Overview
Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country located in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Ivory Coast to the southeast, and Sierra Leone and Liberia to the south. The country is sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry, after its capital Conakry, to distinguish it from other territories in the region such as Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
At the census held on 1 July 2025, Guinea had a population of over 17.5 million people. The country covers an area of 245,857 square kilometres (94,926 square miles).
Geography and Regions
Guinea is divided into four distinct geographic regions, each with unique characteristics:
- Maritime Guinea on the Atlantic coast
- The Fouta Djallon or Middle Guinea highlands
- The Upper Guinea savannah region in the northeast
- The Guinée forestière region of tropical forests
Language and Culture
French is the official language of Guinea and serves as the language of communication in schools, government administration, and the media. However, more than 24 indigenous languages are spoken throughout the country. The largest indigenous languages are Susu, Pular, and Maninka, which dominate respectively in Maritime Guinea, Fouta Djallon, and Upper Guinea. The Guinée forestière region is ethnolinguistically diverse.
Muslims represent 90% of the population.
History
Colonial Period
Guinea's colonial period began with French military penetration into the area, with its establishment as a colony on 17 December 1891. France occupied Timbo, the capital of Fouta, in 1896, and a definitive treaty was signed in 1897. The defeat of Samori Touré's armies in 1898 gave France control of present-day Guinea. France negotiated Guinea's present boundaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the British, Portuguese, and Liberia. Under French rule, the country formed the Territory of Guinea within French West Africa.
Independence
In 1958, the French Fourth Republic collapsed due to political instability and its failures in dealing with its colonies. The French Fifth Republic offered colonies the choice of autonomy in a new French Community or immediate independence through a referendum held on 28 September 1958. Guinea voted overwhelmingly for independence.
Guinean women played an integral role in the independence movement, participating in social justice organizations and organizing protests against poor living conditions. Women of all education levels, including illiterate women, organized strikes to encourage their men to vote for the political party favoring independence. There were even all-women military forces, with Mafory Bangoura emerging as an iconic figure in the independence movement.
On 2 October 1958, Guinea proclaimed itself a sovereign and independent republic, with Ahmed Sékou Touré as president. Touré had led the Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally (PDG), which had won 56 of 60 seats in the 1957 territorial elections.
Post-Colonial Period
From independence until the presidential election of 2010, Guinea was governed by multiple autocratic rulers. In 1960, President Touré declared the Democratic Party of Guinea the country's only legal political party, and for the next 24 years, the government and PDG were one. Touré was re-elected unopposed to four 7-year terms as president.
After decades of authoritarian rule, Guinea held its first democratic election in 2010. However, the country has continued to face significant challenges including ethnic conflicts, corruption, and abuses by the military and police. In 2021, a military faction overthrew president Alpha Condé and suspended the constitution.
International Relations
Guinea is a member of the United Nations, ECOWAS, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, La Francophonie, and African Union. Following the 2021 coup, Guinea's African Union membership was suspended, but it was reinstated in January 2026.
Economy
Guinea's economy is mostly dependent on agriculture and mineral production. The country is the world's second-largest producer of bauxite and has deposits of diamonds and gold. However, poverty remains widespread: as of the most recent survey in 2018, 66.2% of the population is affected by multidimensional poverty, and an additional 16.4% are vulnerable to it.