Where is Guinea?

Guinea is a country roughly the size of the UK located in West Africa south of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, west of Mali and Cote d'Ivoire, and north of Liberia and Sierra Leone. The country was colonized by the French and gained independence in 1958. The official language remains French, but three major local languages are spoken depending upon the region: Sousou, Malinke, and Pulaar. The population is roughly 10 million and is predominately Muslim (around 85%).

Since its independence, Guinea has had a somewhat tumultuous political history. There have been numerous coup d'états, some bloody and some not, the most recent occurring in 2009. For this reason, Peace Corps has pulled in and out of Guinea many times since it was established in 1962. However, Peace Corps reestablished itself after the most recent elections which occurred in 2010 and were broadly considered fair and peaceful. In January 2011, the current president of Guinea, Alpha Condé, was sworn in.

As is the same with many other countries in the region, Guinea has struggled to find its economic footing since independence and it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. However, the country is rich in minerals, and is one of the world's primary exporter of bauxite (an aluminium ore). General mismanagement has not allowed this wealth to trickle down, and it shows: general infrastructure in Guinea is severely lacking.

In terms of its physical geography, Guinea is known for its mountains and waterfalls, coastal plains, and forested highlands. Its diverse landscape is apparently quite beautiful! It is also a major grower of mangos. YUM!