| |
| Background: |
Independent from France since 1958,
Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana
CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the
civilian government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has
spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a
humanitarian emergency. |
| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
|
| Geographic coordinates: |
11 00 N, 10 00 W
|
| Area: |
total: 245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq
km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly smaller than Oregon
|
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau
386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
|
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive economic
zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
|
| 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 |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
|
| Natural
resources: |
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold,
uranium, hydropower, fish |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent
pastures: 22%
forests and woodland: 59%
other: 17% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated land: |
930 sq km (1993 est.)
|
| 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not
ratified: none of the selected agreements
|
| Geography - note: |
the Niger and its important
tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
|
| Population: |
7,613,870 (July 2001 est.)
|
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 43.12%
(male 1,637,000; female 1,645,786)
15-64 years:
54.19% (male 2,015,199; female 2,110,745)
65 years and
over: 2.69% (male 84,586; female 120,554) (2001 est.)
|
| Population growth rate: |
1.96% (2001 est.)
|
| Birth
rate: |
39.78 births/1,000 population (2001
est.) |
| Death
rate: |
17.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001
est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2001 est.)
note: as a result of civil war in
neighboring countries, Guinea is host to almost half a million Liberian
and Sierra Leonean refugees |
| 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total
population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
|
| Infant
mortality rate: |
129.03 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
45.91 years
male: 43.49 years
female: 48.42 years (2001 est.)
|
| Total
fertility rate: |
5.39 children born/woman (2001
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
1.54% (1999 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
55,000 (1999 est.)
|
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
5,600 (1999 est.)
|
| Nationality: |
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou
20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% |
| Religions: |
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%,
indigenous beliefs 7% |
| Languages: |
French (official), each ethnic
group has its own language |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995
est.) |
| 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 |
| Government type: |
republic
|
| 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 |
| Independence: |
2 October 1958 (from France)
|
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
|
| 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 is appointed by the
president
election results: Lansana CONTE reelected
president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA
(UNR-PRP) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%, |
| 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 scheduled for
26 November 2000 postponed indefinitely due to border fighting with rebels
from Sierra Leone and Liberia)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PUP 71, RPG 19, PRP 9,
UNR 9, UPG 2, PDG-AST 1, UNP 1, PDG-RDA 1, other 1
|
| Judicial
branch: |
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
|
| Political parties and leaders: |
Democratic Party of Guinea or
PDG-AST [Marcel CROS]; Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally
or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP
[Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; Party for Renewal and Progress or
PRP [Siradiou DIALLO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE];
Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general];
Union for the New Republic or UNR [Mamadou Boye BA]; Union of Republican
Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM,
OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, 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
telephone: [1] (202)
483-9420
FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Charge d'Affaires Timberlake FOSTER
embassy: Rue Ka
038, Conakry
mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23
FAX: [224] 41 15 22 |
| 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
- overview: |
Guinea possesses major mineral,
hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains a poor underdeveloped
nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and
is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
about 75% of exports in 1999. 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 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World
Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment. However, escalating fighting along the
Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders will cause major economic disruptions.
In addition to direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp
decline in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced
expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and
inflation in local markets. Real GDP growth is expected to fall to 2% in
2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $10
billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP -
real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.)
|
| GDP -
per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $1,300
(2000 est.) |
| GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture: 22.3%
industry: 35.3%
services: 42.4%
(1998 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: |
40% (1994 est.)
|
| Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
6% (2000 est.)
|
| Labor
force: |
3 million (1999)
|
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 80%, industry and
services 20% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $417.7 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina
refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries
|
| Industrial production growth rate: |
3.2% (1994)
|
| Electricity - production: |
750 million kWh (1999)
|
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 46.67%
hydro: 53.33%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity - consumption: |
697.5 million kWh (1999)
|
| Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (1999)
|
| Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (1999)
|
| Agriculture - products: |
rice, coffee, pineapples, palm
kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats;
timber |
| Exports: |
$820 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
|
| Exports
- commodities: |
bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds,
coffee, fish, agricultural products |
| Exports
- partners: |
US, Benelux, Ukraine, Ireland
(1999) |
| Imports: |
$634 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
|
| Imports
- commodities: |
petroleum products, metals,
machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs
|
| Imports
- partners: |
France, Belgium, US, Cote d'Ivoire
(1999) |
| Debt -
external: |
$3.6 billion (1999 est.)
|
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$359.2 million (1998)
|
| Currency: |
Guinean franc (GNF)
|
| Exchange
rates: |
Guinean francs per US dollar -
1,855.0 (October 2000), 1,572.0 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.8 (1998),
1,095.3 (1997), 1,004.0 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Telephones - main lines in use: |
20,000 (1997)
|
| Telephones - mobile cellular: |
2,868 (1997)
|
| Telephone system: |
general assessment:
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 4, FM 8, shortwave 3 (1998)
|
| Television broadcast stations: |
6 (1997)
|
| Televisions: |
85,000 (1997)
|
| Internet
country code: |
.gn |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000)
|
| Internet
users: |
5,000 (2000)
|
| 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) (2000)
|
| Highways: |
total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km
unpaved: 25,467
km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
1,295 km (navigable by
shallow-draft native craft) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Boke, Conakry, Kamsar
|
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.)
|
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047
m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2000 est.)
|
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523
m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
|
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican
Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National
Police Force (Surete National) |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
1,764,912 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
891,166 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$56 million (FY96)
|
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.4% (FY96)
|
| Disputes
- international: |
border incursions by Revolutionary
United Front combatants from Sierra Leone; civil war in that country has
engendered a massive flow of refugees to southern Guinea and Liberia
|
|
|
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