2010 Edition

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 fair elections since independence.

Area

land

245,717 sq km

total

245,857 sq km

water

140 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

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

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mont Nimba 1,752 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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

Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

161 cu m/yr (2000)

total

1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%)

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 10 00 W

Geography - note

the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands

Irrigated land

950 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

3,399 km

Land use

arable land

4.47%

other

92.89% (2005)

permanent crops

2.64%

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 hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Total renewable water resources

226 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,175,852/female 2,128,518) 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.)

Birth rate

37.21 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

10.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

1.7% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.6% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,500 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

87,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

59.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

66.46 deaths/1,000 live births

total

63.09 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language

Life expectancy at birth

female

59.12 years (2010 est.)

male

56.13 years

total population

57.6 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

18.1% (2003 est.)

male

42.6%

total population

29.5%

Major infectious diseases

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease

Lassa fever (2009)

animal contact disease

rabies

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

Median age

female

18.8 years (2010 est.)

male

18.3 years

total

18.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Guinean

noun

Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

10,324,025 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.649% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2008)

male

10 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/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.)

Total fertility rate

5.15 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

34% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

9 33 N, 13 42 W

name

Conakry

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Guinea

conventional short form

Guinea

former

French Guinea

local long form

Republique de Guinee

local short form

Guinee

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Patricia Newton MOLLER

embassy

Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle

FAX

[224] 65-10-42-97

mailing address

B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry

telephone

[224] 65-10-40-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mory Karamoko KABA

FAX

[1] (202) 483-8688

telephone

[1] (202) 986-4300

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Alpha Conde (since 21 December 2010)

election results

Alpha CONDE elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote Alpha CONDE 52.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO 47.5%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24 December 2010)

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

Government type

republic

Independence

2 October 1958 (from France)

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

Judicial branch

Court of First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Legal system

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

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)

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

elections

last held on 30 June 2002 (legislative elections first due in 2007 have been rescheduled multiple times and are currently unscheduled)

National anthem

lyrics/music

unknown/Fodeba KEITA note: adopted 1958

name

"Liberte" (Liberty)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

National Confederation of Guinean Workers-Labor Union of Guinean Workers or CNTG-USTG Alliance (includes National Confederation of Guinean Workers or CNTG [Rabiatou Sarah DIALLO] and Labor Union of Guinean Workers or USTG [Dr. Ibrahima FOFANA]); Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG [Dr. Louis M'Bemba SOUMAH]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

NA% (31 December 2009) 22.25% (31 December 2005)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2008)

Current account balance

-$434 million (2010 est.) -$538 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$3.072 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $3.222 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

38.1 (2006) 40.3 (1994)

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.

Electricity - consumption

790.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

850 million kWh note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar - 6,100 (2010), 5,500 (2009), 5,500 (2008), 4,122.8 (2007), 5,350 (2006)

Exports

$1.468 billion (2010 est.) $1.18 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

India 19.68%, Spain 13.18%, Russia 7.24%, Germany 6.86%, Ireland 5.87%, US 5.71%, Ukraine 5.6% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

25.8%

industry

45.7%

services

28.5% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2010 est.) $1,000 (2009 est.) $1,100 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3% (2010 est.) -3.5% (2009 est.) 4.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.344 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$10.6 billion (2010 est.) $10.3 billion (2009 est.) $10.67 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 41% (2006)

Imports

$1.551 billion (2010 est.) $1.236 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 8.67%, Netherlands 6.67%, France 4.33%, UK 4.22% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

15% (2010 est.) 9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

14.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

4.392 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

76%

industry and services

24% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

8,674 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

47% (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA (31 December 2010 est.) $51 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$830 million (31 December 2010 est.) $761.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$734.4 million (31 December 2010 est.) $674.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$496.2 million (31 December 2010 est) $459.7 million (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

NA% est.)

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

Internet hosts

14 (2010)

Internet users

95,000 (2009)

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 exceeded 50 per 100 persons in 2009

general assessment

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

international

country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

22,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5.607 million (2009)

Airports

16 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Conakry, Kamsar

Railways

narrow gauge

947 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

standard gauge

238 km 1.435-m gauge

total

1,185 km

Roadways

paved

4,342 km

total

44,348 km

unpaved

40,006 km (2003)

Waterways

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,292,338 females age 16-49: 2,264,589 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,443,655 females age 16-49: 1,483,676 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

111,873 (2010 est.)

male

114,353

Military branches

National Armed Forces

Army, Navy (Armee de Mer or Marine Guineenne, includes Marines), Guinean Air Force (Force Aerienne de Guinee) (2009)

Military expenditures

1.1% of GDP (2009)

Military service age and obligation

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

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

IDPs

19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Guinea is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the majority of victims are children, and internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking; within the country, girls are trafficked primarily for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation, while boys are trafficked for forced agricultural labor, and as forced beggars, street vendors, shoe shiners, and laborers in gold and diamond mines; some Guinean men are also trafficked for agricultural labor within Guinea; transnationally, girls are trafficked into Guinea for domestic servitude and likely also for sexual exploitation

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Guinea is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking over 2006; Guinea demonstrated minimal law enforcement efforts for a second year in a row, while protection efforts diminished over efforts in 2006; the government did not report any trafficking convictions in 2007; due to a lack of resources, the government does not provide shelter services for trafficking victims; the government took no measures to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation (2008) page last updated on January 12, 2011 ======================================================================