Guinea

Date of Independence: October 2, 1958 Capital: Conakry Languages: French, Mandinka (also known as Mandingo and Malinke), Susu, Fulfulde, Kissi, Basari, Loma, Koniagi, and Kpelle Ethnic Groups: Peuhl, Mandinka, Susu, smaller ethnic groups Major Religions : Islam, Christianity, indigenous beliefs Currency: Guinean franc Population: 9,690,222 (2005) Main Exports: Bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products

The area known as Guinea has at various points in history been incorporated into each the three major West African Empires, the Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires. It was during the Mali empire that Islam began to spread through the area, first among the upper classes and later spreading to all levels of society. By the early 19 th century, an Islamist state had been established in the eastern and northern regions of modern-day Guinea. The slave trade brought Europeans to the region around the 15 th century. The French later laid claim to the area and in 1906, incorporated the territory of Guinea, expanded to include its modern-day borders, into the French West African Federation

Sekou Touré, a prominent labor union activist with socialist leanings helped to found the Rassemblement Démocratique Africain (Democratic Party of Guinea), the party that led Guinea to independence. Touré avidly sought independence and urged Guineans to choose assertive and immediate independence from French colonial rule. In 1956 he was elected Mayor of Conakry and also Guinea's deputy to the French National Assembly. Independence came to Guinea in 1958 when it became the only territory to reject the new French constitution. Touré declared himself president. France had severed all ties with the country, and so he turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. He established a one-party state with strict socialist policies.

Toure remained in power until his death in 1984. Taking advantage of the power vacuum immediately after his death, the army staged a coup d’état under the command of LT. Col. Lasana Conté. After Conté took power, the government denounced the Touré regime's human rights abuses and moved away from socialist policies. Nevertheless, Conté has himself established a firm grip on power. He was the clear winner in the first, highly disputed elections in 1993 and has won all subsequent elections. He also encouraged the return of approximately 200,000 Guineans from exile. He has ruthlessly suppressed numerous coup attempts and has established a firm grip on all legislative functions.

Sources:

The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, available at : http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gv.html

Country Profile: Guinea, BBC News, available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1032311.stm

Forgotten People: Displaced Persons in Guinea , Refugees International, available at: http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/4994/

Guinea, MSN Encarta, available at: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559214/Guinea.html

Guinea, Wikipedia, available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinea