Guinea

Republic of GuineaRepublique de Guinee

republicIndependence 2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalConakry

Position11 00 N, 10 00 W

Area245,860 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

7.54 million July 1999 est. · 7.27m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.82% 1999 est. · 2.46% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

46.5 years 1999 est. · 43.68 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.53 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

126.32 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 147 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,180 1998 est. · $410 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.9% 1998 est. · 4.3% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, | between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

17 fields

Land useshare of 245,860 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 22%forests and woodland 59%other 17% (1993 est.)irrigated 930 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

245,860sq km

land: 245,860 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly smaller than Oregon

Coastline

320km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

1,752m

Mont Nimbalowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

3,399km

border countries: Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Location

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

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

Natural resources

bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish

Natural hazards

hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Environment--current issues

deforestation;
inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification;
soil contamination and erosion;
overfishing, overpopulation in forest region

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

People

15 fields

Population

7,538,953

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 0.82% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

40.62Death

17.3Net migration

-15.12

Net migration: note: over the years Guinea has received up to several hundred thousand refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, some of whom are now returning to their own countries

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)46.5

44.02 · 49.06

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)35.9%

49.9% · 21.9%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Peuhl 40%Malinke 30%Soussou 20%smaller tribes 10%

Religions

Muslim 85%Christian 8%indigenous beliefs 7%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44% (male 1,640,158; female 1,653,184)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 1,974,849; female 2,068,221)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 83,859; female 118,682) (1999 est.)

-15.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: over the years Guinea has received up to several hundred thousand refugees from the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, some of whom are now returning to their own countries

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

126.32 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.53 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guinean(s)
adjective:: Guinean

Languages

French (official), each tribe has its own language

Government

Republic; President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993); Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

56%

-Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56%Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16%Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24%election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003)

Legislature, 114 seats, elected 11 June 1995one dot, one seat

-PUP 71RPG 19PRP 9UNR 9UPG 2PDG 1UNP 1PDG-RDA 1other 1

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

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Conakry

Administrative divisions

4 administrative regions (regions administrative, singular--region administrative) and 1 special zone (zone speciale)*;
Conakry*, Guinee, Guinee-Forestiere, Haute-Guinee, Moyen-Guinee

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:: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government:: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president;
election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003);
the prime minister appointed by the president
election results:: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote--Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16%, Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24%

Legislative branch

unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 11 June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results:: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9, UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992;
of the more than 40 with legal status, the following won seats in the legislature in the 11 June 1995 elections

other:: Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mohamed Aly THIAM
chancery:: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Tibor P. NAGY, Jr.
embassy:: Rue Ka 038, Conakry
mailing address:: B. P. 603, Conakry

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

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and | agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped nation. | The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,180

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.9%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 3.2% (1994)

Inflation, consumer prices

3.5%

(1998 est.)

Labor force

2.4million

(1983)

GDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 24%industry 31%services 45% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$553 millionExpenditures

$652 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $317 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 63.81%hydro 36.19%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

525 million (1996)Electricity consumption

525 million (1996)

Economy--overview

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped nation. The agricultural sector employs 80% of the work force. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1998.

Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-98. Except in the mining industry, foreign investment remains minimal but is expected to pick up in 1999.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$8.8 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 11%, services 5.4%, civil service 3.6%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

bauxite, gold, diamonds;
alumina refining;
light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Agriculture--products

rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes;
cattle, sheep, goats;
timber

Exports

$695 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, fish, agricultural products

Exports--partners

Russia, US, Belgium, Ukraine, Ireland, Spain (1997)

Imports

$560 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs (1997)

Imports--partners

France, Cote d'Ivoire, US, Belgium, Hong Kong (1997)

Debt--external

$3.15 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$433.6 million (1995)

Currency

1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Guinean francs (FG) per US$1--1,292.5 (January 1999), 1,095.3 (1997), 1,004.0 (1996), 991.4 (1995), 976.6 (1994)

note: the official exchange rate of the Guinean franc was set and quoted weekly against the US dollar until the end of October 1993; since 1 November 1994,

the exchange rate is determined in the interbank market for foreign exchange

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

18,000

(1994 est.)

Telephone system

poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system

domestic:: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
international:: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

257,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

6 (1997)

Televisions

65,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Networkskm

Highways

30,500Railways

1,086

Highways: paved: 5,033 km · unpaved: 25,467 km (1996 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge · narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry)

Railways

total:: 1,086 km
standard gauge:: 279 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry)