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{{pagebanner|Guinea banner.jpg}}
{{confused|[[Equatorial Guinea]]}}
'''Guinea''' (officially the Republic of Guinea; French: ''République de Guinée'') is a former French colony in [[West Africa]]. Guinea has some spectacular landscapes with a few tropical, dry forests
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▲[http://www.ontguinee.org/ '''Guinea'''] (officially the Republic of Guinea; French: ''République de Guinée'') is a former French colony in [[West Africa]]. The country is sometimes called '''Guinea-Conakry''' to distinguish it from [[Guinea-Bissau]] and [[Equatorial Guinea]].
==Regions==
[[Image:Guinea Regions map.png|thumb|500px|Map of Guinea with regions
{{Regionlist
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*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Conakry]]|wikidata=Q3733}} — capital
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Beyla]]|wikidata=Q1076707}}
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Boke]]|lat=10.9410170|long=-14.2801324}}
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Dalaba]]|wikidata=Q984798}} — a small town often dubbed the "Switzerland of Guinea" because of its relatively mild temperatures and nice scenery.
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Faranah]]|wikidata=Q597843}}
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*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Kankan]]|wikidata=Q874317}} — the second city
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Kindia]]|wikidata=Q997057}}
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Koundara]]|wikidata=|lat=12.486061|long=-13.296363}}
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Labé]]|wikidata=Q1020384}}
*{{marker|type=city|name=[[Mamou]]|wikidata=Q644131}}
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Guinea belonged to a series of empires until France colonized it in the 1890s, and made it part of French West Africa. Guinea declared its independence from France on 2 October 1958. The first president, socialist Ahmed Sékou Touré, faced a lot of criticism from the West for alleged human rights violations and suppression of opposition parties. He believed in building a powerful, self-sufficient nation, without reliance on foreign powers.
When he died in 1984, General Lansana Conté took over. Under Conté's rule, things did not improve and the ideals of Touré were soon left behind. Conté made too many political promises and most of them were never fulfilled. In 1993, the first elections were held, though their results were disputed - as have those in all subsequent elections. Conté died in December 2008 without appointing a successor, leaving chaos in his wake. Immediately following Conté's death,
In 2010, opposition leader Alpha Condé was elected as president. In 2021, Condé's attempt to run for a third term, considered by many to be unconstitutional, led to more protests, and a military coup that brought Lieutenant Colonel Mamady Doumbouya to power.
===Climate===
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==Get in==
[[File:Visa policy of Guinea.
===Visa===
Visa inquiries must be made at Guinea embassies, and are not available at the borders or airport. Also a yellow fever vaccination certificate is needed to enter.
*Guinea now has E-visa which cost USD$80.
===By plane===
Royal Air Maroc (RAM) flies from numerous European cities to Conakry (CKY) via Casablanca. RAM supplies the only direct flight from Montréal to Africa (Casablanca, with a stopover in New York) and many connections from Casablanca to Conakry (also called Kry) and elsewhere. Air France flies from Paris and SN Brussels flies from (you guessed it) Brussels. Expect to be asked for a "gift" by airport security.
===By train===
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In 2008 travel between Guinea and Liberia was safe, though time consuming. Hiring a motorcycle is one of the best options.
Crossing the Guinean border with Senegal is possible but very uncomfortable and requires patience. Inside Guinea, the road between
Koundara is also the main jump off point for a trip to Guinea-Bissau.
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==Talk==
The official language is [[French phrasebook|French]]. There are numerous indigenous languages, and the three most prevalent are Susu, Pular (Foulah, Peuhl) and Malinke. Susu is spoken in the coastal region and in the capital city. Toma, Guerzé, Kissi and others are spoken in the interior (Sacred Forest) region bordering on Mali, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia. There are a lot of people who cannot speak any English at all, even in the capital city.
==See==
[[File:Mount Nimba rainforest.jpg|thumb|Mount Nimba rainforest]]
▲Guinea has some spectacular landscapes with a few tropical, dry forests remaining, and the rainforests in the south are lush, verdant and full of wildlife - much of it destined for the cooking pot.
In Conakry, there is the National Museum which highlights the distinct ethnic tribes in Guinea and various traditional instruments, masks, etc.
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[[File:GNF5000.jpg|thumb|GNF5000]]
The currency of the country is the '''Guinean franc''' (French: ''franc guinéen''), denoted by the symbol "'''FG'''" or "'''Fr'''" or "'''GFr'''" (ISO currency code: '''GNF'''). Banknotes circulate in denominations of FG500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 and inflation is rampant.
===ATMs===
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In Kankan, Guinea (Haute Guinee), there are few places to choose from if you wish to eat at a more decent restaurant. There is Hotel Villa and Hotel Bate. As of mid-2008, these were the top two places for lodging and meals. A typical plate can cost anywhere between FG35,000 and FG55,000. Note that prices of food and drinks can often dramatically increase at the spur of the moment and without any explanation!
Fruits are very inexpensive here, especially compared to the higher costs in
Another alternative to eating out is eating "in". Since Guineans are generally welcoming and friendly people you may be invited to their home to share a meal. Most Guineans eat together from one big dish. Enjoy the experience and don't drink the local water if and when they offer it to you. Take bottled water (Coyah, Milo, etc.)
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Water bottled in the name of Coyah is available everywhere for about US$0.50 per 1.5 litre bottle and is very good. Conakry's tap water is generally not safe unless filtered/boiled.
==Sleep==
==Work==
==Stay safe==
{{Cautionbox|A '''coup d'état''' occurred in September 2021. Land borders between Guinea and neighboring countries are tense. Travelers are urged to avoid crowded areas or sites with demonstrations as violence can break out. General strikes (''villes mortes'') occur occasionally, which disrupt services.
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[[File:Centre ville de Labe.JPG|thumb|Labe downtown]]
Guinea is a rather unsafe nation, due to the fact that it has a history of being one of Africa's most unstable countries; lawlessness and criminality are widespread. Most of the crime is done by officials in military uniforms, and usually targets foreigners. Most non-violent crime involves acts of pick-pocketing and purse-snatching, while armed robbery, muggings, and assaults are the most common violent crimes. Criminals particularly target visitors at the airport, in the traditional markets, and near hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners. Stay vigilant, and apply common sense if stuck in a difficult situation.
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The best insider's tip for eating fresh vegetables is to soak them in a big bowl of water that has one drop of bleach in it. This will kill any bacteria and you'll be able to have a salad or eat vegetables and fruits that can't be peeled such as tomatoes or keep the skin on cucumbers etc. for added fibre and vitamins.
A major outbreak of the deadly '''Ebola''' viral haemorrhagic fever erupted in Guinea in March 2014, killing more than 11,000 people in 2014-2016. This disease is fatal if not treated early and aggressively, and has showed a 40% fatality rate. As of June 2016, [
==Respect==
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