ConakryCapital
Guinea · Country profile
Conakry is the ocean capital of Guinea, a long, crowded and astonishingly lively city that sprawls along the narrow peninsula between the mangrove creeks of the landward side and the open Atlantic of the coast. It is the commercial and political heart of the country of the riverhead, with its central markets, its stadium, its noisy taxi masses and its colourful colonial-era neighbourhoods of the golden sands of the coast. The ceremonial buildings of the government quarter, the national museum and the craft market of the artisans sit among the everyday commerce of the busy streets. The calm of the sea islands just off the coast, with their beaches, their orchards and their whale watching, gives the exhausted capital its escape, and the whole crowded, generous, musical energy of the country gathers close in the streets.
About Conakry
Conakry is the capital of Guinea. The city's documented population is around 2,200,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Guinean Franc (GNF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +224.
The Ocean Capital of the Peninsula and the Mangrove Creeks
Conakry is loud, packed, chaotic and completely alive, a peninsula capital where the traffic of the whole country seems to converge into a single dazzling river of taxis, markets and horns. The days run between the markets of the centre, the museums, the waterfront and the craft districts, always with a driver and the patience of the tropical crowd. The calm waits just a short boat-ride away, on the forested islands off the peninsula where the swimming, the fruit and the whales make the classic escape. Fierce, friendly and unforgettable, it is the unspoiled heart of a country far from the beaten track of West Africa.
The Dry Window, the Guinean Franc and the Patience of the Traffic
The tropical climate is hot and wet, with the great rains from May to November and the drier, dustier winter months making the easier travel window. The Guinean franc is the currency and the French the language, with the local languages of the streets. The essentials of the city are the market, the museum and the craft area, and the day trips to the islands of the coast and the beach of the peninsula fill the extras. The city demands a driver and careful attention, and the malaria protection and the water discipline count double. The music, the beaches and the warmth of the people reward the bold and the patient traveller.
The National Museum, the Crafts of the Quarter and the Islands of the Coast
The national museum of Guinea, the craft market of the artisans and the memorial of the years of the independence gather the masks, the fabrics and the history of the many peoples of the country. The botanical garden of the centre and the great mosque of the capital frame the official quarter, and the markets of Madina and the river front run the noisy commerce of the everyday. The islands of the Loos, at a boat ride from the harbour, offer the beaches, the fishing villages and the whales of the cool season, and the motorboat trips along the coast give the salt air and the freedom that the crowded capital always promises.
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- Country
- Guinea
- Population
- 2,200,000
- Capital
- Conakry
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Guinean Franc (GNF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +224
- Country code
- GN
Frequently asked questions
Is Conakry the capital of Guinea?
Yes — Conakry is the capital of Guinea.
What currency do I need in Conakry?
The local currency is the Guinean Franc (GNF). Languages spoken in Guinea include French.
What is the dialling code for Guinea?
The international dialling code for Guinea is +224.
Flying out of Conakry? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.