Contents

Country Overview

Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea (République de Guinée), is a West African republic on the Atlantic coast. Its capital, Conakry, serves as the main political and commercial center. Guinea became independent of France on October 2, 1958, following a September referendum that rejected membership in the proposed French Community. Its economy is anchored by mineral extraction, agriculture and services. Following a 2021 military takeover, a new constitution was promulgated in September 2025, a presidential election took place that December, and a newly elected National Assembly was seated in July 2026. [23] [8] [11]

Reference status: Contemporary edition • Verified: November 5, 2026 • Figures are identified by their actual observation years, not by the verification date.

CapitalConakryAtlantic coastal capital
Population15.10 millionWorld Bank, 2025 estimate [1]; national preliminary census: 17.52 million [2]
Total area245,857 km²Archived World Factbook definition [24]
Nominal GDPUS$28.35 billionWorld Bank, 2025 [1]
GDP per capitaUS$1,8772025, current US dollars [1]
CurrencyGuinean francGNF

Population comparability: Guinea's National Statistics Institute reported a preliminary 2025 census count of 17,521,167, published in February 2026. The World Bank's separately modeled 2025 population series is 15,099,727. These are not interchangeable measurements; both are retained with the series and date identified. [2] [1]

Identity and State Formation

Official name
Republic of Guinea (République de Guinée). [6]
Common name
Guinea; sometimes Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
Demonym
Guinean.
Capital
Conakry, on the Atlantic coast. [3]
Other major cities
Kankan, Nzérékoré, Kindia, Labé, Boké and Mamou; municipal boundaries and rankings vary by source. [3]
Continent / UN M49 subregion
Africa / Western Africa. [17]
Indigenous and precolonial history
The modern territory includes the histories of Mande communities, Futa Jallon, coastal polities and Forest Guinea societies; the republic did not emerge from one single precolonial state. [23]
Colonial-era designation
French Guinea (Guinée française), administered within French West Africa. [23]
1958 self-determination referendum
September 28, 1958; voters rejected the proposed French Community constitutional settlement. [23]
Independence
October 2, 1958, from France. [23]
First president
Ahmed Sékou Touré, whose rule extended from independence until his death in 1984. [23]
1984 political transition
Military takeover under Lansana Conté after the death of Sékou Touré. [23]
2008 political transition
Military seizure of power after President Conté’s death. [23]
2010 multiparty presidential election
Alpha Condé was elected president following the transition; subsequent constitutional and electoral disputes shaped later events. [8]
September 2021 military takeover
The armed forces removed President Alpha Condé; Mamadi Doumbouya led the transition. [10]
Current constitutional order
New constitution adopted by referendum and promulgated in September 2025, replacing the transitional framework. [6] [10]
Presidential election under new order
December 28, 2025; Mamadi Doumbouya elected, inaugurated January 17, 2026. [8] [10]
National day
Independence Day, October 2. [23]
ISO 3166-1 codes
GN (alpha-2); GIN (alpha-3); 324 (numeric). [17]
Internet country-code domain
.gn.
National motto
Travail, Justice, Solidarité (“Work, Justice, Solidarity”). [6]
National flag
Vertical red, yellow and green bands. [6]
National anthem
Liberté (“Liberty”). [6]

Founding-date convention: The decisive 1958 referendum was held on September 28, whereas independence was proclaimed on October 2. The 2025 Constitution and 2026 elections mark a later constitutional-political transition, not a new national independence date. [23] [6]

