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Background:
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Guinea
has had only two presidents since gaining its
independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to
power in 1984, when the military seized the government
after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE.
Guinea did not hold democratic 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. |
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Location:
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Western
Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone |
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Geographic coordinates:
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11 00 N,
10 00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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320 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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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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Terrain:
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generally
flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite,
iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish,
salt |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 3.63%
permanent crops: 2.58%
other: 93.79% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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950 sq km
(1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry,
dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
season |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
desertification; soil contamination and erosion;
overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor
mining practices have led to environmental damage |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the Niger
and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
in the Guinean highlands |
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Population:
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9,467,866
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 44.4% (male 2,123,207/female 2,079,475)
15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,478,820/female
2,486,300)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 131,130/female
168,934) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
17.67 years
male: 17.42 years
female: 17.93 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.37%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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42.03
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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15.38
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-2.99
migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of conflict in neighboring
countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000
Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
90.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 95.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 84.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 49.36 years
male: 48.19 years
female: 50.57 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.83
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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3.2%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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140,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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9,000
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa
fever (2004) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean |
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Ethnic groups:
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Peuhl
40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
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Religions:
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Muslim
85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% |
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Languages:
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French
(official), each ethnic group has its own language |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9%
male: 49.9%
female: 21.9% (1995 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea
local long form: Republique de Guinee
local short form: Guinee
former: French Guinea |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Conakry
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Administrative divisions:
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33
prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,
Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba,
Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual,
Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou,
Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita,
Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou |
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Independence:
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2 October
1958 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 2 October (1958) |
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Constitution:
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23
December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) |
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Legal system:
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based on
French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19
December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein
DIALLO (since 4 December 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of
the votes cast to be elected president; election last
held 21 December 2003 (next to be held December 2008);
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% |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by
direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be
held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PUP
61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85,
UPR 20, other 9 |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of
Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN];
National Union for Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye
BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana
CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea
or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or
RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea
or UFDG [Mamadou BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR
[Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR
[Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG
[Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Jackson MCDONALD
embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry
mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23
FAX: [224] 41 15 22 |
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Flag description:
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three
equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and
green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
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Economy - overview:
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Guinea
possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The
country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite
reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The
mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in
1999. 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.
Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff.
Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation
and caused riots in local markets. Guinea is not
receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut
off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose slightly in
2004, primarily due to increases in global demand and
commodity prices on world markets. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$19.5
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1% (2004
est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 25%
industry: 38.2%
services: 36.8% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3 million
(1999) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA (2002
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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40% (2003
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 32% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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40.3
(1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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18% (2004
est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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21% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $382.7 million
expenditures: $711.4 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice,
coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),
bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber
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Industries:
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bauxite,
gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing
and agricultural processing industries |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3.2%
(1994) |
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Electricity - production:
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855
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 45.5%
hydro: 54.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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795.2
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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8,600
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
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$-308.3
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$709.2
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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bauxite,
alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
products |
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Exports - partners:
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France
17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, UK 14.7%, Switzerland 12.8%,
Ukraine 4.2% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$641.5
million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum
products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
textiles, grain and other foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Cote
d'Ivoire 15.5%, France 9%, Belgium 6.1%, China 6%, South
Africa 4.8% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$201.7
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$3.25
billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$359.2
million (1998) |
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Currency (code):
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Guinean
franc (GNF) |
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Currency code:
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GNF |
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Exchange rates:
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Guinean
francs per US dollar - 2,550 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003),
1,975.8 (2002), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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26,200
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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111,500
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire
lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and
new microwave radio relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and
radiotelephone communication
international: country code - 224; satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 4 (one
station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave
3 (2001) |
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Radios:
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357,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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6
low-power stations (2001) |
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Televisions:
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85,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.gn |
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Internet hosts:
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380
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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4 (2001)
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Internet users:
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40,000
(2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
837 km
standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km
unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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1,295 km
(navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Kamsar
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Airports:
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16 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army
(includes Presidential Guard, Republican Guard), Navy,
Air Force, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of
National Police |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 2 years (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,853,316 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,038,036 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$56.7
million (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.7%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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conflicts
among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in
neighboring states has spilled over into Guinea,
resulting in domestic instability; Sierra Leone
pressures Guinea to remove its forces from the town of
Yenga occupied since 1998 |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia)
13,633 (Sierra Leone) 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)
IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire) (2004) |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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