Guinea (2002) | Bahrain (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele, Tougue, Yomou | 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
note: all municipalities administered from Manama |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 1,660,795; female 1,669,850)
15-64 years: 54.5% (male 2,067,991; female 2,165,625) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 86,968; female 123,836) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.6% (male 96,697; female 94,330) 15-64 years: 67.43% (male 257,360; female 177,839) 65 years and over: 2.97% (male 9,721; female 9,414) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber | fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish |
Airports | 15 (2001) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002) |
total:
2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 10 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 1 (2002) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 245,857 sq km
land: 245,857 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
620 sq km land: 620 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Oregon | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a humanitarian emergency. | Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Possessing minimal oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining, and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir is pushing economic and political reforms, and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In 2001, the International Court of Justice awarded the Hawar Islands, long disputed with Qatar, to Bahrain. |
Birth rate | 39.49 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 20.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $395.7 million
expenditures: $472.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA million (2000 est.) |
revenues:
$1.8 billion expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | Conakry | Manama |
Climate | generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds | arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers |
Coastline | 320 km | 161 km |
Constitution | 23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale) | adopted late December 2000 (new constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea |
conventional long form:
State of Bahrain conventional short form: Bahrain local long form: Dawlat al Bahrayn local short form: Al Bahrayn former: Dilmun |
Currency | Guinean franc (GNF) | Bahraini dinar (BHD) |
Death rate | 17.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.6 billion (1999 est.) | $2.7 billion (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Johnny YOUNG embassy: #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 273-300 FAX: [973] 272-594 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-9420 FAX: [1] (202) 483-8688 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | major border incursions from Revolutionary United Front combatants from Sierra Leone, dissident Guinean forces, Liberian Army, and mercenaries between September 2000 and March 2001 killed over 1,500 Guinean civilians and military personnel; the borders remain mostly sealed | in March of 2001, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) awarded the Hawar Islands to Bahrain and also adjusted Bahrain's maritime boundary with Qatar |
Economic aid - recipient | $359.2 million (1998) (1998) | $48.4 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the second largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. The government made encouraging progress in budget management in 1997-99, and reform progress was praised in the World Bank/IMF October 2000 assessment. However, escalating fighting along the Sierra Leonean and Liberian borders has caused major economic disruptions. In addition to direct defense costs, the violence has led to a sharp decline in investor confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff, while panic buying has created food shortages and inflation in local markets. Multilateral aid - including Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief - and single digit inflation should permit 5% growth in 2002. | In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil revenue granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of both oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. |
Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2000) | 5.752 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 770 million kWh (2000) | 6.185 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 46%
hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m |
lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water; desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing, overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to environmental damage | desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; no natural fresh water resources so that groundwater and sea water are the only sources for all water needs |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10% | Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
Exchange rates | Guinean francs per US dollar - 1,974.4 (December 2001), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000), 1,387.4 (1999), 1,236.8 (1998), 1,095.3 (1997) | Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.3760 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Lamine SIDIME (since 8 March 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected president; election last held 14 December 1998 (next to be held NA December 2003); the prime minister is appointed by the president election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 56.1%, Mamadou Boye BA (UNR-PRP) 24.6%, Alpha CONDE (RPG) 16.6%, |
chief of state:
Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969) head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $694.5 million f.o.b. (2000) | $5.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural products | petroleum and petroleum products 61%, aluminum 7% |
Exports - partners | Belgium, US, Ireland, Russia | India 14%, Saudi Arabia 5%, US 5%, UAE 5%, Japan 4%, South Korea 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia | red with a white serrated band (eight white points) on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $15 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10.1 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 24%
industry: 38% services: 38% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 46% services: 53% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,970 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,900 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.3% (2001 est.) | 5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 11 00 N, 10 00 W | 26 00 N, 50 33 E |
Geography - note | the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources in the Guinean highlands | close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 30,500 km
paved: 5,033 km unpaved: 25,467 km (1996) |
total:
3,164 km paved: 2,433 km unpaved: 731 km note: there is a paved causeway connecting Bahrain to Saudi Arabia (1997) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 32% (1994) (1994) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $555.2 million f.o.b. (2000) | $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment, textiles, grain and other foodstuffs | nonoil 59%, crude oil 41% |
Imports - partners | France, US, Belgium, Cote d'Ivoire | France 20%, US 14%, UK 8%, Saudi Arabia 7%, Japan 5% (1999) |
Independence | 2 October 1958 (from France) | 15 August 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.2% (1994) (1994) | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and agricultural processing industries | petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 127.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 19.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2000 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 4 (2001) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 950 sq km (1998 est.) | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel | High Civil Appeals Court |
Labor force | 3 million (1999) (1999) | 295,000 (1998 est.)
note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.) | industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.6%
permanent crops: 2.44% other: 93.96% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 6% forests and woodland: 0% other: 92% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), each ethnic group has its own language | Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu |
Legal system | based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Islamic law and English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 30 June 2002; next to be held NA 2007 election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%, other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9 |
unicameral National Assembly was dissolved 26 August 1975 and legislative powers were assumed by the Cabinet; appointed Advisory Council established 16 December 1992; the National Action Charter created a bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum of 14 February 2001 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 46.28 years
male: 43.81 years female: 48.82 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
73.2 years male: 70.81 years female: 75.67 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.2% male: 89.1% female: 79.4% (1995 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone | Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Africa | Middle East |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 175,609 GRT/207,652 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 3, container 2 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Republican Guard, Presidential Guard, paramilitary National Gendarmerie, National Police Force (Surete National) | Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $137.6 million (FY01) | $318 million (FY99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.3% (FY01) | 5.2% (FY99) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,812,131 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
222,141 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 915,028 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
121,833 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 15 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
5,926 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 2 October (1958) | National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from British protection |
Nationality | noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean |
noun:
Bahraini(s) adjective: Bahraini |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season | periodic droughts; dust storms |
Natural resources | bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish | oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: as a result of civil war in neighboring countries, Guinea is host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees (2002 est.) |
1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 56 km; petroleum products 16 km; natural gas 32 km |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party of Guinea or PDG-AST [Marcel CROS]; Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or UNP [Paul Louis FABER]; Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]; Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR; note - Party for Renewal and Progress or PRP and Union for the New Republic or UNR merged into UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]; Union for the New Republic or UNR [Mamadou Boye BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE] | political parties prohibited |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active |
Population | 7,775,065 (July 2002 est.) | 645,361
note: includes 228,424 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 40% (1994 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.23% (2002 est.) | 1.73% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Boke, Conakry, Kamsar | Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2001) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 357,000 (1997) | 338,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 1,086 km
standard gauge: 279 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 807 km 1.000-m gauge (includes 662 km in common carrier service from Kankan to Conakry, of which 36 km are usable and the rest are deteriorating (2000 est.) |
0 km |
Religions | Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7% | Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.45 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 1.29 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none |
Telephone system | general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay system
domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
modern system domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 37,000 (1998) | 152,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 21,567 (1998) | 58,543 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 lowpowered stations (2001) | 4 (1997) |
Terrain | generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior | mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment |
Total fertility rate | 5.32 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 15% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | 1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) | none |