Formerly a French colony, Guinea became independent on 2 October 1958 and for a long time was a single-party state headed by President Ahmed Sekou Touré. After his death in 1984, power was seized by Colonel Lansana Conté, and the country was turned into a military regime. In 2008, after Conté’s death, a transitional government was formed which was controlled by the military. It drew up a new Constitution and led the country to the first free presidential elections in 2010, won by Alpha Condé. The country’s political life is strongly influenced by the rivalry between various ethnic groups, especially the Fula (Fulbe) and the Mandinka (Malinke). According to the 2010 Constitution, amended in 2020, the President of the Republic, who is elected by direct suffrage for six years, is head of executive power. Legislative power lies in the hands of the National Assembly, formed by 114 members elected for five years.

Population by age and gender (% - 2020)
	75+ 60-74 45-59 30-44 15-29 0-14
MALE	AGE	FEMALE

Life expectancy is low with a high level of infant mortality. It is estimated that over one million Guineans live abroad, mostly in neighboring countries.

Primary sector.
The principal cash crops are rubber, cocoa, coffee, peanuts, and cashew nuts. About half of the usable land in the country is dedicated to subsistence crops, including rice, cassava, maize, bananas and fonio millet. Livestock farming (mainly cattle) is practised on the slopes of the Fouta Djalon.

Secondary and tertiary sector.
Vast reserves of bauxite (among the largest in the world) are found in Fria, Sangarédi and Debélé. Iron ore (Simandou), diamonds (near Macenta) and gold (in Kouroussa and Siguiri) are also mined. There are unexploited reserves of manganese, nickel and uranium.
Electricity is in part supplied by the plants built along the rivers Samou, Konkouré and Bafing. The country’s industrial system includes an alumina refinery plant (at Fria), some tobacco and cement factories (at Conakry), a tea processing plant (at Macenta), peanuts processing plants (at Dabola) and cotton plants (at Conarky and Sanoyah).