Geography and Population

Total surface area
245,857 km² (about 94,926 sq. mi.), including inland water; archival World Factbook series. [24]
Land area
245,717 km² under the same series; other international publishers report slightly different rounded land-area definitions. [24] [4]
Inland water area
About 140 km² under the archived World Factbook convention. [24]
Coastline
Approximately 320 km on the North Atlantic Ocean. [24]
Land borders
Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone. [24]
2025 population: World Bank
15,099,727, World Bank national population estimate. [1]
2025 population: national census
17,521,167, preliminary fourth national population and housing census (RGPH-4), released February 2026. [2]
2014 census
10,523,261 residents according to the third RGPH. [2]
Population-density comparison
About 71 persons/km² using the provisional 2025 census and national land area; approximately 61/km² using the World Bank 2025 population series. These are calculated values, not a single harmonized official series. [2] [1] [24]
Census population: female
51.8% (2025 preliminary RGPH-4). [2]
Census population: male
48.2% (2025 preliminary RGPH-4). [2]
Population under age 15
43.0% (2025 preliminary RGPH-4). [2]
Rural population
61.3% (2025 preliminary RGPH-4). [2]
Urban population
38.7% (2025 preliminary RGPH-4). [2]
Population growth: World Bank
2.3% annual growth in the World Bank’s 2025 model series. [1]
Main natural regions
Lower or Maritime Guinea, Middle Guinea (Futa Jallon), Upper Guinea and Forest Guinea. [3] [14]
Mountain systems
Futa Jallon highlands and the Nimba Range in southeastern Guinea. [20]
River headwaters
The Guinean highlands contain headwaters of the Niger and other major West African river systems. [24]
Highest mountain
Mount Nimba, approximately 1,752 m (on the Guinea–Côte d’Ivoire–Liberia border zone). [20] [24]
Climate
Predominantly tropical, with substantial wet-season and dry-season contrasts; humidity and rainfall differ between coast, highlands and interior. [24]
Environmental significance
Rainforests, savannas, upland watersheds, mangroves and coastal ecosystems; Mount Nimba is a UNESCO World Heritage property shared with Côte d’Ivoire. [20]
Principal environmental pressures
Mining impacts, land-use change, deforestation, soil erosion and threats to vulnerable ecological sites. [19] [20]

Area and population: The national census and World Bank population values differ substantially even though both refer to 2025. Population density must therefore name the population denominator. Total area is shown using an archived geographic definition that may differ from the UNCTAD land-area series. [2] [1] [24] [4]

Economy and International Trade

Economic system
Mixed economy supported by mining, agriculture, trade, construction, transport, services and public investment. [8]
Nominal GDP: World Bank
Approximately US$28.35 billion (2025, current U.S. dollars). [1]
GDP per capita: World Bank
Approximately US$1,877.3 (2025, current U.S. dollars); not median income or typical wages. [1]
Real GDP growth: World Bank data series
7.4% (2025, annual real change in World Bank country indicator). [1]
Real GDP growth: later report
7.3% (2025, October 2026 World Bank Guinea Economic Update); small differences can result from revisions and reporting vintages. [22]
Annual consumer-price inflation
3.6% for 2025 in the World Bank country-indicator series; the 2026 Guinea Economic Update cites 3.2% in its revised national assessment. [1] [22]
2024 GDP for comparison
US$25.178 billion (UNCTAD country profile; different year from 2025 World Bank data). [4]
Currency
Guinean franc (GNF). [4]
Currency symbol / usage
GNF; “FG” is frequently used domestically for franc guinéen.
Monetary authority
Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea (Banque Centrale de la République de Guinée).
Major economic sectors
Bauxite and alumina, gold mining, developing iron ore operations, food agriculture, market services, transport and construction. [19] [22]
Major mineral resources
Bauxite, iron ore, gold, diamonds and other mineral deposits. [19]
International bauxite significance
Leading bauxite producer globally in 2024, estimated at 33.2% of world output excluding the United States according to USGS. [19]
Simandou project
Large iron-ore development and transport corridor; iron-ore exports began in the 2025–2026 period, creating new diversification potential and infrastructure requirements. [22]
Agriculture and livelihoods
An important source of rural income and employment; farming includes rice, other staple crops, livestock and cash-crop production. [8] [22]
Merchandise exports: WTO series
US$10.1908 billion (2024, Trade Data Monitor records presented by WTO). [5]
Merchandise imports: WTO series
US$7.9832 billion (2024, same WTO-presented series). [5]
Merchandise trade balance: WTO series
Approximately US$2.2076 billion surplus (2024; calculated as exports less imports in the WTO series). [5]
Merchandise exports: UNCTAD series
US$9.859 billion (2024, estimated); differs from the WTO-presented total. [4]
Merchandise imports: UNCTAD series
US$5.869 billion (2024, estimated); not directly interchangeable with WTO-presented imports. [4]
Principal goods exports
Nonmonetary gold and aluminium ores (bauxite), with alumina and smaller agricultural and industrial goods. [5]
2024 gold export share
47.2% of total WTO-listed merchandise exports (HS 710812, unwrought nonmonetary gold). [5]
2024 bauxite export share
45.7% of total WTO-listed merchandise exports (HS 260600, aluminium ores and concentrates). [5]
2024 alumina export share
1.0% of WTO-listed merchandise exports (HS 281820, aluminium oxide). [5]
Major export markets: WTO series
United Arab Emirates (39.5%), China (38.6%), South Africa (5.6%) and India (5.0%) of 2024 goods export value. [5]
Main 2024 merchandise import source
China (36.5%) in the WTO-presented 2024 partner series; the European Union as a bloc accounted for 29.3%. [5]
Export concentration
Gold and bauxite represented approximately 92.9% of the WTO-presented 2024 goods-export total, exposing export revenues to mineral markets and logistics. [5]
Services-trade data limitation
The cited UNCTAD country profile does not provide complete 2024 services-export and services-import totals; goods totals are not labeled as total goods-and-services trade. [4]
Principal ports and corridors
Port of Conakry, the Kamsar bauxite port, and mineral-rail and road corridors serving extraction and trade. [19] [22]
2026 economic outlook
World Bank projects stronger mining-supported growth but cautions that extractive-sector gains do not automatically create broad employment or household prosperity. [22]

