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Guinea

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Guinea, officially Republic of Guinea (pronounced /ˈɡɪni/, French: République de Guinée), is a country in West Africa formerly known as French Guinea. The country's current population is estimated at 10,211,437 (CIA 2008 estimate). Guinea's size is almost 246,000 square kilometres (94,981 sq mi). Its territory has a crescent shape, with its western border on the Atlantic Ocean, curving inland to the east and south. The Atlantic coast borders Guinea-Bissau to the north and Sierra Leone to the south. The inland part neighbors Senegal to the north, Mali to the north and north-east, Côte d'Ivoire to the south-east, and Liberia to the south. Its water sources include the Niger, Senegal, and Gambia rivers. Conakry is the capital, seat of the national government, and largest city.

History

The land composing present-day Guinea was part of a series of empires, beginning with the Ghana Empire which came into being around 900 CE. This was followed by the Sosso kingdom in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The Mali Empire took control of the region after the Battle of Kirina in 1235, but grew weaker over time from internal conflicts, which eventually led to its dissolution.

Europeans first came to the area during the era of Portuguese discoveries in the fifteenth century. The European slave trade began the next century.

One of the strongest successor states of the Mali Empire was the Songhai Empire. It exceeded its predecessors in terms of territory and wealth, but succumbed to civil war. Eventually, it was toppled at the Battle of Tondibi in 1591.

An Islamic state was founded in the eighteenth century which brought stability to the region. Simultaneously, the Fulani Muslims arrived in the highland region of Fouta Djallon.

France colonized Guinea in 1890 and appointed Noël Balley as the first governor. The capital Conakry was founded on Tombo Island in the same year. In 1895 the country was incorporated into French West Africa.

On 28 September 1958, under the direction of Charles de Gaulle, Metropolitan France held a referendum on a new constitution and the creation of the Fifth Republic. The colonies, except Algeria, which was legally a direct part of France, were given the choice between immediate independence or retaining their colonial status. All colonies except Guinea opted for the latter. Thus, Guinea became the first French African colony to gain independence, on 2 October 1958, at the cost of the immediate cessation of all French assistance.