Guinea, also Guinea-Conakry, is a country in West Africa. It borders Senegal to the north, Mali to the north and northeast, Ivory Coast to the east, Liberia to the south, Sierra Leone to the southwest, and Guinea to the northwest. Bissau. From the west it is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Guinea is Conakry.
Maritime Guinea - Region of the Soussous, culture and the capital.
The coastline, from Conakry to Guinea-Bissau, also allows beautiful
tourist discoveries: with superb wild beaches, mangroves and wildlife
observation. "Bel Air" is a well-known tourist destination, on the
beach, about two hours from Conakry, via a good road. It is a large
hotel, regularly serviced and very popular during major holidays. An
even more pleasant place to go to, if you like eco-tourism, is "the
village of Sabolan" which is a small hotel on a beautiful beach (it is
outside the good road leading to the hotel "Bel Air"). There are, here,
a dozen modern huts, as well as a restaurant. It's a bit expensive, but
the setting is beautiful. If you have a tent, or if you want to find a
more authentic and cheaper place, you can go to the beach or walk along
the path, then pass in front of the village: there you will find nice
huts, made by a villager, and now run by his son. Expats working in
mining areas rent the huts and come there on weekends, but you can
always pitch a tent. You must, however, bring your own food. For the
more adventurous, there is a "trip" to do on the Tristao Islands,
bordering the border with Guinea-Bissau. To get there, you can go by
road, from Conakry to Kamsar, then take a local boat to the islands. The
boat crossing lasts 4 hours and is done once or twice a week. Sometimes,
with luck, there is a fishing boat going to Tristao (however, these are
very busy and may not be as safe as passenger boats). Manatees, turtles
and different types of birds live on the Tristao archipelago. It is a
very isolated place, having preserved many animist traditions.
Middle Guinea - Also known as the Fouta Djallon region. Mainly hills and
mountains, with a relatively cool climate. Fulani region. The Fouta
Djallon region offers superb hikes, vast panoramas, waterfalls and
cliffs. "Fouta trekking adventure", is a local association that promotes
fair tourism. It offers hiking tours of 3 to 5 days, or "à la carte"
tours. Part of its income is used for the development of village
communities. Labé, the historical capital and the heart of the Fouta
empire which reigned in pre-colonial times, is a lively city with an
interesting history. You can buy beautiful traditional clothes there, in
various "blue-marine" colors. On the road to Conakry, via Kindia, is the
town of Dalaba where, in 1958, the main leaders of the country met to
determine the fate of a country soon independent of France. There is an
old residence that you can visit, as well as a ceremonial hut with
magnificent interior sculptures. Kindia has some of the best fruit and
vegetable productions and, consequently, a lively market.
Upper
Guinea - Sub-Sahelian region, mainly bordered by Mali and bisected by
the Niger River. Malinke region.
Forest Guinea — South-eastern
region, bordered by Liberia and Ivory Coast. Region of the Tomas, Kissis
and other ethnic groups, which have preserved very ancient rituals and
beliefs.
Outside of Conakry, there are many attractive tourist destinations
for "adventurers". However, there is not enough infrastructure — such as
hotels, roads, etc. —, although you can find simple places to stay (with
limited electricity, produced by generators).
1 Conakry – In
Conakry, the capital of the country, one of the best places to have a
beer and meet people is the Taouyah beach bar, a residential area with a
large market and a few nightclubs and restaurants. Many expatriates live
there and meet at the beach, at sunset, for great pizzas or fish or
chicken dishes. There are good discussions, live music, and a lot of
locals playing football until the sun goes down, especially on weekends.
Music is one of the best cultural activities that Guinea has to offer.
Some of the best Kora players in the world come from Guinea. There are a
lot of bars that offer live music.
2 Kankan - Kankan is
administratively the second largest city in the Republic of Guinea,
after the capital Conakry, and the largest in terms of surface area. It
is part of the natural region of Upper Guinea of which it is the capital
and capital of the administrative region of Kankan and the prefecture of
Kankan.
Siguiri
Dinguiraye
3 Labé - Geographically, the city
is located on a mountainous massif, the Fouta-Djalon, near many rivers.
The vegetation is of the wooded savannas, open forests or gallery
forests type.
4 Kamsar - Kamsar is the main bauxite export mining
town, whose main shipments are made from the Boké region. There are some
very good hotels and restaurants, which cater to mining executives and
expatriates.
