Guinea

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<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>

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

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11 00 N, 10 00 W

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Africa

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slightly smaller than Oregon; slightly larger than twice the size of Pennsylvania

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320 km

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generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

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generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

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

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949 sq km (2017)

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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><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

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

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the Niger and its important tributary, the Milo River, have their sources in the Guinean highlands

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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.)

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

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<strong>note:</strong> about 40 languages are spoken; each ethnic group has its own language

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Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2% (2018 est.)

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2.74% (2025 est.)

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35.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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7.69 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated, as shown in this population distribution map

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2.111 million CONAKRY (capital) (2023)

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19.9 years (2018 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

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494 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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4.75 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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2.34 (2025 est.)

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0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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7.7% (2016)

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15% (2022 est.)

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70.9% (2018 est.)

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deforestation; inadequate potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices; water pollution; improper waste disposal

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generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

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34.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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226 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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presidential republic

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7 administrative regions (<em>régions administratives</em><em>, </em>singular - <em>région administrative</em>) and 1 governorate (<em>gouvenorat</em>)*; Boke, Conakry*, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labe, Mamou, N'Zerekore

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civil law system based on the French model

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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note 1:</strong> in 2021, the military arrested and detained the president, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government and legislature<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the transitional government has not announced a new election timetable<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> new constitution approved in 2025 with presidential term changed to a single seven-year term<br><br><strong>note 4: </strong>elections held 28 December 2025, transitional president wins and is sworn in 17 January 2026

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<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

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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 UFD a 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

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ACP, AfDB, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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2 October 1958 (from France)

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Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

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<strong>description: </strong>three equal vertical bands of red (left side), yellow, and green<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red stands for the people's sacrifice for liberation and work; yellow for the sun, the riches of the earth, and justice; green for the country's vegetation and unity<br><br><strong>history:</strong> uses the colors of the Pan-African movement

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<strong>note:</strong> the colors from left to right are the reverse of those on the flags of neighboring Mali and Senegal

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elephant

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red, yellow, green

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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

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$25.334 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<strong>note:</strong> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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rice, cassava, maize, groundnuts, oil palm fruit, plantains, potatoes, fonio, yams, sweet potatoes (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

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7.1% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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4.534 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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43.7% (2018 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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UAE 50%, China 36%, India 8%, Switzerland 1%, Spain 1% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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gold, aluminum ore, cocoa beans, crude petroleum, coconuts/brazil nuts/cashews (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 39%, India 9%, Netherlands 7%, Belgium 6%, UAE 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, rice, garments, construction vehicles, cars (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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government maintains control over broadcast media; single state-run TV station; state-run radio also operates several stations in rural areas; a dozen private TV stations; many 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 (2022)

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.gn

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3X

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16 (2025)

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1 (2025)

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Guinean (or National) Armed Forces (Forces Armées Guinéennes): Army, Air Force, Navy, National Gendarmerie<br><br>Ministry of Security: National Police (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> the Gendarmerie and National Police share responsibility for internal security; Guinea's military and security forces are sometimes collectively referred to as the Defense and Security Forces

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estimated 10-12,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

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the Guinean military's inventory consists almost entirely of ageing Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with small amounts of secondhand arms from China, France, Russia, and South Africa (2025)

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18 years of age for voluntary and selective conscripted service; 9-12 months of service (2025)

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the Guinean military is responsible for territorial defense, but also has some domestic security responsibilities and has historically been involved in suppressing public protests; in 2021 the Army&rsquo;s special forces led a military overthrow of the government; the military-led government has since been accused of cracking down on dissent, the media, and political opposition; border security is a key focus for the Guinean military, particularly a territorial dispute with Sierra Leone that dates back to 2001 (2025)