Principal Export Categories (2024)

Representative merchandise exports using WTO-presented Trade Data Monitor 2024 product classifications; shares are percentages of merchandise exports, not of GDP.
CategoryExamples and reporting context
GoldUnwrought nonmonetary gold (HS 710812): approximately US$4.81 billion, or 47.2% of 2024 merchandise exports.
BauxiteAluminium ores and concentrates (HS 260600): about US$4.66 billion, or 45.7% of merchandise exports.
AluminaAluminium oxide (HS 281820): approximately US$104.6 million, or 1.0% of merchandise exports.
Other mineral productsSmaller mining and mineral-related exports; iron ore is an emerging category whose greater importance postdates these 2024 product shares.
AgricultureCocoa beans, fruit and other agricultural goods; shares are far smaller than gold and bauxite in the cited 2024 customs classification.
Manufactured and miscellaneous goodsLimited processed and manufactured goods, with items and rankings varying across classification systems.
Services (outside the goods series)Transport, travel, trade-related services and other services are not included in the merchandise exports shown above.

2024 commodity shares and market destinations: WTO Tariff & Trade Data, Guinea member profile. [5]

Trade-series distinction: WTO-presented 2024 goods exports of US$10.19 billion and imports of US$7.98 billion are different from UNCTAD’s estimated US$9.86 billion of exports and US$5.87 billion of imports. Differences may reflect source submissions, classifications, coverage, valuation or revisions. Both are reported under their own labels; no hybrid balance is calculated. [5] [4]

People and Society

Constitutional official languages
The 2025 Constitution recognizes national languages and French as official languages; the French language is specifically the working language. [6]
French in administration
French is the working language of state administration, formal documentation and much of schooling. [6] [14]
Prominent national languages
Pular (Fula), Maninka, Susu, Kissi, Kpelle (Guerzé) and Toma (Loma), alongside many others. [14]
Language use: Pular
Approximately 35% of the population in the 2014 census-language summary; the proportion is historical, not a new 2025 language census. [14]
Language use: Maninka
Approximately 25% in the cited 2014 census-language summary. [14]
Language use: Susu
Approximately 18% in the cited 2014 census-language summary. [14]
Language geography
Pular is particularly important in Middle Guinea, Maninka in Upper Guinea, and Susu in Coastal Guinea; multilingualism crosses these zones. [14]
Religious affiliation: Muslim
89.1% in a 2014 census-based series summarized in the archived World Factbook; not a 2025 measurement. [15]
Religious affiliation: Christian
6.8% in the same 2014 census-based series. [15]
Religious affiliation: traditional / animist
1.6% in the same 2014 census-based series. [15]
Religious affiliation: other / none
0.1% other and 2.4% no religion in the 2014 census-based series; combined totals are subject to rounding. [15]
Constitutional religious order
The republic is constitutionally secular and protects religious liberty. [6]
Major ethnolinguistic communities
Fulani/Peul, Malinké/Mandinka, Susu, Kissi, Kpelle/Guerzé, Toma and other communities; terminology and denominators vary across surveys. [14]
Rural share of population
61.3% in 2025 preliminary national census results. [2]
Urban share of population
38.7% in 2025 preliminary national census results. [2]
Sex composition
51.8% women and 48.2% men in 2025 preliminary national census results. [2]
Population youth
43% under 15 in 2025 preliminary census results. [2]
Life expectancy at birth
61 years in the latest World Bank indicator, referring to 2024; cross-dataset values can differ. [1]
Cultural practices
Diverse Mande, Atlantic and forest-region musical, storytelling, craft and culinary traditions; local cultural forms differ across communities. [14]
Legal language implementation
Article 5 of the 2025 Constitution envisages an organic law setting the modalities for national-language implementation and official-text translation. [6]

