Country Summary: Guinea (Republic of Guinea)

Country Name: Guinea (Republic of Guinea)

Capital: Conakry

Government Type: presidential republic

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, encouraging 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 represents one of the earliest examples of a written constitution and alternating leadership. While European traders first arrived in the 16th century, it was the French who 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 December 2008, when Captain Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seized power, and suspended the constitution. In September 2009, presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally, killing more than 150 people in Conakry, the capital. In early December 2009, CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and 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. CONDE's first cabinet was the first all-civilian government in Guinean history. In March 2020, Guinea passed a new constitution in a national referendum that changed presidential term limit rules. CONDE argued that, given this change, he was allowed to run for a third term, which he then won in October 2020. On 5 September 2021, Col Mamady DOUMBOUYA led special forces troops in a successful military coup, ousting and detaining CONDE and establishing the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD). DOUMBOUYA and the CNRD suspended the constitution and dissolved the government and the legislature. DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transition president on 1 October 2021, and appointed Mohamed BEAVOGUI as transition prime minister a week later. BEAVOGUI subsequently formed a largely technocratic cabinet. The National Transition Council (CNT), which acts as the legislative body for the transition, was formed on 22 January 2022. The 81-member CNT is led by Dr. Dansa KOUROUMA and consists of appointed members representing a broad swath of Guinean society.

Continent: Africa

Population: 13,607,249 (2023 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.)

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

Religions: Muslim 89.1%, Christian 6.8%, animist 1.6%, other 0.1%, none 2.4% (2014 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

Currency: Guinean Franc (GNF)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $1.499 billion (2020 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $37.408 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Real GDP Growth Rate: 4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per Capita: $2,700 (2022 est.) note: data in 2017 dollars

Exports: 

• $8.898 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 117

Export Commodities: gold, aluminum ores and oxide, iron ores, cocoa beans, cashews, frozen fish (2021)

Export Partners: United Arab Emirates 39%, China 36%, India 6% (2019)

Imports: 

• $5.749 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

• Comparison Ranking: 143

Import Commodities: rice, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, delivery trucks, cars (2019)

Import Partners: China 39%, India 8%, Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Natural Resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Agricultural Products: rice, cassava, groundnuts, maize, oil palm fruit, fonio, plantains, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, vegetables

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

Industrial Production Growth Rate: 

• 4.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

• Comparison Ranking: 67

Labor Force: 4.268 million (2022 est.)

Unemployment Rate: 5.53% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Natural Hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season

Geography:

• Total: 245,857 sq km

• Land: 245,717 sq km

• Water: 140 sq km

(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)

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