5 Boké – The administrative capital of the region, has
an interesting colonization museum, a few decent hotels, and a Lebanese
store on the main road, where everyone goes to watch football matches
and drink cold Amstels (when the generator wants to work well).
6
Faranah - The city benefits from the accession to the presidency of the
republic, in 1958, of Ahmed Sékou Touré, who was born there in 1922 when
it was then only a village named Balandougou. The infrastructures
developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but its regional influence
increased significantly in November 1980, when it hosted the West
African summit which created the Niger Basin Authority (ABN).
Forecariah
Kissidougou
Guéckédou
7 N'zérékoré - Nzérékoré, also
written N'zérékoré, is the largest city in Forest Guinea, a region in
the south-east of Guinea, and, after Conakry and Kankan, the third
largest city in the country. The city is also the capital of the
prefecture of Nzérékoré and the capital of the Region of N'zérékoré.
This region includes, in addition to the prefecture of N'zérékoré, the
prefectures of Macenta, Guéckédou, Beyla, Lola and Yomou.
Lola
8
Kindia - Kindia is a city in Guinea located 135 km from the capital
Conakry. It is the capital of the Kindia region and the capital of the
Kindia prefecture, Cosmopolitan, it is populated mainly by Soussous and
Fulani. Of agropastoral tradition, it is sometimes nicknamed "the city
of citrus fruits".
Coyah
Dubreka
Forecariah
Telimele
9
Mamou - Mamou is a town in Guinea located in the second natural region
(Middle Guinea) and historical Fouta-Djalon, about 250 km northeast of
the capital Conakry. It was created from scratch in 1908 to accommodate
a station on the railway line from Conakry to Niger, then under
construction. At the intersection of several roads and cultural
influences, it is a "crossroads city". Administratively, it is the
capital of the prefecture of Mamou and the region of Mamou.
Beyla
10 Dalaba - small town often nicknamed "the Switzerland of Guinea",
because of its mild temperatures and its beautiful landscapes.
Dabola
Fouta Djalon - picturesque region of forests and cultivated valleys,
ideal for hiking through Fulani villages or in search of waterfalls.
Loos Islands - former slave base, these islands of forests and fine
sand, near Conakry, form a popular place for expatriates, on weekends.
Niokolo-Badiar National Park - savannah along the Senegalese border
where antelopes, monkeys, lions and leopards live.
Mount Nimba Nature
Reserve - classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage
Logotype, is located in both Guinea and Ivory Coast.
Upper Niger
National Park — upper reaches of the Niger River, where hippos,
elephants, buffaloes, chimpanzees and waterbucks live.
Many points of
interest have been identified on this map.
Formalities
Visa applications must be made at the Guinean
embassies and consulates (Paris, Dakar...). No visa is issued at Guinean
airports, nor at the borders.
In France, a "single entry" visa
costs about €60 for 1 month, and €90 for 3 months.
Documents to
be presented, for a visa application :
2 identity photos
1
photocopy of the passport
1 form to fill out at the embassy
Probably :
hotel booking confirmation
or certificate of
accommodation certified by the local authorities
By plane
Air
Senegal International: from Paris with a stopover in Dakar; from Dakar
directly. Also, by Air France from Paris in direct flight, and Brussels
Airlines from Brussels
Royal Air Maroc from Montreal to
Casablanca, with a stopover in New York, is the only direct flight
between Canada and Africa (several connections to Conakry from
Casablanca).
By boat
A trip is organized every day between
Conakry and the islands of Loos for boats of 50 to 100 people on board
who leave at 8 am to return at 18 pm.
By train
After Conakry
Express which serves the city of Conakry during the week (a trip from
the suburbs to the city in the morning, a return in the evening), we
have the passenger train which connects Kamsar - Sangaredie by kolaboui,
Boké and tinguilinta with its beautiful landscape. The old train
station, in the city center of Conakry, is worth a visit.
By car
Crossing the border between Guinea and Senegal is possible and requires
patience due to the travel time. Inside Guinea, the road between Labe
and Koundara has just been paved. There are some decent and cheap places
to stay in Koundara. The stage between Koundara and Diaube (Senegal) is
similar. The border goes without much hassle. There are about 20 km of
"no man's land" between the 2 border crossings. And the only indication
of entry to Senegal is the improvement of the track. It is possible to
change your currencies at any time of the day and night, in the border
towns on the 2 sides of the "no man's land". Getting from Diaube to
Tambacounda, then to Dakar, by local transport, is relatively easy.
