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Guinea
Country Profile
Introduction
Mineral policy and legislation  
Fiscal regime and commercial legislation
General geology 
Mineral deposits and mineral production
Projects
 
 
  
The information presented here has been compiled from published sources by the authors. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, it should be noted that the approval from the Government of Guinea was not received at the time of going to press.
 
1. Introduction 

1.1 Background statistics  
 
Area:  245.860 km˛
Population:  6,6 million (1995)
Population 
growth rate:		 1,85% (1996 est.)
Currency: Guinea Franc (FG), US$ 1 = FG 1000 (August 1997)
Inflation: 16,6%
Official 
language:		 French
Value 
of exports:		 US$ 562 million 
(1994 est.)
Value 
of imports:		 US$ 688 million 
(1994 est.)
Trade 
balance:		 US$ 126 million (1994)
Main 
exports:		 Bauxite, alumina, diamonds, gold, coffee, pineaplle, bananas
GDP: US$ 3.686 million (1995)
GDP per cap.: US$ 550 (1995)
 
(Click on image to enlarge)
 
1.2  Physical Geography 
  
Guinea borders the Atlantic Ocean and is situated in the western part of the ECOWAS region between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. Inland it shares borders with Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast and Liberia. It can be divided into four zones - the coastal plain, the Fouta Djalon hills (up to 1,500 m) in the north-west, the northern lowlands and the southeastern forests and hills. The coastal plain has high rainfall of monsoon type with over 4,300 mm, most of it in July-August. The north is drier and the rainy season extends from May to October. 

1.3  History 
  
Guinea was part of the Empire of Mali between the 13th and 15th centuries and the Malimbé descendants of the original rulers still live in Guinea. As part of French West Africa, Guinea was a French colony until the late 1950’s. Independence in 1958 was acrimonious and was followed by economic collapse. President Sekou Touré introduced socialist policies and repressive measures. Following his death in 1984, President Lansana Conté became president. Since then, gradual liberalisation has taken place. Political parties were legalised in 1992, presidential elections were held in late 1993 and legislative multi-party elections in 1995. 

1.4  Population 
  
Guinea is ethnically diverse with almost twenty different groups. Of  these, Peuhl (northern region) account for 40%, Malinke for 30% and Soussou (coastal region) for 20% of the total population. The capital is Conakry, and there are thirty-three administrative regions. The main centres are: 

  • Mamou in the centre;
  • Boké, the bauxite mining centre in the north-west ;
  • Labé in the Fouta Djalon hills; and 
  • N’Zérékoré in the south-east.
 
1.5  Physical Infrastructure 
  
The infrastructure of Guinea reflects its dependence on bauxite mining.  There is a total of 1,086 km of railway. Ports are in existence at Conakry, Boké and Kamsar. About 30,000 km of roads exist of which approximately. 4,500 km are paved. There is an international airport at Conakry and a number of airstrips throughout the country. The main centres have electricity and telephone. 

1.6  Economy 
  
Despite major mineral and hydropower resources, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the region. Subsistence agriculture contributes about 40% to the GDP and employs 80% of the workforce. Cash crops include rice, coffee, pineapples and palm kernels. Industry is dominated by bauxite mining which, together with alumina, accounts for 85% of exports. Gold and diamonds are also mined. Fishing and forestry are locally significant industries. Up to now, except for the bauxite industry, foreign investment remains at low level. 
 

Mineral policy and legislation  
Fiscal regime and commercial legislation
General geology  
Mineral deposits and mineral production
 
Projects in Guinea :
Kankan gold - GN-01 
Diamond exploration project at Sibiribaro N°65 - GN-02 
Gold mining in the River Bafing using dredges - GN-04 
Gold exploration at Kouroussa, Mustapha  - GN-05 
Mining of rutile in Boffa - Lower Guinea - GN-06 
Gold exploration at Kissidougou - GN-07 
Gold exploration area near Kouroussa, Kaita - GN-08 
C S D K gold exploration zone at Kouroussa, Upper Guinea - GN-09 
Gold exploration in Mandiana Societe Kafa Sarl (Ltd) - GN-10 
SOTRANCIB gold exploration in Kouroussa, Upper Guinea - GN-11 
S.IDEM-S.A. gold and diamond mining project in Dalagna - GN-12 
Maferinya grey-beige granite - GN-13 
Macenta gold and diamond exploration area - GN-14 
Gold mining at Tinkisso - GN-15 
Mining of Guinea slate (Labé) - GN-16 
Mandiana - GN-17 
Kouroussa, Eden Source - GN-18 
 
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