Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He
was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into
Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency.

Geography Guinea

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

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610
km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km,
Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mont Nimba 1,752 m

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

Land use: arable land: 4% permanent crops: 2% other: 94% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 950 sq km (1998 est.)

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

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

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: the
Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the
Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population: 7,775,065 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,660,795; female 1,669,850)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 2,067,991; female 2,165,625) 65 years and over:
2.7% (male 86,968; female 123,836) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.23% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 39.49 births/1,000