hi5 - Groups - GUINEE

GUINEE - CONAKRY

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Category:	Countries and Regional
Created:	Jun 15, 2006
Type:	Public
Members:	182
Owner:	BARRY Yaya
Language:	French
Country:	Guinea

This Group is for all Guineans that is born out of Guinea . Or Guineans that Left the countrie for a very longtime.

The Republic of Guinea (French: R?publique de Guin?e) is a nation in West Africa. It borders Guinea-Bissau and Senegal on the north, Mali on the north and north-east, the C?te d'Ivoire on the south-east, Liberia on the south, and Sierra Leone on the west. Its territory encompasses the water source for the Niger, Senegal, and Gambia rivers, with a coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean. The name Guinea (geographically assigned to most of Africa's west coast, south of the Sahara desert and north of the Gulf of Guinea) originates from Berber and roughly translates into 'land of the blacks.'

History of Guinea

The area covered by the modern state of Guinea has seen itself incorporated into a succession of empires across the centuries. The earliest of these was the Ghana Empire which came into being c. 900. This was followed by the Sosso kingdom in the 12th and 13th centuries. The Mali Empire came to power in the area following the Battle of Kirina in 1235. The Mali Empire prospered until internal problems weakened it, allowing its states to seize power in the 15th century. Chief among these was the Songhai state which became the Songhai Empire. This empire exceeded its predecessors in territory and wealth, but it too fell prey to internal wrangling and civil war and was eventually toppled at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591. After this the area fragmented until an Islamic state was founded in the 18th century, bringing some stability to the region.

Europeans first came to the area as part of the slav trade, beginning in the 16th century. Present-day Guinea was created as a colony by France in 1890 with No?l Balley being the first governor. The capital Conakry was founded on Tombo Island in 1890. In 1895 the country was incorporated into French West Africa.

Guinea gained her independence from France in 1958 and was governed by a dictatorship headed by Ahmed S?kou Tour?. Tour? pursued broadly socialist economic policies and suppressed opposition and free expression with little regard for human rights. After his death in 1984 Lansana Cont? took power and immediately turned away from his predecessor's economic policies but continued to keep a close grip on power. Elections were held for the first time in 1993 but their results and the results of subsequent elections were disputed. Cont? faces regular criticism for the condition of the country's economy and for his heavy handed approach to political opponents. As of 2005 Guinea still faces very real problems and according to the International Crisis Group is in danger of becoming a failed state.

Guinea is divided into 8 administrative regions which are further subdivided into 33 prefectures. Additionally, the national capital Conakry ranks as a special zone. These are listed below, with their parent administrative region in parenthesis.

Beyla Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)
Boffa Prefecture (Bok? Region)
Bok? Prefecture (Bok? Region)
Conakry Special Z
Coyah Prefecture (Kindia Region)
Dabola Prefecture (Faranah Region)
Dalaba Prefecture (Mamou Region)
Dinguiraye Prefecture (Faranah Region)
Dubr?ka Prefecture (Kindia Region)
Faranah Prefecture (Faranah Region)
For?cariah Prefecture (Kindia Region)
Fria Prefecture (Bok? Region)
Gaoual Prefecture (Bok? Region)
Gu?ck?dou Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)
Kankan Prefecture (Kankan Region)
K?rouan? Prefecture (Kankan Region)
Kindia Prefecture (Kindia Region)
Kissidougou Prefecture (Faranah Region)
Koubia Prefecture (Lab? Region)
Koundara Prefecture (Bok? Region)
Kouroussa Prefecture (Kankan Region)
Lab? Prefecture (Lab? Region)
L?louma Prefecture (Lab? Region)
Lola Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)
Macenta Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)
Mali Prefecture (Lab? Region)
Mamou Prefecture (Mamou Region)
Mandiana Prefecture (Kankan Region)
Nz?r?kor? Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)
Pita Prefecture (Mamou Region)
Siguiri Prefecture (Kankan Region)
T?lim?l? Prefecture (Kindia Region)
Tougu? Prefecture (Lab? Region)
Yomou Prefecture (Nz?r?kor? Region)

Economy of Guinea

Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have caused major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff. Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and caused riots in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid. The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose slightly in 2004, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets