Guinea

I

Introduction

Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea, formerly People’s Revolutionary Republic of Guinea, independent nation in western Africa, bounded on the north-west by Guinea-Bissau and Senegal; on the north-east by Mali; on the east and south-east by Côte d’Ivoire; on the south by Liberia and Sierra Leone; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. A former French colony, Guinea became independent on October 2, 1958. The total area of the country, including the Iles de Los lying off the coast, near Conakry, the capital, is 245,857 sq km (94,926 sq mi).

II

Land and Resources

Guinea has four major topographical regions. Lower Guinea, the coastal plain, extends about 48 km (30 mi) inland from the coast, which is about 275 km (170 mi) in length. Beyond the coastal plain, is middle Guinea, the Fouta Djallon, a mountainous plateau region with an average elevation of about 910 m (3,000 ft). Upper Guinea is gently undulating savannah country, broken by occasional rocky outcrops with an average elevation of 305 m (1,000 ft). In the extreme south-east are forested highlands. Found here, in the Nimba Range, is the highest point in the country (1,850 m/6,070 ft).

A

Rivers and Lakes

The principal rivers are the Bafing (the upper course of the River Senegal) and the Gambia, both of which rise in the mountains of the Fouta Djallon and flow north-east over the country’s borders. Many smaller rivers rise in the Fouta Djallon and descend to the coastal plain, where they divide into many branches. The River Niger and its important tributary the River Milo originate in the forested Guinea highlands.

B

Climate

Guinea has a varied climate, in which the dominant factor is altitude. Rainfall is highest and range of temperature lowest in lower Guinea. Conakry has an annual rainfall of 4,267 mm (168 in) and an annual average temperature of 26.7° C (80° F). In the Fouta Djallon, annual rainfall averages 1,778 mm (70 in) and the average annual temperature is 20° C (68° F). In upper Guinea, annual rainfall is less than in the Fouta Djallon, and the annual average temperature is 21.1° C (70° F). In the Guinea highlands annual rainfall averages 2,794 mm (110 in). The highest temperatures are also found in this region. The climate in the highlands is equatorial with no clearly distinguishable seasons. The rainy season in the remainder of the country occurs from April or May to October or November. April is the hottest month and July or August the wettest.