Language-law update: Many older international fact sheets list French as Guinea’s only official language. Article 5 of the September 2025 Constitution instead identifies national languages and French as official, with French serving as the working language. Likewise, the religious figures above refer to 2014, not a current religious census. [6] [15] [14]

Government and Institutions

Form of state
Unitary, secular republic organized under the September 2025 Constitution. [6]
Present constitutional framework
September 2025 Constitution; implementation of some new institutions has proceeded through 2026. [6] [10]
Head of state
President Mamadi Doumbouya; elected December 28, 2025 and inaugurated January 17, 2026. [8] [9]
Head of government
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah, reappointed January 26, 2026. [9]
Executive branch
President, prime minister and government under constitutional arrangements. [6]
Presidential term
Seven years, renewable once, under Article 44 of the 2025 Constitution. [6]
Presidential electoral system
Direct popular election with a two-round majority system under the 2025 Constitution. [6]
Legislature: constitutional design
Bicameral Parliament composed of a National Assembly and a Senate under the 2025 Constitution. [6]
National Assembly
147 elected deputies; elections held May 31, 2026 and members seated July 17, 2026. [7] [11]
National Assembly term
Five years under the constitutional framework. [6]
Senate
Upper chamber provided for in the 2025 Constitution; its implementation and selection procedures are distinct from the already seated July 2026 National Assembly. [6] [10] [11]
Senate term
Six years under the 2025 Constitution. [6]
Transition legislature
Appointed National Transition Council served after the 2021 military takeover and ceased performing its legislative role after the new elected National Assembly was installed. [10] [11]
Judicial system
Courts and constitutional review institutions organized by the Constitution and applicable laws. [6]
Administrative regions
10 administrative regions following the August 20, 2026 creation of Beyla and Siguiri regions; older references may list eight. [12] [3]
Prefectures
44 following the August 20, 2026 creation of 11 new prefectures; older references may list 33. [13] [3]
Major administrative units
Regions, prefectures, subprefectures and decentralized local authorities; Conakry has special administrative significance. [3]
2026 legislative election
May 31, 2026, followed by final results and the installation of deputies July 17, 2026. [7] [11]
2026 executive appointments
The government composition was revised in July 2026; verify officeholder-specific changes against the official government register. [9]
Political pluralism context
A March 2026 decision dissolved numerous political parties under a regulatory review; opposition groups disputed its effects on political competition. [8]
Constitutional rights
The 2025 Constitution declares fundamental rights, electoral principles, state secularism and a minimum 30% women’s participation quota in national, regional and local elected or decision-making offices. [6]

Institutional status: The Constitution establishes a two-chamber Parliament, but the post-transition National Assembly is specifically documented as seated in July 2026. The Senate should not be described as fully operational without separate evidence of its formation. Also, legislative chamber counts published by different organizations may refer to constitutional plans or proposed organic-law arrangements rather than seated members. [6] [10] [11]

International Profile

United Nations
Member since December 12, 1958. [16]
African Union
Member; the African Union Peace and Security Council lifted Guinea’s post-coup participation suspension on January 22, 2026. [18]
Regional affiliation
West African state with ties through ECOWAS institutions, regional development cooperation, and cross-border transport and trade. [17] [8]
World Trade Organization
WTO member; its trade and tariff profile is independently maintained by the organization. [5]
Other international organizations
African Union, United Nations, IMF, World Bank and other regional/multilateral organizations. [16] [8]
Major international trade corridors
Export links to the United Arab Emirates, China, South Africa and India; strong reliance on bauxite and gold flows. [5]
International environmental heritage
The transboundary Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage property shared with Côte d’Ivoire. [20]
2026 political reintegration
AU suspension lifted after the December 2025 presidential election; the decision should not be confused with an assessment that all political disputes had ended. [18] [8]
Time zone
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), UTC+00:00, year-round. [21]
Daylight-saving time
Not observed. [21]
International telephone dialing code
+224. [21]
Internet country-code domain
.gn.
Cross-border environmental interests
Futa Jallon watershed management, forest conservation and shared mineral/transport corridors. [20] [22]