Koundara is also the main starting point for a trip to
Guinea-Bissau.
The crossing by car or motorcycle, between Kopoto
(Guinea) and Kambia (Sierra Leone), is possible with the "Vehicle Pass",
available at the Embassy of Guinea ($40 (~€36.87 - course of 26/05/2024)
US), and with the "Vehicle Clearance Permit", available at the Embassy
of Sierra Leone ($40 (~€36.87 - course of 26/05/2024) US). An "ECOWAS
international driving license" is required for Sierra Leone (available
at the border for 100,000 Leones).
The Guinean road network is limited to a few hundred km of paved
roads from Conakry to a few provincial cities. The network is limited
and very impractical. 4X4 essential on most of the road network. The
roads are mainly made up of improved or carriageable tracks
There
is no bus in Conakry called urban transport. The traffic in Conakry can
be very dense. The local transport vans seem to be the most saturated in
all of West Africa.
Taxis are very inexpensive, even if you want
to rent one for half a day or the whole day. However, as soon as you get
in the car, expect the driver to stop to refuel. The business and
administration center is unfortunately located at the end of a long and
narrow peninsula, connected to the rest of Conakry by only two roads.
Getting there can be especially frustrating during rush hour. The queues
at the gas stations can be quite long and disorganized, at certain
hours.
Bush taxis (very often Peugeot 504, a very widespread
model in Africa) are used as transport, from one city to another. There
is never a set schedule for local transport. In the early morning, you
could ask a taxi to leave "right away" that it would not leave Conakry
until nightfall! In Guinea, inter-city trips require a lot of patience
and a very "malleable" schedule.
Despite several plans to
relaunch the Air Guinea company, there are no longer any national
airlines.
Motorcycle taxis are a fast and comfortable way to
travel.
The road remains dangerous in Guinea and fatal accidents
frequent due to speeding and rolling stock and roads in a deplorable
state.
The official language is French. There are many ethnic languages, the most widespread being Soussou (in the Lower coast), Fulani (from Fouta-Djalon) and Malinke (from the forest). Soussou is spoken in the coastal region and in the capital. Toma, Guerzé, Kissi and the others are spoken in the interior region (the Sacred Forest) bordering Mali, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia. In remote regions, the level of French remains quite scholastic and is never the mother tongue). English is not widely spoken in Guinea, even in the capital.
The currency of Guinea is the Guinean franc (F, franc, GNF) The country's currency is the Guinean franc (French: franc ), whether the country has the rating "FG" or "Fr" or "GFr" (ISO currency code: GNF). The banknotes circulate in denominations of FG00, 1 000, 2 000, 5 000, 10 000 and 20,000 and 20,000 and inflation is rampant.
All Ecobank ATMs in Guinea take Mastercard or Visa for cash withdrawal.
They don't sell a lot of trinkets in Guinea, but they have wonderful
clothes that you can buy. The tailors are very skilled there and can
create an outfit very quickly (about a day). Masks, wooden statues,
djembes (drums), traditional clothes, bags made in Guinea are sold in
many areas outside the major hotels in Conakry and along the road.
Always haggle, especially if you are outside a large hotel, the prices
are higher. A good rule of thumb is to halve regardless of the opening
price and also to walk away if prices don't come down. Negotiations are
supposed to take some time and are a way to determine the price of the
"walk away" for the buyer and the seller.
The Conakry market is
the Madina market. You can find everything and anything there. Watch out
for pickpockets, mud (during the rainy season) and traffic. It's a
pretty hectic and chaotic place, but you will find the best products,
electronics, etc., at the best prices. You can hire a young boy to do
your shopping for you if you return to a parked car or where you are
staying. The fee is approximately US$5,000 (US$0.5 or 0.7).
In
some parts of the country you will also find beautiful sculptures, many
of which are created in the city of Kindia.
Many options are available for meals. For 20,000 FG (about 2 dollars
or about 3 dollars) you can have dinner with delicious and nutritious
food. If your taste buds prefer something international, many other
choices are also available. The beef in Guinea is very good and is
highly recommended. Pork is not served due to the domination of Islam,
but is eaten among the inhabitants of the forests of the south-east
(Guinee Forestiere). There are good restaurants that are Lebanese that
have European-style breakfasts.
