitution was suspended on December 23, 2008. Independence; October 2, 1958. Anniversary of the Second Republic, April 3, 1984. Branches; Executive--elected president (chief of state); current head of state is a military officer who seized power; prime minister (head of government); cabinet of civilian ministers. Legislative--elected National Assembly (114 seats); dissolved on December 23, 2008. Judicial--Supreme Court. Administrative subdivisions; Region, prefecture, subprefecture, rural district. Political parties; Pro-government--Party for Unity and Progress (PUP). Opposition--Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Union for Progress and Renewal (UPR), Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), Union for Progress of Guinea (UPG), Union of Republican Forces (UFR). Suffrage; Universal over age 18. Central government budget (2008, estimate); $942 million.

Economy

GDP (CIA est.); $4.54 billion. Annual real economic growth rate (2008 est., CIA World Factbook); 2.9%. Per capita GNI (2009 est., World Bank); $410. Avg. inflation rate (2008 est., CIA World Factbook); 30%. Natural resources; Bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, salt, hydropower, uranium, fisheries. Industry (36.1% of GDP, 2007 CIA est.); Types--mining, light manufacturing, agricultural processing. Agriculture (23.7% of GDP, 2007 CIA est.); Products--rice, cassava (tapioca), coffee, bananas, sweet potatoes, palm products, pineapples, cattle, sheep, goats, timber. Trade; Exports (2007); bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm products. Major markets--European Union, U.S., China, Eastern Europe, South Korea, Cote d’Ivoire. Trade balance (2009 CIA est.); -$210 million. Official exchange rate (July 2009); Approx. 5,000 Guinean francs=U.S. $1. Fiscal year; January 1-December 31.

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.

SOURCES All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008

ALTERNATIVE NAMES Guinea, Republic of Guinea, Republique de Guinee, Guinee

Identification
 

SOURCES CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Microsoft.com; Wkipedia; IOC country codes

ALTERNATIVE NAMES Guinea, Republic of Guinea, Republique de Guinee, Guinee