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

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N 10 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 245,857 km²
Rank: 78
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 (2003)

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

Population: 10,324,025 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 80
Growth rate: 2.649% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 25
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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.8%
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 2,701,184/female 2,704,161)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 153,053/female 195,207) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.5 years
Male: 18.3 years
Female: 18.8 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.649% (2010 est.)
Rank: 25

Birth rate: 37.21 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 25

Death rate: 10.72 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 47

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 84

Urbanization
Urban population: 34% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

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 (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 63.09 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 31
Male: 66.46 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 59.62 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 57.6 years
Rank: 192
Male: 56.13 years
Female: 59.12 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 19

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.6% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 41
People living with hivaids: 87,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 48
Deaths: 4,500 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 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)

Education expenditures: 1.7% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 175

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 (2008)

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

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 2 October (1958)

Constitution: 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system: based on French civil law system customary law and decree; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

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 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]

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

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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 146
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 126

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 213
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25.8%
Industry: 45.7%
Services: 28.5% (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: 112

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

Unemployment rate: NA% est.)

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.9%
Highest 10: 41% (2006)

Distribution of family income gini index: 40.3 (1994)
Rank: 73

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

Central bank discount rate: 22.25% (31 December 2005)
Rank: 7

Commercial bank prime lending rate: NA% (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money: $459.7 million (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 158

Stock of broad money: $761.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 166

Stock of domestic credit: $674.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 157

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$538 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 112

Exports: $1.18 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 137
Commodities: bauxite alumina gold diamonds coffee fish agricultural products
Partners: India 19.68% Spain 13.18% Russia 7.24% Germany 6.86% Ireland 5.87% US 5.71% Ukraine 5.6% (2009)

Imports: $1.236 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 160
Commodities: petroleum products metals machinery transport equipment textiles grain and other foodstuffs
Partners: China 8.67% Netherlands 6.67% France 4.33% UK 4.22% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external: $3.222 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 128

Exchange rates: Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 6,100 (2010) 5,500 (2009) 5,500 (2008) 4,123 (2007) 5,350 (2006)

Electricity
Production: 850 million kWh
Production rank: 148
Production note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2007 est.)
Consumption: 790.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 149
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 104
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 148
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 70
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 168
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 172

Telephones
Main lines in use: 22,000 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 190
Mobile cellular: 5.607 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 90

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

Military expenditures: 1.1% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 127

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

Airports: 16 (2010)
Rank: 142
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)

Railways
Total: 1185 km
Rank: 87
Standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Total: 44,348 km
Rank: 84
Paved: 4,342 km
Unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Waterways: 1300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008)
Rank: 57

Ports and terminals: Conakry Kamsar

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)