Outside the capital, Conakry, you
can often taste local dishes (Guinean-style rice comparator and one of
the 4 main sauces with sometimes beef or fish in some cases) at a hole
in the wall restaurant for less than 1 US dollar (3,000 to 6,000 FG
depending on the exchange rate). You'll leave full.
In Kankan,
Guinea (Upper Guinea), there are few places to choose from if you want
to eat in a more decent restaurant. There is the Villa Hotel and the
Bate Hotel. In mid-2008, these were the top two places for accommodation
and meals. A typical plate can cost anywhere between 35,000 FG and
55,000 FG. Note that food and drink prices can often rise dramatically
at the spur of the moment and without any explanation.
Fruits are
very inexpensive here, especially compared to the higher costs in
neighboring countries (Mali, Ivory Coast and Senegal). For those who
like pineapples, on the national road (which literally goes from the
north of the country to Conakry in the south), you can find people who
sell this tasty fruit very cheaply on the side of the road in and around
Kindia. Fruits mangoes, oranges and bananas can also be found in
abundance throughout the country and at a cheap rate, especially on the
roads.
Another alternative to eating out is to eat "in". Since
Guineans are generally welcoming and friendly, you will be invited to
their home to share a meal. Most Guineans eat together from a large
dish. Enjoy the experience and don't drink the local water if and when
they offer it to you. Take bottled water (Coyah, Milo, etc.)
In
Conakry you can eat at any time, there are several restaurants to try in
town. We prepare very good dishes there: grilled fish, rice, attiéké,
fonio... and mafé (sauce) of any kind.
Nightclubs abound in Conakry. Just have a drink and let yourself be
guided by the music!
However, here are some renowned addresses:
The fougoufougou Fagafaga: typical Guinean place that hosts many
concerts on the southern corniche by the sea. Ideal for a drink
accompanied by the music of the Hopes of Cynthia.
The MLS:
international nightclub easily accessible from the motorway
The 3615:
renowned international nightclub among the expatriate population,
relaxed atmosphere
The Baron: favorite nightclub of affluent
populations, flambeur atmosphere
The hotels are inaccessible to the majority of the local population
since the rates charged are high. Count on a minimum of € 60 per night
in the center of Conakry to have water, electricity and air conditioning
24/7.
Here are some addresses in Conakry:
Mid-range
Hotel Coleah, count 60 € breakfast included. Very good
value for money, in Coleah
High-end
The Palm Camayenne, post-colonial style hotel by the sea
in La Camayenne
The Millenium, modern hotel by the sea in La
Camayenne
The Noom, recent hotel in Kaloum
The Sheraton, the best
in the city in Caporo (near suburbs)
The country lives mainly from the mining sector, agriculture and
international aid is omnipresent.
International NGOs are very
active and employ a lot of expatriates in Guinea: Red Cross, Alima,
UNDP...
Likewise, the volunteering system has proven itself among
young people in ISV contracts (in solidarity), LIFE (in the private
sector), VIA (in the administration, such as the French Development
Agency) and Peace Corps (American volunteering).
In addition, you
will be able to work in large global companies that have their
representations in Guinea (Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Rusal, Bolloré...),
in the hotel sector and in the banking sector etc...
The majority of the inhabitants speak French, which is however quite
scholastic in remote areas (it is only the official language and not
their mother tongue). We can make ourselves understood in English in the
capital and in the main cities (not by everyone, however).
The
local telephone operators are: orange, MTN, Cellcom. The prices per GB
are usually between 3 and 8 € depending on the quantity purchased.
The internet network is essentially mobile or wireless (3G on
mobile, wimax / 3G on fixed computers). However, there is a fiber or
pseudo-fiber offer in the city center (microwave sharing of a fiber for
Mouna Telecom) at several hundred euros. Count 40 € for unlimited wimax
at 1 MB / s at Mouna.
There is no major security problem in the capital (outside the
suburbs). As everywhere, it is necessary to be careful when traveling at
night (avoid being alone, prefer vehicular travel) however crime
affecting Westerners remains very rare. A few thefts are reported, the
vast majority without violence or coercion (home visits during working
hours, pickpocketing at the markets...).
