Guinea: Background & Geography
| Introduction | Guinea |
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Background:
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Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies. |
| Geography | Guinea |
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone |
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Geographic coordinates:
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11 00 N, 10 00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 245,857 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 245,857 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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320 km |
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Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
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territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds |
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Terrain:
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generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.6%
permanent crops: 2.44% other: 93.96% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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950 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands |