Guinea
Africa · Conakry · GN
Guinea is the West African republic of the natural richness and the revolutionary history, the country of the water tower of West Africa that rises in the famous mountains of the Fouta Djallon and sends its many great rivers across the whole of the subregion. The country, which won its independence in the referendum of the late fifties and pioneered the African pride of the decolonization, holds the capital of the Conakry on its peninsula of the Atlantic, the extraordinary bauxite riches of the interior, and the dense tropical forest and the high peaks of the south-east of the country. The peoples of the region, above all the great Mande cultures of the music and the coast world of the Susu and the forest peoples of the south, give Guinea its celebrated musical, drum-driven identity. Mountainous, musical and enormously proud, Guinea is the wild green heart of the West African world.
Overview
Guinea is a country in Africa. Its capital is Conakry and the international dialling code is +224. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include French. Local currency is the Guinean Franc (GNF). We also list 1 city in Guinea: Conakry.
The Mountains of the Fouta Djallon and the Springs of the Rivers
The massif of the Fouta Djallon, the high grassy plateau of the centre of the country that the torrential rains drench for half of each year, is the water tower of West Africa, the great source of the rivers that carry the life of the whole western subregion to the distant coasts of the Atlantic. The plateau, with its rolling green pastures, its deep river gorges, its immense waterfalls and its cliffs of the layered rock, is the heartland of the Fulani people, who have grazed their cattle on the heights for centuries. The waterfalls of the region, above all the enormous cascade of the Tinkisso, plunge the rivers of the plateau toward the lowlands, and the cool, green villages and markets of the highlands offer the visitor the beautiful heart of the country of the great rivers.
The Capital of the Conakry and the Islands of the Ocean
The capital of the Conakry, the crowded peninsula city of the Atlantic coast that extends along the narrow strip between the mangrove creeks and the ocean, is the great living heart of the country, with its congested markets, its lively nightlife, its national museum and its long beaches of the palm-fringed shore. The islands of the Loos, the granite and palm islets that rise from the sea just off the coast of the capital, offer the beaches, the fishing villages and the whale watching that give the exhausted city dwellers their escape, and the boat trip of the islands, with the swimming and the grilled fish of the beach, is the classic day of the city. The museums and the national gallery of the capital, the great market of the city and the famous music venues of the evenings complete the picture of the ebullient coastal heart of the country.
The Music of the Mandingo and the Drums of the Land
The music of the country, born of the great traditions of the percussion and the chordophones of the Mande world, is the most celebrated cultural gift of Guinea to the world, the foundation of the modern popular music of the whole continent. The jeli, the hereditary griot musicians of the Mande culture, preserve and perform the epic songs of the great kings and the long genealogies of the noble families, and the orchestras of the capital, fired in the years of the revolution, mixed the ancient drums and the kora with the modern band instruments to create the legendary sound of the country. The ballets and the ensembles, from the great dance companies to the drum troupes of the villages, continue the percussive power of the tradition, and the drum remains the deep, irresistible heartbeat of the whole of Guinea.
The Peaks of the Nimba and the Rainforest of the High Mountains
The mountains of the Nimba, the sharp ridge of the iron-rich summits that rises on the borders of the country with its neighbours of the east, are the highest and the most precious natural world of the republic, the global heritage of the montane forest of the region. The slopes of the unique mountain rise from the savanna and the gallery forest into the cloud-forest crown of the heights, a biosphere refuge of the endemism, home of the viviparous toads, the unusual frogs and the rare primates of the region, among them the chimpanzees and the colobus monkeys. The trails of the park, limited to the vulnerable and fragile summit region by the strict conservation, follow the old paths of the ridges with their extraordinary endemics, and the valleys and the camps of the surrounding foothills complete the deep expedition of the high mountains of the south-east of the country.
The Reefs of the Coast and the Islands of the Bissagos North
The coast of the country, the long Atlantic shoreline of the west that is broken by the great estuary of the rivers of the north, offers the beaches, the mangroves and the offshore islands that hold the rich marine world of the region. The untouched reefs and the fishing grounds of the offshore waters teem with the life of the Guinean current, and the dhow canoes of the fishing villages range the coastal waters for the catches of the sardines and the sharks. The islands of the northern coast and the channels of the estuaries, with their colonies of the birds, their manatees and their sea turtles, offer the boat expeditions of the wild mangrove world, and the small resorts and the beach camps of the coast, still off the tourist map of the region, complete the picture of the raw, unspoiled Atlantic edge of the country.
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- Capital
- Conakry
- Currency
- Guinean Franc (GNF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +224
- Internet TLD
- gn
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Guinea.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Guinea?
Conakry is the capital of Guinea, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Guinea?
You pay with Guinean Franc (GNF) in Guinea. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Guinea?
The languages we list for Guinea are French. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Guinea?
The dialling code for Guinea is +224 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Guinea do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Guinea: Conakry (capital).