However, Guinea is not
spared from political violence. The general strike of January / February
last year caused several dozen deaths among civilians in Conakry and in
other cities. However, no Westerner was worried. The problem was
Guinean/Guinean. It is advisable to avoid any crowding.
Guinea is
a rather insecure nation, due to the fact that it is one of the most
unstable countries in Africa; lawlessness and crime are widespread. Most
of the offenses are committed by officials in military uniform and
usually target foreigners. Most nonviolent crimes involve pickpocketing
and grab-and-grab acts, while armed robberies, assaults and assaults are
the most common violent crimes. Criminals particularly target visitors
at the airport, in traditional markets and near hotels and restaurants
frequented by foreigners. Stay alert and apply common sense if he is
stuck in a difficult situation.
Visitors should also avoid
spontaneous offers of assistance at the airport and hotels, as they
often mask an intention to steal luggage, purses or wallets. Travellers
should arrange for hotel staff, family members or business contacts to
meet them at the airport in order to reduce their vulnerability to these
crimes.
When taking photos, avoid military bases and political
buildings, as this can be considered espionage in Guinea and can lock
you up in prison.
The police are completely ineffective. Low
salaries and abusive training contribute to the unprofessionalism of the
police. If you are a victim of a crime, consult your embassy.
Corruption is extremely widespread - corrupt police and soldiers target
foreigners for bribes just about anywhere in the country. Police
officers will demand bribes at any checkpoint. Police officers often
intimidate you into paying bribes by confiscating a particular item.
Business trips to Guinea are strongly discouraged. Business frauds
and scams are endemic, and if you are going on a business trip to
Guinea, it is highly recommended not to go there.
Respect local customs. The majority of the population is Muslim and
practices their religion with tolerance.
As in most of West
Africa, greetings are an integral part of everyday life in Guinea. A
simple, "Are you okay?"will often be enough. However, Guineans
appreciate it if you ask questions about their family, their health and
their job/studies: "and the family, health, lecc/the ets ets ets ets
ets. Before we get to the topic of a conversation, an email, etc., it is
common and supposed to greet in some way and ask how they are doing.
Greet, eat and exchange money only with your right hand; the left
hand is used for bathroom purposes and is considered unclean.
The
issue of gender equality is, to say the least, complex in Guinea. Even
if Guinea is a slightly conservative, Muslim, male-dominated society,
young people who will travel abroad will rarely face difficulties. Don't
be surprised if you are proposed to a million times. Cat calls,
whistling and other similar forms of harassment are rare in Guinea and
frowned upon. Guinean men often give up their seats to women as a sign
of respect, especially in homes, places of exit, etc.
In general,
men are even higher than women in the social ladder and this prevails in
all aspects of Guinean society (education, employment, etc.) Don't be
surprised if men are more taken into consideration than women in
everyday life. Once you know that you are a foreign woman (especially if
you are a foreign black woman from the USA, Europe, etc.), and not a
local place, you usually get a higher level of consideration).
For women, it is NOT advisable to wear clothes showing anything from the
stomach to the knees. Shorts, skirts, mini-skirts, naked midriffs are
considered tasteless if they are worn in public. It is not uncommon to
encounter hostile looks or disapproving looks from local Guineans or
even worse. Tattoos and body piercings are not common and visitors are
advised to cover them when possible. A head scarf, however, is not
necessary. Jeans (although they are not yet very popular among Guinean
women), long skirts and dresses, tank tops and shirts with short or long
sleeves are perfectly acceptable.
There is a Christian minority
(mainly concentrated in the southern forest region), but Muslims,
Christians and others tend to coexist peacefully with tolerance and
respect.
Guineans often invite you to eat at their place. It is a
sign of respect and consideration for the visitor. Accept the invitation
if possible. If you are not able to respond politely with a simple "next
time" or the "soon". Being without an appointment at the home of a
Guinean, it is not considered rude or rude as it can be in the West.
Don't be alarmed if you find Guineans standing up to see how you are.
Overall, the Guineans are warm, friendly and hospitable and will
come to your aid, if necessary.
