Conakry ( , ; ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of

Guinea Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sier ...

. A port city, it serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea. Its population as of the 2014 Guinea census was 1,660,973. The current population of Conakry is difficult to ascertain, although the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of African Affairs has estimated it at two million, accounting for one-sixth of the entire population of the country.

History

Conakry was originally settled on the small Tombo Island and later spread to the neighboring Kaloum Peninsula, a stretch of land wide. The city was essentially founded after Britain ceded the island to France in 1887. In 1885, the two island villages of Conakry and Boubinet had fewer than 500 inhabitants. Conakry became the capital of French Guinea in 1904, and prospered as an export port, particularly after a railway (now closed) to

Kankan Kankan ( Mandingo: Kánkàn; N’ko: ߞߊ߲ߞߊ߲߫) is the largest city in Guinea in land area, and the third largest in population, with a population of 198,013 people as of 2020. The city is located in eastern Guinea about east of the ...

opened up the interior of the country for the large-scale export of groundnut. In the decades after independence, the population of Conakry boomed, from 50,000 inhabitants in 1958 to 600,000 in 1980, to over two million today. Its small land area and relative isolation from the mainland, while an advantage to its colonial founders, has created an infrastructural burden since independence. In 1970, conflict between Portuguese forces and the belligerent PAIGC independence campaigners in neighbouring Portuguese Guinea (now

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers with an estimated population of 2,026,778. It borders Senegal to Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border, its north and Guinea to Guinea–Guinea-Bissau b ...

) spilled into the Republic of Guinea when a group of 350 Portuguese troops and Guinean loyalists landed near Conakry, attacked the city and freed 26 Portuguese prisoners of war held by the PAIGC before retreating, having failed to overthrow the government or kill the PAIGC leadership. Camp Boiro, a feared concentration camp during the rule of Sekou Toure, was located in Conakry. According to human rights groups, 157 people died during the

2009 Guinea protest 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...

when the military junta opened fire against tens of thousands of protesters in the city on 28 September 2009.

Geography

Originally situated on Tombo Island, one of the

Îles de Los The Îles de Los () are an island group lying off Conakry, Guinea, on the west coast of Africa. Their name is derived from the Portuguese ''Ilhas dos Ídolos'', meaning "islands of the idols". They are located about off the headland limiting t ...

, it has since spread up the neighboring Kaloum Peninsula.

Climate

According to

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, Conakry features a

tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...

(

: ''Am''). Conakry features a

wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...

and a

dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...

. Like most of West Africa, Conakry's dry season is dominated by the

harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into th ...

wind between December and April. As a result, almost no rain falls in the city during these months. Compared to most of West Africa, Conakry's wet season sees an extraordinary amount of rainfall, averaging more than in both July and August. As a result, Conakry's average annual rainfall totals nearly . However, the dry season is still dry, with January and February only receiving of rainfall on average. Sunshine is lower in the wet season than the dry season, with August receiving the least sunshine and March receiving the most.

Population

Government and administration

Conakry is a special city with a single region and prefecture government. The local government of the city was decentralized in 1991 between five municipal ''communes'' headed by a mayor. From the tip in the southwest, these are: * Kaloum – the city centre * Dixinn – including the University of Conakry and many embassies * Ratoma – known for its nightlife * Matam * Matoto – home to Conakry International Airport. The five urban communes make up the Conakry Region, one of the eight

Regions of Guinea Guinea is divided into 8 administrative regions. 7 regions other than Conakry Region are further subdivided into 33 prefectures. See also * Administrative divisions of Guinea * Prefectures of Guinea * Sub-prefectures of Guinea The sub-p ...

, which is headed by a governor. At the second-tier prefecture level, the city is designated as the Conakry Special Zone, though the prefecture and regional government are one and the same. At an estimated two million inhabitants, it is far and away the largest city in Guinea, making up almost a quarter of the nation's population and making it more than four times bigger than its nearest rival,

Economy

Conakry is Guinea's largest city and its administrative, communications, and economic centre. The city's economy revolves largely around the

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

, which has modern facilities for handling and storing cargo, through which alumina and bananas are shipped. Manufactures include food products and cement, metal manufactures, and fuel products.

