Guinea

Guinea

Country name: Republic of Guinea

Conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
Conventional short form: Guinea
Local long form: République de Guinée
Local short form: Guinée
Former: French Guinea
Area: total: 245,857 km²
Population: 9,690,222 (July 2006 est.)
Capital: Conakry
Languages: French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language (Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%)
Currency: Guinean franc - Franc guinéen (GNF)
Other larger cities: Kindia, Nzerekore, Kankan, Labé

Background:

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold 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.

Declining economic conditions, popular dissatisfaction and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006; a third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests in many Guinean cities and prompted two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, president CONTE named a new prime minister in March 2007.

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

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

Terrain: generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

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

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

Executive branch:

Chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
Head of government: On February 26, 2007 Lansana Kouyaté, former Guinean ambassador to the UN, was nominated to the post.
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (no term limits); candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held December 2010); 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%

Economy overview:

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses almost half of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for over 70% of exports in 2004. 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, aggravating a loss in investor confidence. Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and caused riots. Guinea was not receiving multilateral aid for a long time; the IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003 but renewed it in 2007.

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

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