The origin of the toponym "Guinea" has not been definitively established. According to E. M. Pospelov, the hypothesis is likely that the toponym is a distortion of the Berbers. ⵉⴳⵓⴰⵡⴻⵏ iguawen ("dumb"), since the Berber tribes called their southern neighbors that did not understand the Berber language. On European maps from the 14th century, the name appears in the forms Ganua, Ginya, and from the 15th century - Guinea. Translated from the language of the local Susu people, the word "Guiné" means "woman."
More than
half of the country's territory is occupied by low mountains and
plateaus. The Atlantic coast is strongly indented by river estuaries and
is occupied by an alluvial-marine lowland 30-50 km wide. Further, the
Futa-Dzhallon plateau rises in ledges, divided into separate massifs up
to 1538 m high (Mount Tamge). Behind it, in the east of the country,
there is an elevated stratal plain, south of which rises the North
Guinea Upland, turning into socle plateaus (≈800 m) and blocky highlands
(Mount Nimba is the highest point of the country with a height of 1752
m).
It is divided into four natural regions - Maritime Guinea,
Central Guinea, Mountain Guinea and Forest Guinea.
Guinea's most
important minerals are bauxite, in terms of which the country ranks
first in the world. Gold, diamonds, ores of ferrous and non-ferrous
metals, zircon, rutile, and monazite are also mined.
The climate is subequatorial with a pronounced alternation of dry and wet seasons. Humid summer lasts from 3-5 months in the northeast to 7-10 months in the south of the country. The air temperature on the coast (≈27 °C) is higher than in the interior (≈24 °C) of the country, except during periods of drought, when the Harmattan wind blowing from the Sahara raises the air temperature to 38 °C.
The dense and high-water river network of Guinea is represented by
rivers flowing from the plateau to the eastern plain and flowing into
the Niger there, and by rivers flowing from these same plateaus directly
into the Atlantic Ocean. Rivers are navigable only in small, mainly
estuarine areas.
Forests occupy about 60% of the country's
territory, but most of them are represented by secondary sparse
deciduous trees. Indigenous moist evergreen forests have survived only
on the windward slopes of the North Guinean Uplands. Along the river
valleys, gallery forests are fragmentary. Mangroves grow in places along
the coast.
The once diverse fauna of the forests has been
preserved mainly in protected areas (hippos, genets, civets, forest
duikers). Elephants, leopards and chimpanzees are almost completely
exterminated.
Population - 12,395,924 (2017).
Annual increase - 2.6%
(fertility - 5.2 births per woman, infant mortality - 63 per 1000
births).
The average life expectancy is 56 years for men, 59
years for women.
Infection with the immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- 1.6% (estimated in 2007, there are no reliable data for subsequent
years).
Ethnic composition: Fulbe 32%, Mandinka 30%, Susu 20%,
others 10%.
The main religion is Sunni Islam, 86.7% of the
population, 8.9% Christians. Most of them are Catholics, there are also
communities of the Assemblies of God, Evangelicals, Plymouth Brethren.
Aboriginal beliefs - 4%.
Literacy - 42% of men, 18% of women
(2003 estimate).
Urban population - 34% (in 2009).
The ancient history of Guinea has not been
studied. In the 5th century BC e. the shores of Guinea, most likely,
were captured by the Phoenician navigator Hanno.
In the
Middle Ages, some parts of present-day Guinea were part of the
Empire of Ghana (VIII-IX centuries) and Mali (XIII-XV centuries). At
that time, the territory of Guinea was inhabited by various tribes,
the most numerous of which were Mandinka, Dialonke, Susu.
In
the 16th century, nomadic pastoralists, the Fulbe, settled on the
Futa-Jallon plateau. In the 1720s, the Islamized top of the Fulbe
started a war against the Dyalonke, as well as against the pagan
Fulbe. This war ended mostly in the late 1770s. As a result, the
early feudal state of the Fulbe, the Futa-Jallon imamate, was
created.
In the XIX century, the penetration of the French
into Guinea began. They tried to organize trade relations with the
locals, but often this ended in the destruction of European
merchants. Since 1865, France began to build forts and fortified
posts on the Pepper Coast (in southern Guinea) to protect merchants.
With the leaders of local tribes, the French tried to conclude
non-aggression pacts.
In 1897, France entered into an agreement with the ruler of
Futa-Jallon on a protectorate. In 1898-1904. approximately in the
territory of modern Guinea there was a French colony of the Rivière
du Sud.
Since 1904, French Guinea has been part of the
federation of French West Africa.
