"text":"<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p>"
"text":"generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds"
},
"Terrain":{
"text":"generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior"
"text":"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<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
"text":"<p>Guinea’s strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea’s total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman as of 2022 because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country’s large youth population is unemployed.</p> <p>Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile \"Parrot’s Beak\" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence.</p>"
"text":"deforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices lead to environmental damage; water pollution; improper waste disposal"
},
"Environment - international agreements":{
"party to":{
"text":"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":{
"text":"none of the selected agreements"
}
},
"Climate":{
"text":"generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds"
"text":"<em>due to reduced incomes -</em>levels of acute food insecurity are expected to increase in 2023; food prices are likely to remain at high levels, supported by the unfolding effects of the war in Ukraine on international trade; nearly 710,000 people are projected to be acutely food insecure during the June to August 2023 lean season, an improvement compared to 2022 when about 1.22 million people were estimated to face acute food insecurity; acute food insecurity is mainly driven by high food prices (2023)"
"text":"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<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
"text":"according to tradition, the name derives from the fusion of the name <em>Cona</em>, a Baga wine and cheese producer who lived on Tombo Island (the original site of the present-day capital), and the word <em>nakiri</em>, which in Susu means \"the other bank\" or \"the other side\"; supposedly, Baga's palm grove produced the best wine on the island and people traveling to sample his vintage, would say: \"I am going to Cona, on the other bank (<em>Cona-nakiri</em>),\" which over time became Conakry"
"text":"previous 1958, 1990; 2010 and a referendum in 2020, which was suspended on 5 September 2021 via a coup d’etat; on 27 September, the Transitional Charter was released, which supersedes the constitution until a new constitution is promulgated"
"text":"proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; consideration of proposals requires approval by simple majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval in referendum; the president can opt to submit amendments directly to the Assembly, in which case approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote; revised in 2020"
"text":"formerly the Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - on 5 September 2021, the military arrested and detained the president, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government and legislature"
"text":"formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) and the prime minister appointed by the president; election last held on 18 October 2020; note - a new election timetable has not been announced by the transitional government; note - on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government and People's National Assembly dissolved; on 1 October 2021, DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transitional president"
"text":"<em><br>2020: </em>Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7%<br><br><em>2015: </em>Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 57.8%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 31.4%, other 10.8%"
"note":"<strong>note:</strong> on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup in which President CONDE was arrested and detained, the constitution suspended, and the government and People's National Assembly dissolved; in January 2022, an 81-member Transitional National Council was installed; in February 2024, Guinea's military leaders dissolved the government"
"text":"Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (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"
"text":"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"
"text":"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 Premiere Instance); labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace; specialized courts"
"text":"African Congress for Democracy and Renewal or CADRE<br>Alliance for National Renewal or ARN<br>Alliance for National Renewal or ARENA<br>Bloc Liberal or BL<br>Citizen Generation or GECI<br>Citizen Party for the Defense of Collective Interests or PCDIC<br>Democratic Alliance for Renewal or ADR<br>Democratic National Movement or MND<br>Democratic Union for Renewal and Progress or UDRP<br>Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG<br>Democratic People's Movement of Guinea or MPDG<br>Democratic Workers' Party of Guinea or PDTG<br>Front for the National Alliance or FAN<br>Generation for Reconciliation Union and Prosperity or GRUP<br>Guinea for Democracy and Balance or GDE<br>Guinean Party for Peaceful Coexistence and Development or PGCD<br>Guinean Party for Solidarity and Democracy or PGSD<br>Guinean Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD<br>Guinean Rally for Development or RGD<br>Guinean Rally for Unity and Development or RGUD<br>Guinean Renaissance Party or PGR<br>Modern Guinea<br>Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD<br>National Committee for Reconciliation and Development<br>National Front for Development or FND<br>National Union for Prosperity or UNP<br>National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN<br>New Democratic Forces or NFD<br>New Generation for the Republic or NGR<br>New Guinea or NG<br>New Political Generation or NGP<br>Party for Progress and Change or PPC<br>Party of Citizen Action through Labor or PACT<br>Party of Democrats for Hope or PADES<br>Party of Freedom and Progress or PLP<br>Party of Hope for National Development or PEDN<br>Rally for Renaissance and Development or RRD<br>Rally for the Guinean People or RPG<br>Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea or RDIG<br>Rally for the Republic or RPR<br>Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG<br>Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR<br>Union for the Defense of Republican Interests or UDIR<br>Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG<br>Union of Democratic Forces or UFDa or UFDG<br>Union of Democrats for the Renaissance of Guinea or UDRG<br>Union of Republican Forces or UFR<br>Unity and Progress Party or PUP"
"text":"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":"<strong>note:</strong> 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"
"text":"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"
"text":"the number of mobile subscribers grew strongly while revenue also increased steadily; fixed broadband services are still very limited and expensive, though there have been some positive developments in recent years; the landing of the first international submarine cable in 2012, and the setting up of an IXP in mid-2013, increased the bandwidth available to the ISPs, and helped reduce the cost of internet services for end-users; a National Backbone Network was completed in mid-2020, connecting administrative centers across the country; almost all internet connections are made via mobile networks; GSM services account for a dwindling proportion of connections, in line with the greater reach of services based on 3G and LTE (2022)"
"text":"country code - 224; ACE submarine cable connecting Guinea with 20 landing points in Western and South Africa and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean (2019)"
"text":"<p>Government maintains control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio broadcast station also operates several stations in rural areas; a dozen private television stations; a steadily increasing number of 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</p> (2022)"
"text":"Guinean (or National) Armed Forces (Forces Armées Guinéennes): Army (Armée de terre), Air Force (Armée de l'air), Navy (Armée de mer), Presidential Security Battalion (Battailon Autonome de la Sécurité Presidentielle, BASP), National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) (2024)",
"note":"<strong>note:</strong> the National Gendarmerie is overseen by the Ministry of Defense, while the National Police is under the Ministry of Security; the Gendarmerie and National Police share responsibility for internal security, but only the Gendarmerie can arrest police or military officials; Guinea's military and security forces are sometimes collectively referred to as the Defense and Security Forces"
"text":"the Guinean military's inventory consists almost entirely of Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with small amounts of secondhand material from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2024)"
"text":"the Guinean military is a small and lightly armed force that is responsible for territorial defense, but also has some domestic security responsibilities and has historically been involved in suppressing public protests; the military has undergone some attempts at reform since 2010, but in 2021 the Army’s special forces led a military overthrow of the government (2024)"
