2020 Edition

Background

Guinea's deep Muslim heritage arrived via the neighboring Almoravid Empire in the 11th century. Following Almoravid decline, Guinea existed on the fringe of several African kingdoms, all competing for regional dominance. In the 13th century, the Mali Empire took control of Guinea and encouraged its already growing Muslim faith. After the fall of the West African empires, various smaller kingdoms controlled Guinea. In the 18th century, Fulani Muslims established an Islamic state in central Guinea that provided one of the earliest examples of a written constitution and alternating leadership. European traders first arrived in the 16th century, and the French secured colonial rule in the 19th century. In 1958, Guinea achieved independence from France. Sekou TOURE became Guinea’s first post-independence president; he established a dictatorial regime and ruled until his death in 1984, after which General Lansana CONTE staged a coup and seized the government. He too established an authoritarian regime and manipulated presidential elections until his death in 2008, when Captain Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seized power, and suspended the constitution. In 2009, CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and was exiled to Burkina Faso. In 2010 and 2013 respectively, the country held its first free and fair presidential and legislative elections. Alpha CONDE won the 2010 and 2015 presidential elections, and his first cabinet was the first all-civilian government in Guinean history. CONDE won a third term in 2020 after a constitutional change to term limits. In 2021, Col Mamady DOUMBOUYA led another successful military coup, establishing the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD), suspending the constitution, and dissolving the government and the legislature. DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transition president and appointed Mohamed BEAVOGUI as transition prime minister. The National Transition Council (CNT), which acts as the legislative body for the transition, was formed in 2022 and consists of appointed members representing a broad swath of Guinean society.

Area

land

245,717 sq km

total

245,857 sq km

water

140 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon; slightly larger than twice the size of Pennsylvania

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

highest point

Mont Nimba 1,752 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

472 m

Geographic coordinates

11 00 N, 10 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

949 sq km (2017)

Land boundaries

border countries

Cote d'Ivoire 816 km; Guinea-Bissau 421 km; Liberia 590 km; Mali 1062 km; Senegal 363 km; Sierra Leone 794 km

total

4,046 km

Land use

agricultural land

73.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 24.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 5.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 43.5% (2023 est.)

forest

20.3% (2023 est.)

other

6.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

Niger river source (shared with Mali, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Gambie (Gambia) river source (shared with Senegal and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)

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

Population distribution

areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Age structure

0-14 years

40.9% (male 2,884,146/female 2,835,794)

15-64 years

55.1% (male 3,846,852/female 3,856,366)

65 years and over

4% (2024 est.) (male 254,608/female 308,413)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

35.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.9% (2018)

women married by age 15

17% (2018)

women married by age 18

46.5% (2018)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

15% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

70.9% (2018 est.)

Death rate

7.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

7.4 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

13.6 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

81.5 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

74.1 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 59% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 71.5% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 92% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 41% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 28.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.2% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Fulani (Peuhl) 33.4%, Malinke 29.4%, Susu 21.2%, Guerze 7.8%, Kissi 6.2%, Toma 1.6%, other/foreign 0.4% (2018 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.34 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

42.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

51.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

45.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

66.6 years

male

62.7 years

total population

64.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

27.7% (2018 est.)

male

54.4% (2018 est.)

total population

39.6% (2018 est.)

Major urban areas - population

2.111 million CONAKRY (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

494 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

19.6 years

male

19.2 years

total

19.5 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.9 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Guinean

noun

Guinean(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

7.7% (2016)

Physician density

0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

7,194,929

male

7,179,661

total

14,374,590 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

2.74% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 60.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 95.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 60.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.4% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

8 years (2021 est.)

male

9 years (2021 est.)

total

9 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.83 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.75 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

38.1% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

7 administrative regions (régions administratives, singular - région administrative) and 1 governorate (gouvenorat)*; Boke, Conakry*, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labe, Mamou, N'Zerekore

