Guinea

Broadcast media

government maintains marginal control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio broadcast station also operates several stations in rural areas; a steadily increasing number of 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 (2011)

Internet country code

.gn

Internet hosts

14 (2010) country comparison to the world: 220

Internet users

95,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 161

Telephone system

general assessment: inadequate system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay 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 international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

18,000 (2010) country comparison to the world: 196

Telephones - mobile cellular

4 million (2010) country comparison to the world: 110

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $750.6 million expenditures: $1.411 billion (2010 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-14.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 200

Central bank discount rate

NA% country comparison to the world: 8 22.25% (31 December 2005)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

24% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 13 23.8% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$370.6 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 101 -$426.7 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$2.843 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $2.926 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39.4 (2007) country comparison to the world: 67 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 and significant iron ore, gold, and diamond reserves. However, Guinea has been unable to profit from this potential, as rampant corruption, dilapidated electricity and other degraded infrastructure, and political uncertainty have drained investor confidence. In the time since a 2008 coup following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE, international donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, have significantly curtailed their development programs. Throughout 2009, policies of the ruling military junta severely weakened the economy. The junta leaders spent and printed money at an accelerated rate, driving inflation and debt to perilously high levels. In early 2010, the junta collapsed and was replaced by a Transition Government, which ceded power in December 2010 to the country's first-ever democratically elected president, Alpha CONDE. International assistance and investment are expected to return to Guinea, but the levels will depend upon the ability of the new government to combat corruption and reform its banking system. IMF and World Bank programs will be especially critical as Guinea attempts to gain debt relief. Since the 2009 global economic downturn, the price and value of bauxite and alumina exports has steadily risen. Export levels will likely continue to grow as investor confidence returns. International investors have expressed keen interest in Guinea's vast iron ore reserves, which could further propel the country's growth.

Electricity - consumption

855.6 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

920 million kWh country comparison to the world: 148 note: excludes electricity generated at interior mining sites (2008 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

$1.471 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $1.05 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

India 15.5%, Spain 8%, Chile 7.7%, Russia 6.8%, Ireland 6.1%, Ukraine 5.7%, US 5.2%, Denmark 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2010)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.633 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$10.81 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 $10.6 billion (2009 est.) $10.63 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 17% industry: 53% services: 30% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 $1,100 (2009 est.) $1,100 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 -0.3% (2009 est.) 4.9% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2007)

Imports

$1.405 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 $1.06 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 11.5%, Netherlands 6.3%, France 4.2% (2010)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

20% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 9% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

Labor force

4.392 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

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 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Oil - consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162

Oil - imports

8,559 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 139

Population below poverty line

47% (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$179.4 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 167 $53.1 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$855.8 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 $792.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$757.4 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 158 $701.5 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$478.7 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $482.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.2% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 245,857 sq km country comparison to the world: 79 land: 245,717 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

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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%) per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)

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 (2008)

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: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005)

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, salt

Terrain

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Total renewable water resources

226 cu km (1987)

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

name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 9 33 N, 13 42 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

7 May 2010 (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 Patricia Newton MOLLER embassy: Koloma, Conakry, east of Hamdallaye Circle mailing address: B. P. 603, Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00 FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Blaise CHERIF chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688

Executive branch

chief of state: President Alpha CONDE (since 21 December 2010) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Said FOFANA (since 24 December 2010) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); 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 election results: Alpha CONDE elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote Alpha CONDE 52.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO 47.5%

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 law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

civil law system based on the French model

Legislative branch

the legislature was dissolved by junta leader Moussa Dadis CAMARA in December 2008 and in February 2010, the Transition Government appointed a 155 member National Transition Council (CNT) that has since acted in the legislature's place elections: last held on 30 June 2002

National anthem

name: "Liberte" (Liberty) lyrics/music: unknown/Fodeba KEITA note: adopted 1958

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Political parties and leaders

Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE] note: Listed are the three most popular parties in first round voting for president in 2010; overall, there are more than 130 registered parties

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 and Labor Union of Guinean Workers or USTG); Syndicate of Guinean Teachers and Researchers or SLECG

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,359,203 females age 16-49: 2,329,784 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,493,991 females age 16-49: 1,535,418 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 118,443 female: 115,901 (2010 est.)

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) country comparison to the world: 126

Military service age and obligation

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.5% (male 2,278,048/female 2,229,602) 15-64 years: 54% (male 2,860,845/female 2,860,004) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 164,051/female 208,459) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

36.9 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

20.8% (2008) country comparison to the world: 31

Death rate

10.45 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 48

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 89% of population rural: 61% of population total: 71% of population unimproved: urban: 11% of population rural: 39% of population total: 29% of population (2008)

Education expenditures

2.4% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 149

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.3% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - deaths

4,700 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

79,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 45

Health expenditures

6.1% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 103

Hospital bed density

0.31 beds/1,000 population (2005) country comparison to the world: 180

Infant mortality rate

total: 61.03 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 32 male: 64.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 58.11 years country comparison to the world: 190 male: 56.63 years female: 59.64 years (2011 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.)

Major cities - population

CONAKRY (capital) 1.597 million (2009)

Major infectious diseases

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 aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

680 deaths/100,000 live births (2008) country comparison to the world: 15

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.3 years female: 18.8 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

Physicians density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2005) country comparison to the world: 165

Population

10,601,009 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Population growth rate

2.645% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 34% of population rural: 11% of population total: 19% of population unimproved: urban: 66% of population rural: 89% of population total: 81% of population (2008)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 10 years female: 7 years (2009)

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 (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.1 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Urbanization

urban population: 35% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

refugees (country of origin): 21,856 (Liberia); 5,259 (Sierra Leone); 3,900 (Cote d'Ivoire) IDPs: 19,000 (cross-border incursions from Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone) (2007)

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, forced labor, 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 increased efforts to eliminate trafficking; although the government acknowledges that trafficking in persons is a problem in Guinea, it is unclear if the new government, which took power in December 2010, will demonstrate an increase over the previous regime's minimal efforts to combat trafficking; the government failed to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses; no new prosecutions or convictions were reported, 12 cases from the previous reporting period remain pending in the courts, and 18 additional cases have disappeared from the court system; no protection to trafficking victims was provided, and although the government conducted an anti-trafficking awareness campaign on radio and television, overall prevention efforts remain weak (2011)

Airports

16 (2010) country comparison to the world: 144

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

total: 1,185 km country comparison to the world: 86 standard gauge: 238 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 947 km 1.000-m gauge (2009)

Roadways

total: 44,348 km country comparison to the world: 83 paved: 4,342 km unpaved: 40,006 km (2003)

Waterways

1,300 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft in the northern part of the Niger system) (2009) country comparison to the world: 54