Guinea

Internet country code

.gn

Internet hosts

380 (2004)

Internet users

40,000 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001)

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

Telephones - main lines in use

26,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

111,500 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

6 low-power stations (2001)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $410.7 million expenditures: $708.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2003 est.)

Currency

Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code

GNF

Current account balance

$-252 million (2003)

Debt - external

$3.25 billion (2001 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.3 (1994)

Economic aid - recipient

$359.2 million (1998)

Economy - overview

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an 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. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused major economic disruptions, including a loss in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth should strengthen in 2004, however, because of a slowly improving security situation and increased investor confidence.

Electricity - consumption

735.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

790.6 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Guinean francs per US dollar - NA (2003), 1,975.84 (2002), 1,950.56 (2001), 1,746.87 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999)

Exports

$726 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

South Korea 14.8%, Spain 10.7%, US 10.1%, France 9.2%, Russia 9%, Ireland 7.9%, Belgium 6.4%, Germany 5.6%, Ukraine 5.3% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $19.02 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 24.9% industry: 38.2% services: 36.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Imports

$646 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

France 16.8%, China 9.3%, Belgium 7.1%, Italy 6.6%, Netherlands 5.4%, UK 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.8%, US 4.5% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

3.2% (1994)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.2% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Oil - consumption

8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (2003 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$191 million (2003)

Unemployment rate

NA (2002 est.)

Area

total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 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

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 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, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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 (1998 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

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

Conakry

Constitution

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010

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 Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 9 December 2004) 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 21 December 2003 (next to be held NA December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Government type

republic

Independence

2 October 1958 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or 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 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 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Guinea has had only two presidents 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. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$58.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,108,948 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,064,965 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,075,652; female 2,032,936) 15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,417,440; female 2,428,085) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 127,654; female 164,695) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

42.26 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

15.53 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

9,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

140,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 91.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 86.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 49.7 years male: 48.45 years female: 50.99 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Median age

total: 17.7 years male: 17.4 years female: 17.9 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Net migration rate

-3.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2004 est.)

Population

9,246,462 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.37% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

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 (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.87 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups in Guinea, domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have created insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts skirmishes, deaths, and refugees in border areas; in 2003, Guinea and Sierra Leone established a boundary commission to resolve a dispute over the town of Yenga

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia), 13,633 (Sierra Leone), 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

Airports

16 (2003 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 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 30,500 km paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,344 GRT/5,003 DWT by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: Iraq 1 (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Boke, Conakry, Kamsar

Railways

total: 837 km standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)