Capital

etymology

the name derives from konakri, a Susu word meaning "over the water" and referring to the city's location on a peninsula; it was originally the name of a local village

geographic coordinates

9 30 N, 13 42 W

name

Conakry

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Guinea

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

na

Constitution

history

previous 1958, 1990; 2010 and a referendum in 2020, which was suspended on 5 September 2021 via a coup d'état; on 27 September, the Transitional Charter was released, which supersedes the constitution until a new constitution is promulgated

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Guinea

conventional short form

Guinea

etymology

the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea, but the name itself derives from the Tuareg word aginaw, meaning "black people"

former

French Guinea

local long form

République de Guinée

local short form

Guinée

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Mary E. DASCHBACH (since 15 July 2025)

email address and website

ConakryACS@state.gov https://gn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

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

FAX

[224] 65-10-42-97

mailing address

2110 Conakry Place, Washington DC 20521-2110

telephone

[224] 65-10-40-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Fatoumata KABA (since 19 April 2023)

consulate(s)

Los Angelos

email address and website

http://guineaembassyusa.org/en/welcome-to-the-embassy-of-guinea-washington-usa/

FAX

[1] (202) 986-3800

telephone

[1] (202) 986-4300

Executive branch

cabinet

formerly the Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA (since 17 January 2026)

election results

2025: Mamady DOUMBOUYA elected president in the first round; percent of vote -Mamady DOUMBOUYA (Independent) 86.7%, Abdoulaye Yero BALDE (DFG) 6.5%, other 7% 2020: Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7%

election/appointment process

the president is directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 7-year single term, and the prime minister is appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Amadou Oury BAH (since 27 February 2024)

most recent election date

28 December 2025

Flag

description: three equal vertical bands of red (left side), yellow, and green meaning: red stands for the people's sacrifice for liberation and work; yellow for the sun, the riches of the earth, and justice; green for the country's vegetation and unity history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

2 October 1958 (from France)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (organized into Administrative Chamber and Civil, Penal, and Social Chamber; court consists of the first president, 2 chamber presidents, 10 councilors, the solicitor general, and NA deputies); Constitutional Court - suspended on 5 September 2021

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; members serve 9-year terms until age 65

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; High Court of Justice or Cour d'Assises; Court of Account (Court of Auditors); Courts of First Instance (Tribunal de Première Instance); labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace; specialized courts

Legal system

civil law system based on the French model

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed system

expected date of next election

December 2025

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)

most recent election date

1/22/2022

number of seats

81 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

29.6%

scope of elections

full renewal

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1958

lyrics/music

unknown/Fodeba KEITA

title

"Liberté" (Liberty)

National color(s)

red, yellow, green

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

total World Heritage Sites

1 (natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

National symbol(s)

elephant

Political parties

African Congress for Democracy and Renewal or CADRE  Alliance for National Renewal or ARN  Alliance for National Renewal or ARENA  Bloc Liberal or BL  Citizen Generation or GECI  Citizen Party for the Defense of Collective Interests or PCDIC  Democratic Alliance for Renewal or ADR  Democratic National Movement or MND Democratic Union for Renewal and Progress or UDRP  Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG  Democratic People's Movement of Guinea or MPDG  Democratic Workers' Party of Guinea or PDTG  Front for the National Alliance or FAN  Generation for Reconciliation Union and Prosperity or GRUP  Guinea for Democracy and Balance or GDE  Guinean Party for Peaceful Coexistence and Development or PGCD  Guinean Party for Solidarity and Democracy or PGSD  Guinean Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD  Guinean Rally for Development or RGD  Guinean Rally for Unity and Development or RGUD  Guinean Renaissance Party or PGR  Modern Guinea  Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD  National Committee for Reconciliation and Development  National Front for Development or FND  National Union for Prosperity or UNP  National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN  New Democratic Forces or NFD  New Generation for the Republic or NGR  New Guinea or NG  New Political Generation or NGP  Party for Progress and Change or PPC  Party of Citizen Action through Labor or PACT  Party of Democrats for Hope or PADES  Party of Freedom and Progress or PLP  Party of Hope for National Development or PEDN  Rally for Renaissance and Development or RRD  Rally for the Guinean People or RPG  Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea or RDIG  Rally for the Republic or RPR  Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR  Union for the Defense of Republican Interests or UDIR  Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG  Union of Democratic Forces or UFD a or UFDG  Union of Democrats for the Renaissance of Guinea or UDRG  Union of Republican Forces or UFR  Unity and Progress Party or PUP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, cassava, maize, groundnuts, oil palm fruit, plantains, potatoes, fonio, yams, sweet potatoes (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$2.014 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$1.949 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

