Guinea

Overview

The Foreign office link must be checked before planning a trip here. The country has not entirely recovered from the following of Maoist ideology in the 1950s but there is still opportunity for trekking through highlands and jungles. It is still possible to visit some especially undisturbed countryside and the capital, Conakry should be seen, if only because of its location, on an island reached by a pier. Music has a strong tradition here, the singing of the Kindia people being famous. There are four major regions in Guinea - the coast is called Basse (low) or Maritime Guinea, the next section of the interior is called Moyenne (lesser) Guinea, the more mountainous area to the east is called Haute (high) Guinea, and the tail that drops down to the southeast is called Guinea Forestiere or Forest Guinea. These major division also provide broad cultural division as well - Basse Guinea is primarily Susu people and culture, Moyenne Guinea is more of the Pular people, who originate from nomadic tribes, Haute Guinea is primarily Malinke and Forest Guinea is home to the Toma, Kissi and similar groups who carry on strong traditional practices for medicine and religion.

History

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.