WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Kekoura CAMARA; Chancery at
2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 483-9420;
US--Ambassador Samuel E. LUPO; Embassy at 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue,
Conakry (mailing address is B. P. 603, Conakry); telephone 44-15-20 through 24

Flag: three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Rwanda
which has a large black letter R centered in the yellow band

- Economy
Overview: Although possessing many natural resources and considerable
potential for agricultural development, Guinea is one of the poorest
countries in the world. The agricultural sector contributes about 40%
to GDP and employs more than 80% of the work force, while industry
accounts for about 25% of GDP. Guinea possesses over 25% of the
world's bauxite reserves; exports of bauxite and alumina accounted for more
than 80% of total exports in 1986.

GDP: $2.5 billion, per capita $350; real growth rate 5.0%
(1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 27.0% (1988)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $357 million; expenditures $480 million, including
capital expenditures of $229 million (1988 est.)

Exports: $553 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.);
commodities--alumina, bauxite, diamonds, coffee, pineapples, bananas,
palm kernels;
partners--US 33%, EC 33%, USSR and Eastern Europe 20%, Canada

Imports: $509 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.);
commodities--petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
foodstuffs, textiles and other grain;
partners--US 16%, France, Brazil

External debt: $1.6 billion (December 1988)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 113,000 kW capacity; 300 million kWh produced,
40 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: bauxite mining, alumina, diamond mining, light
manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Agriculture: accounts for 40% of GDP (includes fishing and forestry);
mostly subsistence farming; principal products--rice, coffee, pineapples, palm
kernels, cassava, bananas, sweet potatoes, timber; livestock--cattle,
sheep and goats; not self-sufficient in food grains

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $203 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $882 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$446 million

Currency: Guinean franc (plural--francs);
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