GUINEA

Guinea overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and is bounded by Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mali on the North, Ivory Cost on the Est, Sierra Leone and Liberia on the South.

The mountainous Fouta Djalon in the west, (maximum height 1.538 m) who slopes down towards the coast, and Nimba mountains in the south eastern corner (1.752 m), offer some of the most beautiful landscape of West Africa, with their sources of Niger, Gambia and Senegal riversl.

The climate is wet, with abundant rainfalls throughout the rainy seasoin, from May to October, along the coast and less in the central mountainous regions. During the winter season there is the harmattan, dry wind from Sahara. There are still a lot of forests.

Tha Malinké (or Mandingo), Fula and Susu constitute about three quarters of the country population, mostly in the north and center (but Susu more along the coast). The official language is French, with lots of different African languages. They are predominantly Muslims. Mandingo and Fula are well known for their musical talent and the Kora tradition.

Conakry, founded in 1884 by French, became the capital inl 1958 with the independence. The old town is located in the narrow peninsula of Kaloum and the little Tumbo Island, and has a lot of African flavours. Other towns are Kankan, Kindia and Labè.

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