The population of Guinea in 2003 was estimated by the United Nations at 8,480,000, which placed it as number 87 in population among the 193 nations of the world. In that year approximately 3% of the population was over 65 years of age, with another 44% of the population under 15 years of age. There were 101 males for every 100 females in the country in 2003. According to the UN, the annual population growth rate for 2000–2005 is 1.59%, with the projected population for the year 2015 at 11,233,000. The government's policy is to lower the fertility and infant mortality rates through healthcare reform. The population density in 2002 was 34 per sq km (88 per sq mi).
It was estimated by the Population Reference Bureau that 33% of the population lived in urban areas in 2001. The capital city, Conakry, had a population of 1,764,000 in that year. Other large towns include Kankan (70,000), Labé, Nzérékoré, Boké, and Siguiri. According to the United Nations, the urban population growth rate for 2000–2005 was 4.5%.