Guinea is sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry after its capital Conakry, to distinguish it from other territories in the eponymous region such as Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
It is bounded on the north by Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali; on the east by the Côte d’Ivoire; on the south by Sierra Leone and Liberia; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Conakry is the capital and chief city while French is the official language of Guinea. The country, which lies mostly between latitudes 7° and 13°N, and longitudes 7° and 15°W (a small area is west of 15°) achieved independence on 2 October 1958. The official currency is the Guinean franc.
Guinea’s 10 million people belong to twenty-four ethnic groups. The largest and most prominent groups are the Fula (40%), Mandinka; also known as Mandingo or Malinké (30%) and Susu (20%). Smaller ethnic groups make up the remaining 10% of the population, including Kpelle, Kissi, Zialo, Toma and others.
The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that spans Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea. The reserve encompasses a large portion of the Nimba Range, a geographically distinct area with unusually rich flora and fauna, including a large number of single-site endemic species such as viviparous toads and horseshoe bats. Mount Richard-Molard, at 1,752 meters (5,750 feet), is the highest point in both countries. There are 5,000 hectares of the nature reserve in Ivory Coast and 13,000 hectares on the Guinean border. 17,000 hectares make up Guinea's Biosphere Reserve. Far from the capital cities of Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, and Liberia, Mount Nimba is located in a desolate area along their shared border. Due to previous mining activities, the mountain's Liberian portion has been severely deteriorated. But because the Guinean portion of the ridge is so well-protected, it still has intact montane ecosystems and a distinctive species diversity, as well as the smallest, Ivorian section.
It combines rolling grasslands, high peaks, thick sandstone formations, canyons, and valleys with its diverse landscape guaranteeing a myriad of activities for tourists. A simple hike up the mountain opens opportunities for sightseeing. In addition to all the sceneries, waterfalls and stunning cliffs are encountered while trekking Fouta. Being a part of the Guinea Highlands, the Fouta Djallon is source of the longest river in West Africa, River Niger as well as rivers Senegal and Gambia.
This tourist attraction is a beach lover’s paradise. It’s just a few hours away from the city of Conakry. Cape Verga has some of the best beaches in Guinea with Bel Air and Sobane as two of the most popular. Bel Air Beach has ample tourist facilities but lacks the isolation and ruggedness that some travellers look forward to. Sobane Beach has accommodations that are cheaper and not as invasive. The most isolated beaches in Cape Verga are in between Sobane and Bel Air Beach. The only way to reach Cape Verga would be to hire a vehicle from Conakry.
Along River Oulé, Forested Guinea, you can find many interesting examples of indigenous bridge engineering. In the village of Koladou 30kms from Kissidigou there is one of the longest and most beautiful vine bridges in Africa. In the hamlet of Koya you can also admire one of this wonderful vine bridges (Pont de Liane).
With a core area of 554 km2, Guinea's National Park of Upper Niger was established in January 1997. (214 sq. mi). The park is regarded as a conservation priority for all of West Africa since it safeguards significant areas of savannah and woodland. In Guinea , places with little human impact can only be found where there is a low population density. One of these places is the Mafou Forest, which is one of the few remaining areas of dry forest in West Africa and the last to exist in Guinea. The forest is home to a variety of animals, including large populations of chimpanzees, buffalo, duikers, and waterbuck as well as crocodiles and hippos. The forest is marked by regions of tall grassland savanna and is traversed by the River Niger. Giant pangolins, West African chimpanzees, Gambian mongooses that are a rare, endemic species, appear to be well-represented in the park. Kob, and Spot-necked Otters are among the significant species found there.
Exciting photos of this great destination
The activity benefited from support from the Umbrella Facility for Trade trust fund financed by the governments of the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.