# Guinea

> sovereign state in West Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q1006](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1006)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/guinea

## Summary

Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a sovereign state located in West Africa. Bordered by six countries and the Atlantic Ocean, it gained independence from France on October 2, 1958. The nation operates as a republic with Conakry as its capital and is recognized for its diverse linguistic landscape, with French as the official language.

## Key Facts

*   **Official Name:** Republic of Guinea (République de Guinée).
*   **Location:** West Africa, bordering Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
*   **Capital:** Conakry.
*   **Independence:** October 2, 1958 (inception).
*   **Area:** 245,857 square kilometres.
*   **Population:** Estimated 17.5 million (2025 projection); previous census data records 12.7 million (2017).
*   **Government Type:** Republic.
*   **Head of State:** President Mamady Doumbouya (since October 1, 2021).
*   **Head of Government:** Prime Minister Bah Oury (since February 27, 2024).
*   **Legislature:** National Assembly.
*   **Currency:** Guinean franc (since 1985); previously Guinean syli (1971–1985).
*   **Official Language:** French.
*   **Motto:** "Travail, Justice, Solidarité" (Work, Justice, Solidarity).
*   **Anthem:** "Liberté".
*   **Time Zone:** UTC±00:00 (Africa/Conakry).
*   **Driving Side:** Right.
*   **Internet Domain:** .gn.
*   **ISO Codes:** GN, GIN, 324.

## FAQs

**What is the political structure and leadership of Guinea?**
Guinea functions as a republic with a National Assembly serving as its legislative body. The current political landscape is led by Head of State Mamady Doumbouya, who took office on October 1, 2021, and Head of Government Bah Oury, who assumed the role of Prime Minister on February 27, 2024.

**Where is Guinea located and what is its geography?**
Guinea is a West African sovereign state situated on the Atlantic coast. It shares borders with Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Its terrain ranges from a coastline at sea level (Atlantic Ocean) to its highest point, Mount Richard-Molard.

**What are the key demographic and cultural characteristics?**
The country has a population estimated to exceed 17 million as of 2025. While French is the official language, the nation is culturally diverse with over 40 languages used, including Pular, Susu, and N'Ko. The population is predominantly young, with a fertility rate of around 5.0 and life expectancy reaching approximately 60 years.

**When did Guinea gain independence and what entities preceded it?**
Guinea gained independence and was established as a sovereign state on October 2, 1958. It replaced the former colonial territories of French West Africa and French Guinea, subsequently following the People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea.

**What are Guinea's economic indicators and infrastructure standards?**
Guinea utilizes the Guinean franc as its currency and reports a nominal GDP of approximately $25.6 billion (2025 estimate). Infrastructure includes a mains voltage of 220 volts at 50 Hz, right-hand traffic, and specific emergency numbers: 117 for police, 18 for fire, and 442-020 for medical services.

## Why It Matters

Guinea plays a critical geopolitical role in West Africa as a member of the African Union, the United Nations, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Its history is significant for being one of the first French colonies to gain independence in 1958, severing ties with French West Africa. The country's strategic location on the Atlantic coast and its membership in international bodies like the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization underscore its relevance in regional diplomacy and global trade.

## Notable For

*   **Sovereign Status:** Distinct territorial body and sovereign state since 1958.
*   **Linguistic Diversity:** Usage of over 40 distinct languages, including unique scripts like N'Ko.
*   **Geographic Extremes:** Features the Mount Richard-Molard peak and Atlantic coastline.
*   **International Integration:** Member of major global organizations including the UN, WTO, and African Union.
*   **Distinct Identity:** Often referred to as Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from other "Guinea" entities like Guinea-Bissau.

## Body

### Geography and Administration
Guinea is a distinct territorial body in West Africa covering 245,857 square kilometres. It is geographically positioned at coordinates 10°N, 11°W. The country is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with a lowest point at sea level, and reaches its highest elevation at Mount Richard-Molard. It shares land borders with six nations: Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.

Administratively, the country contains eight regions: Boké, Conakry, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labé, Mamou, and Nzérékoré. The nation operates in the UTC±00:00 time zone (Africa/Conakry).