Markets

* Marché Madina * Marché du Niger

Infrastructure crisis

Periodic power and water cuts have been a daily burden for Conakry's residents since early 2002. Government and power company officials blame the drought of February 2001 for a failure of the hydro-electric supply to the capital, and a failure of aging machinery for the continuation of the crisis. Critics of the government cite mismanagement, corruption and the withdrawal of the power agency's French partner at the beginning of 2002. , much of the city has no traffic lighting in the overnight hours. Popular anger at shortages in Conakry was entwined with anti-government protests, strikes, and violence against the rule of President

Lansana Conté Lansana Conté (; 30 November 1934 – 22 December 2008

and the successive prime ministers Cellou Dalein Diallo and Eugène Camara appointed to fill the post after the resignation of Prime Minister François Lonseny Fall in April 2004. Violence reached a peak in January–February 2007 in a general strike, which saw over one hundred deaths when the Army confronted protesters.''For the relations between the 2007 crisis and infrastructure in Conakry, see:''
Q&A: Guinea emergency
, BBC World Service. 13 February 2007.
Youths Chase Staff From State Electricity Offices, Protesting Power Cuts
, 25 October 2007 (UN Integrated Regional Information Networks/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX).
IRIN In-Depth, Guinea: Living on the edge
. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, January 2005.
GUINEA: Power cuts stop for football
, 26 January 2006 (IRIN)
Guinea protests over power-cuts
, Alhassan Sillah: BBC, Conakry, 31 January 2003
Conflict history: Guinea
. International Crisis Group, updated 11 May 2007.

Transportation

Conakry is serviced by Conakry International Airport which has flights to several cities in West Africa and Europe.

Architecture

* * Presidential Palace * Palais du Peuple

Hospitals

* Donka Hospital * Ignace Deen Hospital * Clinique Ambroise Paré * Clinique Pasteur

Culture

* Sandervalia National Museum * National Library of Guinea and National Archives of Guinea * Camp Boiro * Monument du 22 Novembre 1970

Places of worship

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

ic mosques in the city include the Grand Mosque of Conakry. There are also

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

churches and temples, including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Conakry's Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, the Église Protestante Évangélique de Guinée ( Alliance World Fellowship), and the

Assemblies of God The World Assemblies of God Fellowship (WAGF), commonly known as the Assemblies of God (AG), is a global cooperative body or communion of over 170 Pentecostal denominations that was established on August 15, 1989. The WAGF was created to provi ...

.J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ''Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices'', ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 1279

Universities and education

* Collège Gbessia Centre * Collège-Lycée Sainte-Marie * Gamal Abdel Nasser University (Institut Polytechnique de Conakry) * Institut Géographique National (Guinea) * Université Kofi Annan * Lycée français Albert Camus

Parks and gardens

* Jardin 2 Octobre * Conakry Botanical Garden

Notable people

* Hadji Barry, professional footballer * Mamadi Diakite, NBA basketball player for the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

* Maciré Sylla, singer, dancer, author and composer * M'Mahawa Sylla is a Guinean army officer. * Mamadou Diallo, footballer * Mohamed Yattara, footballer

References

* Dave, Nomi (2019) ''The Revolution's Echoes: Music, Politics & Pleasure in Guinea.'' Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. * Thomas O'Toole, Janice E. Baker. (2005) ''Historical Dictionary of Guinea''. Scarecrow Press. * Philipps, Joschka (2013) ''Ambivalent Rage: Youth Gangs and Urban Protest in Conakry, Guinea.'' Harmattan Guinée. * Cohen, Adrienne ( 2019) "Performing Excess: Urban Ceremony and the Semiotics of Precarity in Guinea-Conakry." ''Africa: The Journal of the International African Institute''. 89 (4): 718–738. * Odile Goerg. "Chieftainships between Past and Present: From City to Suburb and Back in Colonial Conakry, 1890s–1950s". ''Africa Today'', Summer 2006, Vol. 52, No. 4, Pages 2–27
Conakry the Capital
history of the city at site of expat artist. * , reprinted at guineeconakry.info (no date)

RUKMINI CALLIMACHI The Associated Press, Thursday, 19 July 2007.

history and structure (at catholic-hierarchy.org)

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), 1999 figures.

Notes

External links

* : Conakry-based news portal
Le Jour Guinée

Office National du Tourisme, République du Guinée

l'Université Kofi Annan de Guinée (UNIKAG)

Satellite image of Conakry and the Kaloum Peninsula
from the

European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 23-member International organization, international organization devoted to space exploration. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, ESA was founded in 1975 ...

's Envisat: image description a
http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMAV21XDYD_index_1.html

Moussa Dadis Camara speaks to Radio France Internationale after Conakry massacre
{{Authority control Capitals in Africa Populated coastal places in Guinea Populated places in Guinea Ports and harbours of Guinea Prefectures of Guinea Regional capitals in Guinea 10th-century establishments in Africa Populated places established in the 10th century