Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea ( , ), is a country in West Africa formerly known as French Guinea. The country's current population is estimated at 10,211,437 (CIA 2008 estimate). Guinea's size is almost . Its territory has a crescent shape, with its western border on the Atlantic Ocean, curving inland to the east and south. The Atlantic coast borders Guinea-Bissau to the north and Sierra Leone to the south. The inland part neighbors Senegal to the north, Mali to the north and north-east, Côte d'Ivoire to the south-east, and Liberia to the south. The Niger River runs through the nation, providing both water and irregular transportation. Conakry is the capital, seat of the national government, and largest city. The nation is sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbor Guinea-Bissau.

History

main: History of Guinea The land composing present-day Guinea was part of a series of empires, beginning with the Ghana Empire which came into being around 900 1. This was followed by the Sosso kingdom in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Mali Empire took control of the region after the Battle of Kirina in 1235, but grew weaker over time from internal conflicts, which eventually led to its dissolution.

Europeans first came to the area during the era of Portuguese discoveries in the fifteenth century. The European slave trade began the next century.

One of the strongest successor states of the Mali Empire was the Songhai Empire. It exceeded its predecessors in terms of territory and wealth, but succumbed to civil war. Eventually, it was toppled at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591.

An Islamic state was founded in the eighteenth century which brought stability to the region. Simultaneously, the Fulani Muslims arrived in the highland region of Fouta Djallon.

France colonized Guinea in 1890 and appointed Noël Balley as the first governor. The capital Conakry was founded on Tombo Island in the same year. In 1895 the country was incorporated into French West Africa.

After independence, Guinea was governed by President Ahmed Sékou Touré. Touré pursued broadly socialist economic policies and suppressed opposition and free expression. Under his leadership, Guinea joined the Non-Aligned Movement and pursued close ties with the Eastern Bloc. After Touré's death in 1984, Lansana Conté assumed power and immediately changed his predecessor's economic policies, but the government remained dictatorial. The first elections since independence were held in 1993, but the results and those of subsequent elections were disputed. Conté faced domestic criticism for the condition of the country's economy and for his heavy-handed approach to political opposition.

While on a visit to France with his family in 2005, Prime Minister François Lonseny Fall resigned and sought asylum, citing corruption and increasing interference from the President, which he felt limited his effectiveness as the head of the government. Fall's successor, Cellou Dalein Diallo, was removed in April 2006, and Conté failed to appoint a new one until the end of January 2007 after devastating nationwide strikes and mass demonstrations. During 2006, there were two nationwide strikes by government workers, during which 10 students were shot dead by the military; strikes were suspended when Conté agreed to more favorable wages for civil servants and a reduction of the cost of the basic amenities, rice and oil.