Guinea Map

The Republic of Guinea is a West African nation, which shares borders with Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d'Ivoire. Guinea also has coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Guinea is sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry for its capital city (Conakry) to differentiate it from neighboring Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea. Guinea covers an area of 245,857 square kilometers (94,926 square miles), with about 320 kilometers (200 miles) of coastline.

Conakry is both the capital and largest city in Guinea, and is located along the coast. Other major cities in Guinea are Kankan, Kindia, Labe, Mamou, and Boke. The total population of Guinea is estimated at over 10 million, of which about 40 percent are ethnic Fula, 30 percent are Mandingo, 20 percent are Susa, and the remaining 10 percent are a variety of ethnic groups, for a total of 24 ethnic groups. The majority of Guinea's population identifies as Muslim, at about 85 percent, with a minority of Christians. The official language of Guinea is French, though twenty-four native languages are spoken throughout the country, predominantly Fula, Maninka, and Susu.

Guinea has a long history, having been part of various African empires, until becoming a French colony as part of French West Africa around 1890. In 1958, Guinea declared independence from France, becoming a presidential republic. In recent history, Guinea has faced corruption and political unrest.

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Last Updated On : March 14, 2013