Guinea - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Guinea. The Niger and its important tributary the Milo River have their sources in the Guinean highlands. Mother's mean age at first birth is 19.9 years (2018 est.) (Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 553 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Guinea
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
Geographic coordinates 11 00 N, 10 00 W
Map references Africa
Tarrain generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior
Natural Resources bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
Natural Hazards hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season
Irrigated Land 950 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km) Niger river source (shared with Mali, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Gambie (Gambia) river source (shared with Senegal and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major aquifers
Land Boundaries 4,046 km
Border Countries Cote d'Ivoire 816 km; Guinea-Bissau 421 km; Liberia 590 km; Mali 1062 km; Senegal 363 km; Sierra Leone 794 km
Coastline 320 km
Climate generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Area
Total Area
Land Area 245,717 sq km
Water Area 140 sq km
comparative Area slightly smaller than Oregon; slightly larger than twice the size of Pennsylvania
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Mont Nimba 1,752 m
Lowest point Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation 472 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 58.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 11.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 2.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 43.5% (2018 est.)
Forest 26.5% (2018 est.)
Other 15.4% (2018 est.)
Population Distribution

Areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map

People and Society

In Guinea, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: Fulani (Peuhl) 33.4%, Malinke 29.4%, Susu 21.2%, Guerze 7.8%, Kissi 6.2%, Toma 1.6%, other/foreign 0.4% (2018 est.)

Population
Pop growth rate 2.74% (2024 est.)
Birth rate 35.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Health expenditure 4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density 0.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Total fertility rate 4.78 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 2.36 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 10.9% (2018)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 68.7% (2023 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write
Education expenditures 2.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Net Migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Guinean | Guinean(s)
Languages French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages
Religions Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2% (2018 est.)
Age Structure
0-14 years 40.9% (male 2,884,146/female 2,835,794)
15-64 years 55.1% (male 3,846,852/female 3,856,366)
65 years and over 4% (2024 est.) (male 254,608/female 308,413)
Dependency Ratios
Total dependency ratio 82.4
Youth dependency ratio 76.3
Elderly dependency ratio 6.1
Potential support ratio 16.3 (2021 est.)
Median Age
Total 19.4 years (2024 est.)
Male 19.2 years
Female 19.6 years
Urbanization
Urban population 38.1% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 2.111 million CONAKRY (capital) (2023).
Sex Ratio
At birth 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant Motality
Total 47 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male 51.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Female 42.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at birth
Total population 64.6 years (2024 est.)
Male 62.7 years
Female 66.6 years
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 99.5% of population
Improved: rural rural: 76.9% of population
Improved: total total: 85.2% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 0.5% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 23.1% of population
Unimproved: total total: 14.8% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 90.9% of population
Improved: rural rural: 38.7% of population
Improved: total total: 58% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 9.1% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 61.3% of population
Unimproved: total total: 42% of population (2020 est.)
Major Infectious diseases
Degree of risk very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases malaria, dengue fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: hepatitis B (2024)
Water contact diseases schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases rabies
Aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases Lassa fever
Alcohol consumption per capita
Total 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
Women married by age 15 17%
Women married by age 18 46.5%
Men married by age 18 1.9% (2018 est.)
Demographic profile

Guinea’s strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea’s total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman as of 2022 because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country’s large youth population is unemployed.

Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile "Parrot’s Beak" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence.

All Important Facts about Guinea

Want to know more about Guinea? Check all different factbooks for Guinea below.

Guinea is found in Western Africa