Sources and Verification

Editorial cutoff: November 5, 2026. For statistical entries, publication and reporting years are identified separately. Historical data or source revisions are not presented as new observations; national and international series remain independently labeled.

  1. World Bank, Guinea Country Data — 2025 population, current-dollar GDP and GDP per capita, and annual macroeconomic indicators.
  2. Institut National de la Statistique (Guinea), Fourth Population and Housing Census (RGPH-4) preliminary results — 2025 census enumeration, published February 25, 2026; preliminary demographic counts.
  3. Guinea Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Country Presentation — 2026 administrative organization and national statistical context.
  4. UNCTADstat, Guinea General Country Profile — 2024 GDP, land area and estimated customs merchandise-trade series.
  5. World Trade Organization, Guinea Tariff and Trade Data — 2024 merchandise exports and imports, commodity classification and trading partners.
  6. Republic of Guinea Constitution, promulgated September 2025 (GuinéeLex consolidated text) — Constitutional principles, official languages, government branches, presidential terms, legislative organization.
  7. Presidency of Guinea, Parliamentary and Municipal Elections of May 31, 2026 — Official description of the 2026 National Assembly and municipal election.
  8. World Bank, Guinea Country Overview — 2025–2026 political and macroeconomic context; status of presidency and prime minister.
  9. Guinea Secretary-General of Government, Organigouv register — Government composition and 2026 prime-ministerial appointment.
  10. Inter-Parliamentary Union, Guinea: May 2026 National Assembly Election — Electoral record and constitutional legislative design.
  11. LégisGuinée, Installation of the 147 Deputies, July 17, 2026 — Elected National Assembly and chronology of the post-transition legislative inauguration.
  12. Guinea Decree D/2026/0259, New Administrative Regions, August 20, 2026 — Creation of Beyla and Siguiri regions.
  13. Guinea Decree D/2026/0258, New Prefectures, August 20, 2026 — Creation of eleven prefectures.
  14. CLEAR Global, Language Data for Guinea — 2014 census language distribution and national-language terminology.
  15. The Factbook, Archived CIA World Factbook Religion Series for Guinea — 2014 religious-affiliation proportions, historical and not a 2026 census.
  16. United Nations, Member States — Guinea admitted to the United Nations December 12, 1958.
  17. United Nations Statistics Division, M49 Standard Geographic Classification — Western Africa classification and country codes.
  18. African Union Peace and Security Council, 1325th Communiqué, January 22, 2026 — Lifting of Guinea participation suspension following its political transition.
  19. U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Information: Guinea — Mineral production, especially bauxite, and industry context.
  20. UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve — Cross-border ecological heritage and World Heritage inscription.
  21. timeanddate, Time Zones in Guinea — Greenwich Mean Time, no daylight saving time and country telephone dial code.
  22. World Bank, Guinea Economic Update 2026: Beyond Mining — October 2026 revised growth narrative, inflation and Simandou context.
  23. U.S. Department of State, Guinea Background Note, 2008 (Historical Archive) — 1958 referendum and independence; political history through the late twentieth century.
  24. Archived CIA World Factbook Area for Guinea — Total land and inland-water area using 2025 historical World Factbook definition.
  25. Guinea Country and Population Facts, National Statistics Institute — National statistical indicators, 2025 RGPH-4 count and 2014 comparison.

Editorial methodology: Population counts distinguish preliminary census enumeration from modeled international estimates. GDP and GDP per capita refer to annual national accounts, not household earnings. Merchandise exports are not total exports of goods and services, and WTO and UNCTAD merchandise figures have separate coverage. All governmental and legal provisions are current to the stated editorial cutoff; planned bodies must not be represented as already seated. [2] [1] [5] [4] [6]