Guinea

Republic of GuineaRepublique de Guinee

republicIndependence 2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalConakry

Area245,860 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

6.55 million July 1995 est. · 7.27m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.43% 1995 est. · 2.46% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

44.6 years 1995 est. · 43.68 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.79 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

136.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 147 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$840 1994 est. · $410 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2.9% 1993 est. · 4.3% in 1993

Geography

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

13 fields

Land useshare of 245,860 sq km

arable land 6%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 12%forest and woodland 42%other 40%irrigated 240 sq km (1989 est.)

Area

245,860sq km

land area: 245,860 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Coastline

320km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,399km

total · Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

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

Natural resources

bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Environment

current issues:: deforestation;
inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification;
soil contamination and erosion;
overfishing
natural hazards:: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

People

15 fields

Population

6,549,336

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.43% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

43.43Death

19.13

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years44.6

42.31 · 46.95

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy24%

35% · 13%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Peuhl 40%Malinke 30%Soussou 20%smaller tribes 10%

Religions

Muslim 85%Christian 8%indigenous beliefs 7%

Labor force

2.4million

(1983)by occupation: agriculture 80.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services 5.4%, civil servants 3.6%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (female 1,450,501; male 1,448,164)
15-64 years:: 53% (female 1,784,420; male 1,691,502)
65 years and over:: 3% (female 102,735; male 72,014) (July 1995 est.)

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

note: Guinea has received about 400,000 refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone; the continued fighting in Sierra Leone will likely drive more refugees into Guinea in 1995;

on the other hand, peace may be achieved in Liberia and permit Liberian refugees to return home

Infant mortality rate

136.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guinean(s)
adjective:: Guinean

Languages

French (official); each tribe has its own language

Government

Republic

20 fields

Names

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

Administrative divisions

33 administrative regions (regions administratives, singular - region administrative);
Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, 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

National holiday

Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

Legal system

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Lansana CONTE, elected in the first multi-party election 19 December 1993;
prior to the election he had ruled as head of military government since 5 April 1984
cabinet:: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire): the People's National Assembly was dissolved after the 3 April 1984 coup;
framework established in December 1991 for a new National Assembly with 114 seats;
legislative elections, tentatively scheduled for 1994, were not held and are now rescheduled for 11 June 1995

Political parties and leaders

political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992

pro-government:: Party for Unity and Progress (PUP)
other:: Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE;
Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadou BAH;
Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradiou DIALLO;
Movement of Patriotic Democrats (MDP), Ahmed Tidiane CISSE

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO (observer), ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Elhadj Boubacar BARRY
chancery:: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 483-9420

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8688

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Joseph A. SALOOM III
embassy:: 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue, Conakry
mailing address:: B. P. 603, Conakry
telephone:: [224] 44 15 20 through 44 15 23

FAX

[224] 44 15 22

Flag

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia;
similar to the flag of Rwanda, which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 15 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

30,100Railroads

1,048

Highways: paved: 1,145 km · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 12,955 km (of which barely 4,500 are currently all-weather roads); unimproved earth 16,000 km (1987) · Railroads: standard gauge: 241 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 1,048 km
standard gauge:: 241 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 807 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways

total:: 30,100 km
paved:: 1,145 km
unpaved:: gravel, crushed stone 12,955 km (of which barely 4,500 are currently all-weather roads); unimproved earth 16,000 km (1987)

Inland waterways

1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Ports

Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Merchant marine

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

15,000 telephones; poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations, and new radio relay system

local:: NA
intercity:: microwave radio relay and radio communication stations
international:: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0
radios:: 200,000

Television

broadcast stations:: 1
televisions:: 65,000

Defense Forces

Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, | Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National | Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 1,478,653; males fit for military service 745,990 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $50 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994) GUINEA-BISSAU

Economy

Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the | world.

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$840

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

2.9%

(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA (1991 est.); accounts for 8% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

55%

(1991 est.)

External debt

$462million

(December 1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$33.6 millionExpenditures

$44.8 million (1991 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $570,000

Installed generating capacity, 22,000 kW

Electricity production

40 millionElectricity consumption per capita

37 (1993)

Overview

Guinea-Bissau ranks among the poorest countries in the world. Agriculture and fishing are the main economic activities. Cashew nuts, peanuts, and palm kernels are the primary exports. Exploitation of known mineral deposits is unlikely at present because of a weak infrastructure and the high cost of development.

With IMF support the country is committed to an economic reform program emphasizing monetary stability and private sector growth. This process will continue at a slow pace because of a heavy foreign debt burden and internal constraints.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $900 million (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$19 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:: cashews, fish, peanuts, palm kernels
partners:: Portugal, Spain, Senegal, India, Nigeria

Imports

$56 million (f.o.b., 1993)

commodities:: foodstuffs, transport equipment, petroleum products, machinery and equipment
partners:: Portugal, Netherlands, China, Germany, Senegal

Industries

agricultural processing, beer, soft drinks

Agriculture

accounts for over 45% of GDP, nearly 100% of exports, and 90% of employment;
rice is the staple food;
other crops include corn, beans, cassava, cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, and cotton;
not self-sufficient in food;
fishing and forestry potential not fully exploited

Economic aid

recipient:: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $49 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $615 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $41 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $68 million

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