About Guinea
Guinea is located in West Africa on the Atlantic Ocean seaboard, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. The country also borders Mali, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
The country is divided into four main regions: the Basse-Cose lowlands, populated mainly by the Susu ethnic group, the cooler mountainous Fouta Djallon that run roughly north-south through the middle of the country , populated by the Peuls ethnic group. In the north east is the Sahelian Haute-Guinea region home to the Malinké people. The forested jungle regions of the south east are home to several ethnic groups.
Guinea’s mountains are the source for the rivers Niger, Gambia and Senegal as well as tributaries which flow west into the sea in Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.
Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources. The country possesses more than 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer.
Official Name
République de Guinée
Local short form: Guinée
Int'l long form: Republic of Guinea
Int'l short form: Guinea
Former: French Guinea
Capital City: Conakry (pop. 1.5 million).
Other Cities:
Guéckédou (pop. 350 000), Boké (pop. 300 000), Kindia (pop. 280 000), N'Zérékoré (pop. 300 000), Macenta (pop. 280 000), Mamou, Kankan (270 000), Labe (250 000).
Government:
Type: Military regime.
Independence: 2 October 1958. Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April 1984.
Geography:
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone.
Area: 245 860 sq. km. (95 000 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Generally flat along the coast and mountainous in the interior. The country's four geographic regions include a narrow coastal belt; pastoral highlands (the source of West Africa's major rivers); the northern savanna; and the southeastern rain forest.
Climate: Tropical. Generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds.
People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Guinean(s)
Population: 7 775 000, including refugees and foreign residents. Refugee population (June 2001 est.): 180 000-200 000 Liberians and Sierra Leoneans.
Ethnic groups: Fulani 40.3%; Malinke 25.8%; Susu 11.0%; Kissi 6.5%; Kpelle 4.8%, other ethnic groups 11.6%.
Religions: Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, traditional beliefs 7%.
Languages: French (official); Eight national languages, Soussou (Susu, in coastal Guinea), Peulh (Fulani, in Northrn Guinea), Maninka (Upper Guinea), Kissi (Kissidougou Region), Toma and Guerze (Kpelle) in rain forest Guinea; plus various ethnic groups with their own language.
Literacy: 28% to 35%.
Natural resources:
Bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, water power, uranium, fisheries.
Agriculture products: Rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber.
Industries: Bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries.
Exports partners: South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, USA 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%, Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)
Imports partners: France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, USA 4.5% (2003)
Currency: Guinea Franc (GNF)
