Guinea

Republic of GuineaRepublique de Guinee

republicIndependence 2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea as the 2010 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 133 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, UTC
Position11 00 N, 10 00 W
Area245,857 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Populationas each edition published it
10.32 million July 2010 est. · 7.27m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.649% 2010 est. · 2.46% in 1993
Median ageyears
18.5 years 2010 est. · 17.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
57.6 years 2010 est. · 43.68 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
5.15 children per woman 2010 est. · 6.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
63.09 deaths per 1,000 live births 2010 est. · 147 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,000 2010 est. · $410 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
3% 2010 est. · 4.3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule 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 were marred by irregularities.

History repeated itself in December 2008 when following President CONTE's death, 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 evacuated to Morocco and subsequently to Burkina Faso. A transitional government led by General Sekouba KONATE held democratic elections in 2010 and Alpha CONDE was elected president in the country's first free and fair elections since independence.

Geography

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

20 fields

Land useshare of 245,857 sq km

arable land 4.47%permanent crops 2.64%other 92.89% (2005)irrigated 950 sq km (2003)
Area
245,857sq km
country comparison to the world: 78land: 245,717 sq kmwater: 140 sq kmslightly smaller than Oregon
Coastline
320km
territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
1,752m
Mont Nimbalowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Land boundaries
3,399km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 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

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 10 00 W

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, salt

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total:
1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%)
per capita:
161 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands

People

23 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2010 est.)

153,053
65 and over3.5%
195,207
2,701,184
15-6453.7%
2,704,161
2,175,852
0-1442.8%
2,128,518
MaleFemale
Population
10,324,025
(July 2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 80growth rate: 2.649% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 25

Per 1,000 population

Birth
37.21 (2010 est.)Death
10.72 (July 2010 est.)Net migration
0 (2010 est.)

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2010 est.)57.6
56.13 · 59.12Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)63.09
66.46 · 59.62Literacy (2003 est.)29.5%
42.6% · 18.1%
TotalMale · femaleMedian age years (2010 est.)18.5
18.3 · 18.8School life expectancy years (2008)9
10 · 7
MaleFemaleLife expectancy country comparison to the world: 192 · Infant mortality country comparison to the world: 31 · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Muslim 85%Christian 8%indigenous beliefs 7%
Urban population
34%of total population
(2008)rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.6%
(2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 41

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.78 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.15 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 19

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

87,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,500 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
animal contact disease:
rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease:
Lassa fever (2009)

Nationality

noun:
Guinean(s)
adjective:
Guinean

Languages

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

Education expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 175

Government

Republic; President Alpha Conde (since 21 December 2010); Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24 December 2010)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

61.6%
PUP 61.6%UPR 26.6%other 11.8%last held on 30 June 2002 (legislative elections first due in 2007 have been rescheduled multiple times and are currently unscheduled)

People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire, 114 seats, elected 30 June 2002one dot, one seat

PUP 85UPR 20other 9

Percent of vote

PUP 61.6%UPR 26.6%other 11.8%

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

Capital

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

Administrative divisions

  • 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*;
  • Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, 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

Independence

2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Alpha Conde (since 21 December 2010)
head of government:
Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24 December 2010)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits);
  • candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president;
  • election last held on 27 June 2010 with a runoff election held on 7 November 2010
election results:
Alpha CONDE elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote Alpha CONDE 52.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO 47.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members elected by a mixed system of direct popular vote and proportional party lists)

elections:
last held on 30 June 2002 (legislative elections first due in 2007 have been rescheduled multiple times and are currently unscheduled)
election results:
percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch

  • Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance;
  • Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel;
  • Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders

  • Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG [Mamadou SYLLA];
  • Guinean Union for Democracy or UGD;
  • New Democratic Forces or NDF [Muoctar DIALLO];
  • Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Sekouba KONATE];
  • Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE];
  • Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH];
  • Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general];
  • Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO];
  • Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE];
  • United Front for Democracy and Change or FUDEC [Francois FALL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]);
  • Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis M'Bemba SOUMAH]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), ECOWAS (suspended), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA
chancery:
2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 986-4300
FAX:
[1] (202) 483-8688

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER
embassy:
Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle
mailing address:
B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry
telephone:
[224] 65-10-40-00
FAX:
[224] 65-10-42-97

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

note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the reverse of those on the flags of neighboring Mali and Senegal

National anthem

name:
"Liberte" (Liberty)
lyrics/music:
unknown/Fodeba KEITA

note: adopted 1958

Economy

Guinea is a poor country that possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources.

47 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$10.6billion
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 146$10.3 billion (2009 est.) · $10.67 billion (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $4.344 billion (2010 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,000
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 213$1,000 (2009 est.) · $1,100 (2008 est.)note: data are in 2010 US dollars
Real growth rate
3%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 126-3.5% (2009 est.) · 4.7% (2008 est.)industrial production growth: 3% (2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 112
Inflation, consumer prices
15%
(2010 est.)country comparison to the world: 2199% (2009 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(2010 est.)

agriculture 25.8%industry 45.7%services 28.5% (2010 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

19.68%
India
13.18%
Spain
China
8.67%
7.24%
Russia
6.86%
Germany
Netherlands
6.67%
5.87%
Ireland
5.71%
US
5.6%
Ukraine
France
4.33%
UK
4.22%
Exports $1.468 billion (2010 est.)Imports $1.551 billion (2010 est.)(2009)

Electricity

Electricity production
850 millionElectricity consumption
790.5 million (2007 est.)

