Facing the Atlantic Ocean, Guinea is a West African country with a narrow coastal plain and interior highlands that are forested in the southeast. After independence from France in 1958, repressive socialist rule plunged the country into economic ruin. A 1984 coup brought in a military government until 1990, after which Guinea began the transition to a multiparty democratic system. Liberalized commercial policies, plus diamonds and gold, diversify an economy overly dependent on the bauxite industry.
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FAST FACTS
Population: 9,453,000
Capital: Conakry; 1,366,000
Area: 245,857 square kilometers (94,926 square miles)
Language: French, local languages
Religion: Muslim, Christian, indigenous beliefs
Currency: Guinean franc
Life Expectancy: 49
GDP per Capita: U.S. $2,100
Literacy Percent: 36
ECONOMY
- Industry: Bauxite, gold, diamonds, alumina refining, light manufacturing
- Agriculture: Rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels; cattle; timber
- Exports: Bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee
Source: The National Geographic
CIA- The World Factbook
