Guinea
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Republic of Guinea
Country name - conventional short form : Guinea
Country name - local long form : Republique de Guinee
Country name - local short form : Guinee
Country name - former : French Guinea
Government type : republic
Capital - name : Conakry
Capital - time difference : UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : Independence Day, 2 October (1958)
Population : 9,806,509 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality - noun : Guinean(s)
Nationality - adjective : Guinean
Languages : French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Currency (code) : Guinean franc (GNF)
Currency code : GNF
Major infectious diseases - degree of risk : very high
Guinea is located Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. The climate is generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds. The terrain is generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.Background : 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, though all the polls have been marred by irregularities. Guinea has maintained its internal stability despite spillover effects from conflict in Sierra Leone and Liberia. As those countries have rebuilt, Guinea's own vulnerability to political and economic crisis has increased. Declining economic conditions and popular dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006; a third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests in many Guinean cities and prompted two weeks of martial law. To appease the unions and end the unrest, CONTE named a new prime minister in March 2007.
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