Background: Independent from France since 1958 Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president in disputed balloting. Security clampdowns continue although not as severe as in earlier decades.

Area
Total: 245,860 km²
Land: 245,860 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: Total 3,399 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Côte d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 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 1,752 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 6%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 12%
Forests and woodland: 42%
Other: 40%

Irrigated land: 240 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Guinean(s)
Adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:

Languages: French (official; each tribe has its own language

Religions:

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over: 3% (male 84,005; female 116,626) (July 1996 est.) 3% (male 72,014; female 102,735) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate: -5.4 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: in prior years Guinea received several hundred thousand refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, many of whom are now returning to their own countries

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing
Current issues 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, Hazardous Wastes

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 45.06 years (1996 est); 44.6 years (1995 est.)
Male: 42.73 years (1996 est.); 42.31 years (1995 est.)
Female: 47.47 years (1996 est.); 46.95 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 35.9%
Male: 49.9%
Female: 21.9%

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: Conakry

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

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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 were held on 11 June 1995; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(114 total) PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG 1, UNP 1, PDG/RDA 1, other 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, 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, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: 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

Economy overview: Although possessing major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounted for 85% of exports in 1991. Long-run improvements in literacy, financial institutions, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Except in the bauxite industry, foreign investment remains minimal.

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: Accounts for 24% of GDP (includes fishing and forestry; mostly subsistence farming; principal products_rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, timber; livestock_cattle, sheep and goats; not self-sufficient in food grains

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate NA; accounts for 31% of GDP

Labor force: 2.4 million (1983)
By occupation Agriculture: 80.0%
By occupation Industry and commerce: 11.0%
By occupation Services: 5.4%
By occupation Civil servants: 3.6%

Unemployment rate: NA

Budget
Revenues: $449 million
Expenditures: $708 million, including capital expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external:

Exchange rates: Guinean francs (FG) per US$1_995.3 (August 1995), 976.6 (1994), 955.5 (1993), 902.0 (1992), 753.9 (1991), 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440 (1987), 383 (1986)
Note: the official exchange rate of the Guinean franc was set and quoted weekly against the US dollar until end-October 1993; since 1 November 1994, the exchange rate is determined in the interbank market for foreign exchange

Electricity
Capacity: 180,000 kW
Production: 520 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 77 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 18,000 telephones (1994 est.); 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

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $50 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994)

Airports: 14
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1995 est.)

Waterways: 1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Merchant marine: None