1996 Edition

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

Location

11 00 N, 10 00 W -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than Oregon

land area

245,860 sq km

total area

245,860 sq km

Climate

generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Coastline

320 km

Environment

current issues

deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Hazardous Wastes

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 10 00 W

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

240 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

3,399 km

Land use

arable land

6%

forest and woodland

42%

meadows and pastures

12%

other

40%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

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

Terrain

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

highest point

Mont Nimba 1,752 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 44% (male 1,632,414; female 1,637,007) 15-64 years: 53% (male 1,928,586; female 2,013,343) 65 years and over: 3% (male 84,005; female 116,626) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

42.59 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

18.71 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

134.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official), each tribe has its own language

Life expectancy at birth

female

47.47 years (1996 est.)

male

42.73 years

total population

45.06 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

21.9%

male

49.9%

total population

35.9%

Nationality

adjective

Guinean

noun

Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

-5.4 migrant(s)/1,000 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

Population

7,411,981 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.85% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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

Total fertility rate

5.72 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Conakry

Constitution

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Data code

GV

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Bangoura Mahawa CAMARA

telephone

[1] (202) 483-9420

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the president

chief of state and head of government

President Lansana CONTE, elected in the first multiparty election 19 December 1993 (president must be elected by a majority of the votes cast); prior to the election he had ruled as head of military government since 5 April 1984

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8688

[224] 44 15 22

Flag

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

Independence

2 October 1958 (from France)

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

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Guinea

conventional short form

Guinea

former

French Guinea

local long form

Republique de Guinee

local short form

Guinee

National holiday

Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

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

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

Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE; Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadou BAH; Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradiou DIALLO; Union for Progress of Guinea (UPG), Secretary-General Jean-Marie DORE; Democratic Party of Guinea (DPG), Ahmed Sekou TOURE; National Union for the Prosperity of Guinea (UNPG), Lt.Col. Facine TOURE, leader; Democratic Party of Guinea (PDG), El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN, leader

pro-government

Party for Unity and Progress (PUP)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Joseph A. SALOOM III

embassy

Rue KA 038, Conakry

mailing address

B. P. 603, Conakry

telephone

[224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$708 million, including capital expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.)

revenues

$449 million

Currency

1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity

180,000 kW

consumption per capita

77 kWh (1993)

production

520 million kWh

Exchange rates

Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 995.3 (August 1995), 976.6 (1994), 955.5 (1993), 902.0 (1992), 753.9 (1991)

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

Exports

$562 million (1994 est.)

commodities

bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels

partners

US 23%, Belgium 12%, Ireland 12%, Spain 12%

External debt

$3.02 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

24%

industry

31%

services

45% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,020 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1995 est.)

Imports

$688 million (1994 est.)

commodities

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

partners

France 26%, Cote d'Ivoire 12%, Hong Kong 6%, Germany 6%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.1% (1994 est.)

Labor force

2.4 million (1983)

by occupation

agriculture 80.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services 5.4%, civil service 3.6%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $50 million, 1.6% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,684,264

males fit for military service

849,404 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

257,000 (1992 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)

Telephones

18,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

65,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

14

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

1

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

2

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

1

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

6

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

3 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

4,490 km

total

29,750 km

unpaved

25,260 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Railways

narrow gauge

807 km 1.000-m gauge; note - includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry

standard gauge

279 km 1.435-m gauge

total

1,086 km

Waterways

1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft