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Guinea

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: African Countries;
Countries

   SOS Children works in Guinea, Africa. For more information see SOS
   Children in Guinea, Africa
                République de Guinée
   Republic of Guinea

   Flag of Guinea Coat of arms of Guinea
   Flag           Coat of arms
   Motto: "Travail, Justice, Solidarité"  (French)
   "Work, Justice, Solidarity"
   Anthem: " Liberté"
   Location of Guinea
   Capital
   (and largest city)    Conakry
                         9°30′N 13°43′W
    Official languages   French
   Government            Republic
    - President          Lansana Conté
    - Prime Minister     vacant
       Independence
    - from France        2 October 1958
                         Area
    - Total              245,857 km² ( 78th)
                         94,926 sq mi
    - Water (%)          negligible
                      Population
    - July 2005 estimate 9,402,000 ( 83rd)
    - 1996 census        7,156,406
    - Density            38/km² ( 164th)
                         98/sq mi
        GDP ( PPP)       2005 estimate
    - Total              $18.879 billion ( 111th)
    - Per capita         $2,035 ( 142nd)
        HDI  (2004)      0.445 (low) ( 160th)
         Currency        Guinean franc ( GNF)
         Time zone       GMT ( UTC)
       Internet TLD      .gn
       Calling code      +224

   Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea (French: République de
   Guinée), is a nation in West Africa, formerly known as French Guinea.
   It borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal on the north, Mali on the north
   and north-east, the Côte d'Ivoire on the south-east, Liberia on the
   south, and Sierra Leone on the west. Its territory encompasses the
   water source for the Niger, Senegal, and Gambia rivers, with a
   coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean. The name Guinea (geographically
   assigned to most of Africa's west coast, south of the Sahara desert and
   north of the Gulf of Guinea) originates from Berber and roughly
   translates into 'land of the blacks.' It is sometimes called
   Guinea-Conakry per its capital to differentiate it from the neighboring
   Guinea-Bissau (whose capital is Bissau).

History

   The area covered by the modern state of Guinea has seen itself
   incorporated into a succession of empires across the centuries. The
   earliest of these was the " Ghana Empire" which came into being c. 900.
   This was followed by the Sosso kingdom in the 12th and 13th centuries.
   The Mali Empire came to power in the area following the Battle of
   Kirina in 1235. The Mali Empire prospered until internal problems
   weakened it, allowing its states to seize power in the 15th century.
   Chief among these was the Songhai state which became the Songhai
   Empire. This empire exceeded its predecessors in territory and wealth,
   but it too fell prey to internal wrangling and civil war and was
   eventually toppled at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. After this the
   area fragmented until an Islamic state was founded in the 18th century,
   bringing some stability to the region.

   Another important event is the arrival of Fulani Muslims in the
   highland region of Fuuta Jalloo in the early 18th century.

   Europeans first came to the area during the Portuguese Discoveries, who
   started the slave trade, beginning in the 15th century. Present-day
   Guinea was created as a colony by France in 1890 with Noël Balley being
   the first governor. The capital Conakry was founded on Tombo Island in
   1890. In 1895 the country was incorporated into French West Africa.
   Monument to commemorate the 1970 military victory over the Portuguese
   invasion
   Enlarge
   Monument to commemorate the 1970 military victory over the Portuguese
   invasion

   Guinea gained her independence from France in 1958 and was governed by
   a dictatorship headed by Ahmed Sékou Touré. Touré pursued broadly
   socialist economic policies and suppressed opposition and free
   expression with little regard for human rights. After his death in 1984
   Lansana Conté took power and immediately turned away from his
   predecessor's economic policies but continued to keep a close grip on
   power. Elections were held for the first time in 1993 but their results
   and the results of subsequent elections were disputed. Conté faces
   regular criticism for the condition of the country's economy and for
   his heavy-handed approach to political opponents. As of 2005 Guinea
   still faces very real problems and according to the International
   Crisis Group is in danger of becoming a failed state.

Politics

     * List of Presidents of Guinea

Administrative divisions

   Guinea is divided into seven administrative regions and subdivided into
   thirty-three prefectures. The national capital, Conakry, ranks as a
   special zone. The regions are: Boké, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labé,
   Mamou, Nzérékoré and Conakry.

Geography

   Map of Guinea

   Satellite image of Guinea, generated from raster graphics data supplied
   by The Map Library
   Enlarge
   Satellite image of Guinea, generated from raster graphics data supplied
   by The Map Library

   The highest point in Guinea is Mont Nimba at 5,748  feet (1,752 m).

   At 94,919 square miles (245,857 km²), the country of Guinea is roughly
   the size of the United Kingdom and slightly smaller than the US state
   of Michigan. There are 200  miles (320 km) of coastline. The total land
   border is 2,112 miles (3,399 km). The countries bordering Guinea
   include:
     * Côte_d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
     * Guinea-Bissau
     * Liberia
     * Mali
     * Senegal
     * Sierra Leone

Sports

   Guinea's main sport is soccer and although they have never made the
   World Cup Finals they have appeared at eight African Nations Cup
   finals; being runners up in 1976 and making the quarter finals in both
   2004 and 2006. The current national coach is Spaniard Quique Setien (a
   former player for Casablanca, Perines, Atletico de Madrid, Logrones,
   and Racing de Santander). Swimming is popular near the capital,
   Conakry, and hiking is possible in the Fouta Djallon region.

Economy

   Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources,
   yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of
   the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite
   producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999.

   Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and
   the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of
   poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders, as
   well as refugee movements, have caused major economic disruptions,
   aggravating a loss in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies
   have reduced expatriate staff. Panic buying has created food shortages
   and inflation and caused riots in local markets.

   Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut
   off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose slightly in 2004, primarily
   due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world
   markets.

   In September 2006, the government signed a production sharing contract
   (PSC) with Texas-based Hyperdynamics, Inc. (AMEX: HDY), to access
   offshore petroleum resources that could yield several billion barrels
   or more of recoverable oil. If properly exploited, the oil could go a
   long way toward extricating Guinea from its economic morass. However,
   doubts subside with the ratification of the agreement at the Guinean
   National Assembly as there have been concerns among some legislators
   about the "generous" terms given to the american company although the
   initial farm out contract had been renegociated.

   In November 2006, Transparency International, a german NGO ranked
   Guinea as the most perceived corrupt nation in Africa and one of the
   most corrupt country in the world, ranking only before Myanmar, Iraq
   and Haiti. In an anticorruption conference in Guatemala, Guinean
   minister of justice Réné Alsény Gomez declared that Guinea has engaged
   in judicial actions against misuse of public funds. Former Central Bank
   governor Fodé Soumah has been indicted on charges of corruption on
   November 16th, 2006. At the Guatemala conference, Transparency
   International president Huguette Labelle has applauded the measures.

Demographics

Culture

   Like other West African countries, Guinea has a rich musical tradition.
   The group Bembeya Jazz became popular in the 1960s after Guinean
   independence. The Vancouver-based guitarist Alpha Yaya Diallo hails
   from Guinea and incorporates its traditional rhythms and melodies into
   his original compositions, for which he has won two Juno Awards.
     * List of writers from Guinea

Language

     * Fula language
     * Maninka language
     * Susu language
     * French language
     * Arabic language

Notables

     * Bobo Balde
     * Lansana Conté
     * Mohammed Camara
     * Mohammed Sylla
     * Titi Camara
     * Teresa Chikaba

                        * Amadou Diallo
                        * Djibril Tamsir Niane
                        * Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori
                        * Alfa Yaya of Labé
                        * Samori
                        * Umar Tall

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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