Map of Guinea | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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


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

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N 10 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 245,857 km²
Rank: 79
Land: 245,717 km²
Water: 140 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
Total: 3,399 km
Border countries: (6) Cote d'Ivoire 610 km; Guinea-Bissau 386 km; Liberia 563 km; Mali 858 km; Senegal 330 km; Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Nimba 1752 m

Natural resources: bauxite iron ore diamonds gold uranium hydropower fish salt

Land use
Arable land: 4.47%
Permanent crops: 2.64%
Other: 92.89% (2005)

Irrigated land: 950 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 226 km³ (1987)

Natural hazards: hot dry dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

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


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Population: 10,601,009 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 79
Growth rate: 2.645% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 22
Below poverty line: 47% (2006 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Guinean
Adjective: Guinean

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

Languages: French (official)
Note: each ethnic group has its own language

Religions: Muslim 85% Christian 8% indigenous beliefs 7%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.5%
15-64 years: 54% (male 2,860,845/female 2,860,004)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 164,051/female 208,459) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 18.6 years
Male: 18.3 years
Female: 18.8 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.645% (2011 est.)
Rank: 22

Birth rate: 36.9 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 21

Death rate: 10.45 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 48

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 89

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 35% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/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 (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 61.03 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 32
Male: 64.29 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 57.68 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 58.11 years
Rank: 190
Male: 56.63 years
Female: 59.64 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.1 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 17

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.1 physicians/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 165

Hospital bed density: 0.31 beds/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 180

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.3% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 39
People living with hivaids: 79,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 45
Deaths: 4,700 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 39

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
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 20.8% (2008)
Rank: 31

Education expenditures: 2.4% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 149

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 29.5%
Male: 42.6%
Female: 18.1% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 7 years (2009)

Youth unemployment


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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

Government type: republic

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 2 October (1958)

Constitution: 7 May 2010 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system: civil law system based on the French model

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alpha CONDE
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24 December 2010)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); 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: the legislature was dissolved by junta leader Moussa Dadis CAMARA in December 2008 and in February 2010 the Transition Government appointed a 155 member National Transition Council (CNT) that has since acted in the legislature's place
Elections: last held on 30 June 2002

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; 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: Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Note: Listed are the three most popular parties in first round voting for president in 2010; overall there are more than 130 registered parties

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU (suspended) ECOWAS FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO 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 UNISFA UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Blaise CHERIF
In the us chancery: 2,112 Leroy Place NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 986-4,300
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-8,688
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER
From the us embassy: Koloma Conakry east of Hamdallaye Circle
From the us mailing address: B. P. 603 Transversale No. 2 Centre Administratif de Koloma Commune de Ratoma Conakry
From the us telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00
From the us 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 symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Liberte'
Lyricsmusic: unknown/Fodeba KEITA
Note: adopted 1958

National heritage


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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 and significant iron ore gold and diamond reserves. However Guinea has been unable to profit from this potential as rampant corruption dilapidated electricity and other degraded infrastructure and political uncertainty have drained investor confidence. In the time since a 2008 coup following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE international donors including the G-8 the IMF and the World Bank have significantly curtailed their development programs. Throughout 2009 policies of the ruling military junta severely weakened the economy. The junta leaders spent and printed money at an accelerated rate driving inflation and debt to perilously high levels. In early 2010 the junta collapsed and was replaced by a Transition Government which ceded power in December 2010 to the country's first-ever democratically elected president Alpha CONDE. International assistance and investment are expected to return to Guinea but the levels will depend upon the ability of the new government to combat corruption and reform its banking system. IMF and World Bank programs will be especially critical as Guinea attempts to gain debt relief. Since the 2009 global economic downturn the price and value of bauxite and alumina exports has steadily risen. Export levels will likely continue to grow as investor confidence returns. International investors have expressed keen interest in Guinea's vast iron ore reserves which could further propel the country's growth.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 150
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 151

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 214
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 53%
Services: 30% (2010 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2010 est.)
Rank: 118

Labor force: 4.392 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 82
By occupation agriculture: 76%
By occupation industry and services: 24% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 47% (2006 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.7%
Highest 10: 30.3% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 40.3 (1994)
Rank: 67

Budget
Revenues: $750.6 million
Expenditures: $1.411 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -14.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 200

Taxes and other revenues: 16.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 181

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9% (2009 est.)
Rank: 219

Central bank discount rate: 22.25% (31 December 2005)
Rank: 8

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 23.8% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 13

Stock of narrow money: $482.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 160

Stock of broad money: $792.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 169

Stock of domestic credit: $701.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 158

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$426.7 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 101

Exports: $1.05 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 144
Commodities: bauxite alumina gold diamonds coffee fish agricultural products
Partners: India 15.5% Spain 8% Chile 7.7% Russia 6.8% Ireland 6.1% Ukraine 5.7% US 5.2% Denmark 4.2% Germany 4.1% (2010)

Imports: $1.06 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 164
Commodities: petroleum products metals machinery transport equipment textiles grain and other foodstuffs
Partners: China 11.5% Netherlands 6.3% France 4.2% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $53.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 167

Debt external: $2.926 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 133

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 920 million kWh
Production rank: 148
Production note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2008 est.)
Consumption: 855.6 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 150
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 192
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 184
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 109
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 130
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 144

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 18,000 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 196
Mobile cellular: 4 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 110

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 marginal control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio broadcast station also operates several stations in rural areas; a steadily increasing number of 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 (2011)

Internet
Country code: .gn
Hosts: 14 (2010)
Hosts rank: 220
Users: 95,000 (2009)
Users rank: 161

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.1% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 126

Military and security forces

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

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 16 (2010)
Rank: 144
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 1185 km
Rank: 86
Standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2009)

Roadways
Total: 44,348 km
Rank: 83
Paved: 4,342 km
Unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Waterways: 1300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft in the northern part of the Niger system) (2009)
Rank: 54

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Conakry Kamsar


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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: 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)

Illicit drugs