11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 245,857 sq km land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries:
total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Coastline:
320 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Terrain:
generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Natural resources:
bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Land use:
arable land: 4.47% permanent crops: 2.64% other: 92.89% (2005)
Irrigated land:
950 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
226 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.51 cu km/yr (8%/2%/90%) per capita: 161 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands
People
Guinea
Population:
9,806,509 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 42.9% (male 2,126,575/female 2,080,048) 15–64 years: 53.7% (male 2,628,675/female 2,633,876) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 148,159/female 189,176) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.4 years male: 18.2 years female: 18.7 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.492% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
37.84 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
11.29 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
−1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 67.41 deaths/1,000 live births male: 71.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 56.58 years male: 55.12 years female: 58.08 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.25 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
3.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
140,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Guinean(s) adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups:
Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%
Religions:
Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
Languages:
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 29.5% male: 42.6% female: 18.1% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years male: 10 years female: 7 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005)
Government