Economy - overview

Guinea is a poor country that possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources. The country has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounts for more than 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in the management of the economy, 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 resulting from the death of President Lansana CONTE in December 2008. International donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, cut their development programming significantly in response to the coup, and international partners have said that a resumption of aid will be contingent on a successful democratic transition with a democratically elected president and a functioning National Assembly.

Growth rose slightly in 2006-08, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but bauxite and alumina exports were negatively affected by the global economic downturn and the economy in 2009 contracted. International investors expressed renewed interest in Guinea's iron ore mines in 2010.

Labor force

4.392 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
76%
industry and services:
24% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
1.9%
highest 10%:
41% (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.1 (2006) · 40.3 (1994) country comparison to the world: 73

Investment (gross fixed)

14.6% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Central bank discount rate

NA% (31 December 2009) · 22.25% (31 December 2005) country comparison to the world: 7

Stock of narrow money

$496.2 million (31 December 2010 est) · $459.7 million (31 December 2009 est) country comparison to the world: 158

Stock of broad money

$830 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $761.9 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166

Stock of domestic credit

$734.4 million (31 December 2010 est.) · $674.2 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Agriculture - products

  • rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes;
  • cattle, sheep, goats;
  • timber

Industries

  • bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron;
  • alumina refining;
  • light manufacturing, and agricultural processing

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Oil - consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Oil - imports

8,674 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 141

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 70

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Current account balance

-$434 million (2010 est.) · -$538 million (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Exports

$1.468 billion (2010 est.) · $1.18 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Exports - commodities

bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products

Imports

$1.551 billion (2010 est.) · $1.236 billion (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.); $51 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external

$3.072 billion (31 December 2009 est.) · $3.222 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Exchange rates

Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 6,100 (2010), 5,500 (2009), 5,500 (2008), 4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006)

Communications

7 fields
Mobile cellular
5.607 million
(2009)
Fixed lines
22,000
(2009) · country code .gn

Telephone system

general assessment:
inadequate system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system
domestic:
  • Conakry reasonably well served;
  • coverage elsewhere remains inadequate and large companies tend to rely on their own systems for nationwide links;
  • fixed-line teledensity less than 1 per 100 persons;
  • mobile-cellular subscribership is expanding and exceeded 50 per 100 persons in 2009
international:
country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

  • government maintains control over broadcast media;
  • single state-run TV station;
  • state-run radio broadcast station also operates several stations in rural areas;
  • about 20 privately-owned radio stations, nearly all in Conakry, and about a dozen community radio stations;
  • foreign television programming available via satellite and cable subscription services (2008)

Internet users

95,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
1
3 (2010)

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Roadways
44,348Railways
1,185Waterways
1,300 (2008)
Roadways: paved: 4,342 km · unpaved: 40,006 km (2003) · Railways: standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) · Waterways: (navigable by shallow-draft native craft)

Airports

16 (2010) country comparison to the world: 142

Railways

total:
1,185 km

country comparison to the world: 87

standard gauge:
238 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:
947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total:
44,348 km

country comparison to the world: 84

paved:
4,342 km
unpaved:
40,006 km (2003)

Waterways

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008) country comparison to the world: 57

Ports and terminals

Conakry, Kamsar

Military

National Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Armee de Mer or Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Guinean Air Force (Force Aerienne de Guinee) (2009)

6 fields
Military expenditures
1.1%of GDP
(2009)country comparison to the world: 127

Military branches

National Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Armee de Mer or Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Guinean Air Force (Force Aerienne de Guinee) (2009)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49:
2,292,338
females age 16-49:
2,264,589 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
1,443,655
females age 16-49:
1,483,676 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male:
114,353
female:
111,873 (2010 est.)

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Disputes - international

  • conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in neighboring states have spilled over into Guinea resulting in domestic instability;
  • Sierra Leone considers Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers excessive and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands, including the hamlet of Yenga, occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
  • 21,856 (Liberia);
  • 5,259 (Sierra Leone);
  • 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs:
19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation:
  • Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation;
  • the majority of victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking;
  • within the country, girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold and diamond mines;
  • some Guinean men are also trafficked for agricultural labor within Guinea;
  • transnationally, girls are trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for sexual exploitation
tier rating:
  • Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking over 2006;
  • Guinea demonstrated minimal law enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection efforts diminished over efforts in 2006;
  • the government did not report any trafficking convictions in 2007;
  • due to a lack of resources, the government does not provide shelter services for trafficking victims;
  • the government took no measures to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008)

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Guinea.” The World Factbook 2010. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/guinea/2010.