### Government and Politics
Guinea is a republic with its capital in Conakry. The legislative authority rests with the National Assembly. The country's political hierarchy includes the office of the President (Head of State), currently held by Mamady Doumbouya since October 1, 2021, and the Prime Minister (Head of Government), currently Bah Oury since February 27, 2024.

Historically, the sovereign state was established on October 2, 1958. It replaced the colonial entities of French West Africa and French Guinea. The state follows the motto "Travail, Justice, Solidarité" and uses the anthem "Liberté". The age of majority is 18 years.

### Demographics and Society
Guinea has a robust population trajectory, growing from 3.5 million in 1960 to approximately 12.7 million in 2017. Projections for 2025 estimate a population of over 17.5 million. Demographic indicators show a high fertility rate (5.013 in 2014) and improving life expectancy, which reached 60.015 years in 2016. The population is split between rural and urban centers, with a notable urban population of over 5.2 million in 2022.

The society is multilingual. While French is the official language, the "language used" category lists a vast array of indigenous tongues including Susu, Pular, Maninka, Kpelle, and various endangered languages like Baga Kaloum. Demonyms include Guinean (English), Guinéen (French), and others in Arabic, Russian, and local languages.

### Economy and Infrastructure
The economy utilizes the Guinean franc, adopted in 1985, replacing the Guinean syli used from 1971 to 1985. Nominal GDP has grown from $16 billion in 2021 to a projected $25.6 billion in 2025. Other economic metrics include a Value Added Tax (VAT) rate of 18% and an unemployment rate of 2% (as of 2014).

Infrastructure details include a mains voltage of 220 volts at 50Hz, utilizing plug types such as the Europlug and Type K. The driving side is right, and the licence plate code is RG. Emergency services are reached via 117 (police), 18 (fire), and 442-020 (medical services).

### International Relations and Membership
Guinea is an active participant in global diplomacy. It is a member of the United Nations (since 1958) and the African Union (since 1963). Other key memberships include the World Trade Organization (1995), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (1969), and the African Continental Free Trade Area. It holds diplomatic relations with nations including the United States, China (People's Republic), Germany, and North Korea.

### Identifiers and Symbols
The nation is identified by several codes and symbols:
*   **ISO Codes:** GN (Alpha-2), GIN (Alpha-3), 324 (Numeric).
*   **Telecommunications:** Telephone code +224; Mobile country code 611.
*   **Symbols:** The flag of Guinea, the coat of arms of Guinea, and the Unicode character 🇬🇳.
*   **External IDs:** The country is cataloged in numerous databases, including the Library of Congress (n79088885), GeoNames (2420477), and OpenStreetMap (Relation ID 192778).

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/guinea)
2. Ethnologue
3. 2025 Guinean constitutional referendum
4. Open ISNI for Organizations
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2020f/africa)
7. Lingua Libre
8. [Source](https://www.oic-oci.org/states/?lan=en)
9. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
10. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Africa/GUINEA)
11. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
12. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/guinea)
13. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
14. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
15. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=136)
16. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
17. [Source](http://icdo.org/who-we-are/members/member-states.html)
18. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/guinea)
19. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
20. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
21. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Continental_Free_Trade_Area#List_of_signatories_and_parties_to_the_agreement)
22. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
23. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
24. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
25. FIPS 10-4
26. MusicBrainz
27. [Human Development Report. 2022](https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI)
28. World Bank Open Data
29. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
30. census
31. [RGPH-4 : la Guinée franchit les 17,5 millions d’habitants, Kankan plus peuplée que Conakry. 2026](https://www.guinee360.com/25/02/2026/rgph-4-la-guinee-franchit-les-175-millions-dhabitants-kankan-plus-peuplee-que-conakry/)
32. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
33. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
34. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
35. The National Terminology Database for Irish
36. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
37. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
38. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
39. [Source](https://www.tresor.economie.gouv.fr/Pays/GN/situation-economique-et-financiere)
40. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
41. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
42. BabelNet
43. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
44. UMLS 2023
45. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
46. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
47. Quora
48. Enciclopedia Treccani
49. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
50. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)