Background: Guinea is at a turning point after decades of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Guinea held its first free and competitive democratic presidential and legislative elections in 2010 and 2013 respectively. Alpha CONDE was elected to a five year term as president in 2010 and the National Assembly was seated in January 2014. CONDE's cabinet is the first all-civilian government in Guinea. Previously Sekou TOURE ruled the country as president from independence to his death in 1984. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after TOURE's death. Gen. CONTE organized and won presidential elections in 1993 1998 and 2003 though all the polls were rigged. Upon CONTE's death in December 2008 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 exiled to Burkina Faso. A transitional government led by Gen. Sekouba KONATE paved the way for Guinea's transition to a fledgling democracy.

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N 10 00 W

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

Land boundaries
Border countries: (6) Cote d'Ivoire 816 km; Guinea-Bissau 421 km; Liberia 590 km; Mali 1062 km; Senegal 363 km; Sierra Leone 794 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims
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 highest point: Mont Nimba 1752 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 2.81%
Other: 85.6% (2011)

Irrigated land: 949.2 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 226 km³ (2011)

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: 11,474,383 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 76
Growth rate: 2.63% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 24
Below poverty line: 47% (2006 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Guinean

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

Languages: French (official)

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

Age structure
15-24 years: 19.5% (male 1,130,432/female 1,108,834)
25-54 years: 30.4% (male 1,748,867/female 1,739,881)
55-64 years: 4.4% (male 243,032/female 266,578)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 182,084/female 230,428) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 76.7 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 %
Potential support ratio: 17.7 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 18.4 years
Female: 18.9 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.63% (2014 est.)
Rank: 24

Birth rate: 36.02 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 21

Death rate: 9.69 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 52

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 109

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 3.86% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: CONAKRY (capital) 1.786 million (2011)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 18.9

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 30
Male: 58.17 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 52.22 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 195
Male: 58.08 years
Female: 61.17 years (2014 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.93 children born/woman (2014 est.)
Rank: 18

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 5.6% (2012)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.1 physicians/1000 population (2005)

Hospital bed density: 0.3 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2012 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 28
People living with hivaids: 118,100 (2012 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 41
Deaths: 5,100 (2012 est.)
Deaths rank: 39

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria dengue fever and yellow fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever
Animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 4.4% (2008)
Rank: 165

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.3% (2012)
Rank: 43

Education expenditures: 2.5% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 156

Literacy
Total population: 41%
Male: 52%
Female: 30% (2010 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 10 years
Female: 7 years (2011)

Country name
Conventional short form: Guinea
Local long form: Republique de Guinee
Local short form: Guinee
Former: French Guinea

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 9 30 N 13 42 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 7 regions and 1 governate*; Boke Conakry* Faranah Kankan Kindia Labe Mamou N'Zerekore

Independence: 2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 2 October (1958)

Constitution: previous 1958 1990; latest promulgated 19 April 2010 approved 7 May 2010 (2010)

Legal system: civil law system based on the French model

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister 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: 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 28 September 2013 (next election scheduled for 2018)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPG 53 UFDG 37 UFR 10 others 14

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; member tenure NA
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; courts of first instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; High Court of Justice or Cour d'Assises; labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU ECOWAS EITI (candidate country) FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MINURSO MINUSMA NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNISFA UNMISS UNOCI UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
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) 478-3,010
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] 655-10-40-00
From the us FAX: [224] 655-10-42-97

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

National anthem
Lyrics and music: unknown/Fodeba KEITA

Economy overview: Guinea is a poor country that possesses major mineral hydropower solar power and agricultural resources. Guinea has historically been an exporter of agricultural commodities but in recent years has shifted to importing the majority of food crops. Bauxite is Guinea’s main mineral resource as well as its main source of foreign currency. Guinea is the second largest producer of bauxite in the world and has the largest reserves of bauxite estimated at 29 billion tons. The country also has significant iron ore gold and diamond reserves. However Guinea has been unable to profit from this potential as rampant corruption dilapidated 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 significantly curtailed their development programs but following the December 2010 presidential elections the IMF approved a new 3-year ECF arrangement in 2012. Guinea in September 2012 reached HIPC completion point status. Further international assistance and investment are contingent on the ability of the government to be transparent combat corruption reform its banking system improve its business environment and build infrastructure. International investors have expressed keen interest in Guinea's vast iron ore reserves which could propel the country's growth. The government in April 2013 amended the September 2011 mining code to reduce taxes and royalties. Longer range plans to deploy broadband Internet throughout the country could spur economic growth as well. The biggest threats to Guinea’s economy are political instability and low international commodity prices.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 151

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 121

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 218

Gross national saving:

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 12.4%
Investment in fixed capital: 37.1%
Investment in inventories: 0%
Exports of goods and services: 22.8%
Imports of goods and services: -57%: (2013 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 46.5%
Services: 30.5% (2013 est.)

Agriculture products: rice coffee pineapples palm kernels cassava (manioc tapioca) bananas sweet potatoes; cattle sheep goats; timber

Industries: bauxite gold diamonds iron ore; alumina refining; light manufacturing agricultural processing

Industrial production growth rate: 4.6% (2013 est.)
Rank: 63

Labor force: 5.409 million (2013 est.)
Rank: 69
By occupation industry and services: 24% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

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

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

Distribution of family income gini index: 40.3 (1994)
Rank: 63

Budget
Expenditures: $1.839 billion (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -5.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 169

Taxes and other revenues: 23% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 146

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 15.2% (2012 est.)
Rank: 214

Central bank discount rate: 22.25% (31 December 2005)
Rank: 6

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 27% (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 9

Stock of narrow money: $1.492 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 136

Stock of broad money: $1.818 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 154

Stock of domestic credit: $1.539 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 143

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: -$1.215 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 136

Exports: $1.348 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 153
Commodities: bauxite alumina gold diamonds coffee fish agricultural products
Partners: India 10.6% Spain 9.6% Chile 9.4% US 7.1% Ireland 6.3% Germany 6.3% Ukraine 5.7% France 5% (2012)

Imports: $2.606 billion (2012 est.)
Rank: 158
Commodities: petroleum products metals machinery transport equipment textiles grain and other foodstuffs
Partners: China 14.2% Netherlands 7.6% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $174.3 million (31 December 2012 est.)
Rank: 161

Debt external: $3.139 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 140

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $145 million
Rank: 84

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 969 million kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 148
Consumption: 901.2 million kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 154
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 145
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 153
Installed generating capacity: 395,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 147
Generation sources fossil fuels: 68.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 110
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 101
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 31.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 74
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 181

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 177
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 122
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 196
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 140

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 152
Products consumption: 8,671 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 156
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 183
Products imports: 9,089 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 133

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 140
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 154
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 113
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 202
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 146

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.419 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 18,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 192
Mobile cellular: 4.781 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 115

Telephone 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 exceeds 40 per 100 persons
International: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)

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 TV programming available via satellite and cable subscription services (2011)

Internet
Country code: .gn
Hosts: 15 (2012)
Hosts rank: 223
Users: 95,000 (2009)
Users rank: 161

Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 18-month conscript service obligation (2012)

Airports: 16 (2013)
Rank: 144
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways: 2 (2013)

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

Roadways
Rank: 80
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) (2011)
Rank: 55

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