GUINEA

Lansana Conté
President

(pronounced "lahn-SAH-nah KOAN-tay")

"The hour of my death has not arrived, and when it comes,

God will not ask for my opinion—so just wait."

The Republic of Guinea is located on the west coast of Africa. It is bordered, clockwise from the northwest, by Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is 245,857 sq km (94,926 sq mi), and its population is estimated to be 7.6 million. Conakry, the capital, is the largest city, followed by Kankan. Guinea gained its independence from France in 1958. The official language is French, but Malinke, Fula, Susu, and Forester languages are widely spoken. Ethnic sensitivities run deep in Guinea. The Fulani make up 40% of the population, the Malinke 30%, the Susu 20%, with Forester and other groups making up the remainder. Islam is practiced by 85% of the people while 8% are Christian. Some 30% of the population overlay religious beliefs with traditional animist religions. The currency is the Guinea franc . The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated to be US $1,970 in 2001. Guinea's major exports are bauxite and peanuts.