$4.639 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$3.35 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$2.288 billion (2023 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$3.764 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

growing but primarily agrarian West African economy; major mining sector; improving fiscal and debt balances prior to COVID-19; economy increasingly vulnerable to climate change; slow infrastructure improvements; gender wealth and human capital gaps

Exchange rates

Currency

Guinean francs (GNF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2016

8,967.927 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

9,088.319 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

9,011.134 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

9,183.876 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9,565.082 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$10.266 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$8.898 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$12.008 billion (2023 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold, aluminum ore, cocoa beans, crude petroleum, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023)

Exports - partners

UAE 50%, China 36%, India 8%, Switzerland 1%, Spain 1% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

44% (2024 est.)

government consumption

13.4% (2024 est.)

household consumption

67.4% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-56.1% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.1% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

29.6% (2024 est.)

industry

25.3% (2024 est.)

services

37.5% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$25.334 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

29.6 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.1% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

3.5% (2018 est.)

Imports

Imports 2021

$5.353 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$5.749 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$8.365 billion (2023 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, rice, garments, construction vehicles, cars (2023)

Imports - partners

China 39%, India 9%, Netherlands 7%, Belgium 6%, UAE 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

7.1% (2024 est.)

Industries

bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron ore; light manufacturing, agricultural processing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10.5% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

8.1% (2024 est.)

Labor force

4.534 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

43.7% (2018 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

41.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$53.297 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$56.251 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$59.439 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.5% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$4,000 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$2.183 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.11 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.887 billion (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

5.3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

5.3% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

8% (2024 est.)

male

6.2% (2024 est.)

total

7.1% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

400 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

3.624 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.06 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

424.356 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

21.3%

electrification - total population

47.7% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

91%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

25.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

74.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

5.235 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total

1,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

government maintains control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio also operates several stations in rural areas; a dozen private TV stations; many 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 (2022)

Internet country code

.gn

Internet users

percent of population

27% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

0 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

109 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

15.3 million (2022 est.)

Airports

16 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

3X

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

other 2

total

2 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Benti, Conakry, Kamsar, Victoria

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

2

small

0

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

3

Railways

narrow gauge

807 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

standard gauge

279 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge

total

1,086 km (2017)

Military - note

the Guinean military is responsible for territorial defense, but also has some domestic security responsibilities and has historically been involved in suppressing public protests; in 2021 the Army’s special forces led a military overthrow of the government; the military-led government has since been accused of cracking down on dissent, the media, and political opposition; border security is a key focus for the Guinean military, particularly a territorial dispute with Sierra Leone that dates back to 2001 (2025)

Military and security forces

Guinean (or National) Armed Forces (Forces Armées Guinéennes): Army, Air Force, Navy, National Gendarmerie Ministry of Security: National Police (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10-12,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Guinean military's inventory consists almost entirely of ageing Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with small amounts of secondhand arms from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service; 9-12 months of service (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

5,160 (2024 est.)

refugees

2,343 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

4.504 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

4.505 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices; water pollution; improper waste disposal

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, 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

Particulate matter emissions

34.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

226 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

600 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

60 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

230 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

596,900 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

23.9% (2022 est.)