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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 15 usable: 15 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 10

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

30,100 km total; 1,145 km paved, 12,955 km gravel or laterite (of which barely 4,500 km are currently all-weather roads), 16,000 km unimproved earth (1987)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

1,295 km navigable by shallow-draft native craft

Ports [time series]

Conakry, Kamsar

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

1,045 km; 806 km 1.000-meter gauge, 239 km 1.435-meter standard gauge

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiocommunication stations, and new radio relay system; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 AM 1 FM, 1 TV; 65,000 TV sets; 200,000 radio receivers; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy (acts primarily as a coast guard), Air Force, Presidential Guard, Republican Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $29 million, 1.2% of GDP (1988)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 1,403,776; fit for military service 708,078 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues $449 million; expenditures $708 million, including capital expenditures of $361 million (1990 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Guinean franc (FG) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $227 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1,465 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $446 million

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440 (1987), 383 (1986)

Exports [time series]

$788 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.) commodities: alumina, bauxite, diamonds, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels partners: US 33%, EC 33%, USSR and Eastern Europe 20%, Canada

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.6 billion (1990 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$692 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.) commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, and other grain partners: US 16%, France, Brazil

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%; accounts for 27% of GDP

Industries [time series]

bauxite mining, alumina, gold, diamond mining, light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

19.6% (1990 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $3 billion (1990 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$410 (1990 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4.3% (1990 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 27% of GDP. Guinea possesses over 25% of the world's bauxite reserves; exports of bauxite and alumina accounted for about 70% of total exports in 1989.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 245,860 km2 land area: 245,860 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

320 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

240 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 6% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 12% forest and woodland: 42% other: 40%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

33 administrative regions (regions administratives, singular - region administrative); Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, 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

Capital [time series]

Conakry

Constitution [time series]

23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Ansoumane CAMARA chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 483-9420

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

none

Executive branch [time series]

president, Transitional Committee for National Recovery (Comite Transitionale de Redressement National or CTRN) replaced the Military Committee for National Recovery (Comite Militaire de Redressement National or CMRN); Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

2 October 1958 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal (Cour d'Appel)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: Gen. Lansana CONTE (since 5 April 1984)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire) was dissolved after the 3 April 1984 coup; framework established in December 1991 for a new National Assembly with 114 seats

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO (observer), ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Second Republic, 3 April (1984)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992 pro-government: Party for Unity and Progress (PUP), leader NA other: Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE; Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadon BAH; Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradion DIALLO

Suffrage [time series]

none

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dane F. SMITH, Jr. embassy: 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: (224) 44-15-20 through 24 FAX: (224) 44-15-22

People

Birth rate [time series]

44.76 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

20.13 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Fulani 35%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, indigenous tribes 15%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

141.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

2.4 million (1983) by occupation: agriculture 82.0%, industry and commerce 11.0%, services 5.4% note: 88,112 civil servants (1987); 52% of population of working age (1985)

Languages [time series]

French (official); each tribe has its own language

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 43.68 years male: 41.49 years female: 45.93 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 24% male: 35% female: 13%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

6,236,506 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.46% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.9 children born/woman (1993 est.)