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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]

total: 30,100 km paved: 1,145 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 12,955 km (of which barely 4,500 are currently all-weather roads); unimproved earth 16,000 km (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 1,440,297; fit for military service 726,543

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]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $227 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.465 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $120 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $446 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 113,000 kW production: 300 million kWh consumption per capita: 40 kWh (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Guinean francs (FG) per US$1 - 810.94 (1 July 1993), 922.9 (30 September 1992), 675 (1990), 618 (1989), 515 (1988), 440 (1987), 383 (1986)

Exports [time series]

$622 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineapples, bananas, palm kernels partners: US 23%, Belgium 12%, Ireland 12%, Spain 12%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

2.5 billion (1992)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$768 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.) commodities: petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, and other grain partners: France 26%, Cote d'Ivoire 12%, Hong Kong 6%, Germany 6%

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]

16.6% (1992 est.)

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

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $3.1 billion (1993 est.)

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

$500 (1993 est.)

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

3.2% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Although possessing major mineral and hydropower resources and considerable potential for agricultural development, Guinea remains 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. The mining sector accounted for 85% of exports in 1991. Long-run improvements in literacy, financial institutions, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Except in the bauxite industry, foreign investment remains minimal.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 245,860 sq km land area: 245,860 sq km 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]

current issues: deforestation; inadequate supplies of safe drinking water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion natural hazards: hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

240 sq km (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: Ambassador Elhadj Boubacar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 483-9420

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state and head of government: President Lansana CONTE, elected in the first multi-party election 19 December 1993 prior to the election he had ruled as head of military government since 5 April 1984 cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

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

(202) 483-8688

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

(224) 44-15-22

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)

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

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, 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)

Legislative branch (People's National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale Populaire)) [time series]

the People's National Assembly was dissolved after the 3 April 1984 coup; framework established in December 1991 for a new National Assembly with 114 seats; legislative elections are scheduled for 1994

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

political parties were legalized on 1 April 1992 pro-government: Party for Unity and Progress (PUP) other: Rally for the Guinean People (RPG), Alpha CONDE; Union for a New Republic (UNR), Mamadou BAH; Party for Renewal and Progress (PRP), Siradiou 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 Joseph A. SALOOM embassy: 2nd Boulevard and 9th Avenue, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: (224) 44-15-20 through 24

People

Birth rate [time series]

44.08 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

19.6 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, indigenous tribes 10%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

139.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 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: 44.13 years male: 41.9 years female: 46.43 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) 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 (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

6,391,536 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.45% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.85 children born/woman (1994 est.)