The colonization of Guinea
by the French was slow. Only after the end of the First World War
there began the creation of plantations of bananas, pineapples,
coffee. However, the plantation economy has not received much
development. Industry also developed slowly in Guinea - only on the
eve of the Second World War did the first mining enterprises and
small workshops of the manufacturing industry appear there.
In a referendum in 1958, the Guinean
people voted for independence, which was declared on 2 October.
Guinea was proclaimed a republic.
Ahmed Sekou Toure became
the president of the republic, who established a one-party system in
the country, backed up by a powerful repressive apparatus to
suppress the “exploiting classes”, which did not have a specific
definition, but which included alleged opponents of the regime. In
the field of foreign policy, he adhered to a moderately pro-Soviet
course, and in the field of domestic policy he was an adherent of
"scientific socialism with African characteristics." The result of
this strategy was the total socialization of property; at some
stages, even the number of merchants in the bazaars was regulated by
order. By the beginning of the 1980s, about a million residents of
the country had emigrated abroad. In 1978-1984 it was called the
People's Revolutionary Republic of Guinea.
After the death of
Ahmed Sekou Toure in 1984, a group of military men seized power,
creating the Military Committee of National Revival, headed by
Colonel Lansana Conte, who eliminated the main competitors in the
struggle for power over the next three years. Under President Comte,
foreign policy was reoriented towards greater cooperation with
France, the USA, Great Britain; the country began to enjoy modest
support from international financial institutions.
In the
late 1980s, the process of democratization of political life began;
nominally free presidential and parliamentary elections have been
held regularly since the beginning of the next decade. Nevertheless,
Conte won the presidential elections three times (in 1993, 1998,
2003), and his Party of Unity and Progress won the parliamentary
elections, and each round was accompanied by powerful opposition
protests, to which local power ministries traditionally react very
harshly.
The continuing deterioration of the economic
situation in the country led to mass demonstrations in 2007
demanding the resignation of the government and the adoption of
urgent measures to bring the country out of the crisis. As a result
of negotiations between the authorities and the trade union
movement, the post of prime minister was handed over to a compromise
candidate with a mandate until the next elections scheduled for
mid-2008.
On December 22, 2008, President Conte died suddenly
and, according to the constitution, his duties were transferred to
the chairman of the National Assembly, Abubakar Sompare, who was to
elect a new president of the republic within 60 days. However, on
December 23, 2008, a few hours after Conte's death, a group of
military men who declared themselves the National Council for
Democracy and Development, NCDD (French: Conseil national pour la
démocratie et le développement, CNDD), carried out a coup d'état. On
December 24, 2008, the duties of the President of the Republic were
transferred to Captain Mousse Dadi Kamara by agreement between the
government of Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Suare and the military,
who created the National Council for Democracy and Development.
The leader of the junta scheduled the election of a new
president for January 2010. At the same time, at first he refused to
participate in the struggle for the presidency, but then changed his
mind, which caused indignation of the opposition. On September 28,
2009, thousands of people rallied in the capital of Guinea, Conakry,
to disperse which army units were thrown. As a result, more than 150
participants died, about 1,000 demonstrators were injured.
In
December 2009, Moussa Dadi Camara was assassinated, during which he
was shot in the head and sent abroad for treatment. As a result,
control of the ruling junta passed to General Sekuba Konate, who
later called on the opposition to form a government of national
unity and scheduled presidential elections for June 2010. Since
December 21, 2010 President Alpha Condé.
On September 28,
2013, parliamentary elections were held, the results of which were
not recognized by the opposition.
On October 12, 2016, as a
result of negotiations between the President of the Republic,
representatives of the opposition and civil society, as well as with
the participation of international observers, a political agreement
was reached, consisting of 12 parts, the implementation of which was
supposed to ensure the normalization of relations between political
blocs and in civil society. The agreement was to help prepare for
open and independent parliamentary and presidential elections in
2020.
On September 5, 2021, a military coup took place in the
capital of the state, carried out by the forces of an elite military
unit of the government special forces group (GPS). The head of the
unit, Colonel Mamady Dumbua, announced the arrest of the country's
president, Alpha Conde, the dissolution of the government and
parliament, and the closure of borders.
It has diplomatic
relations with the Russian Federation (established with the USSR on
October 4, 1958). In 2018, an agreement on military cooperation was
signed between the countries.