Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used fo ...

and largest city of Guinea. 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 French Guinea (french: Guinée française) was a French colonial possession in West Africa. Its borders, while changed over time, were in 1958 those of the current independent nation of Guinea. French Guinea was established by France in 1891, ...

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 1 980 130 people as of 2020. The city is located in eastern Guinea about east of ...

opened up the interior of the country for the large-scale export of

groundnut Groundnut may refer to: * Seeds that ripen underground, of the following plants, all in the Faboideae subfamily of the legumes: ** ''Best Basketball Player'', Obinna Udunni ** ''Arachis villosulicarpa'', a perennial peanut species ** '' Vigna subt ...

. 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. Conakry - französischer Gouverneurspalast - 1956

Conakry - französischer Gouverneurspalast - 1956

In 1970 conflict between Portuguese forces and the PAIGC in neighbouring

Portuguese Guinea Portuguese Guinea ( pt, Guiné), called the Overseas Province of Guinea from 1951 until 1972 and then State of Guinea from 1972 until 1974, was a West African colony of Portugal from 1588 until 10 September 1974, when it gained independence as G ...

(now

Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau ( ; pt, Guiné-Bissau; ff, italic=no, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫 𞤄𞤭𞤧𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮, Gine-Bisaawo, script=Adlm; Mandinka: ''Gine-Bisawo''), officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ( pt, República da Guiné-Bissau, links=no ), ...

) 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 A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

held by the PAIGC before retreating, having failed to overthrow the government or kill the PAIGC leadership.

Camp Boiro Camp Boiro or Camp Mamadou Boiro (1960 – 1984) is a defunct Guinean concentration camp within Conakry city. During the regime of President Ahmed Sékou Touré, thousands of political opponents were imprisoned at the camp. It has been estimated th ...

, a feared concentration camp during the rule of

Sekou Toure Sekou, also spelled Sékou or Seku, is a given name from the Fula language. It is equivalent to the Arabic ''Sheikh''. People with this name include: Given name * Seku Amadu (1776–1845), also known as Sékou Amadou or Sheikh Amadu, founder of th ...

, was located in Conakry. According to human rights groups, 157 people died during the 2009 Guinea protest 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 Tombo Island is an island in the Atlantic Ocean at the tip of the Guinean Kaloum Peninsula, approximately east of the Loos Islands. The island is the site where the capital Conakry was built on. It is the site of the old city of Conakry whil ...

, one of the

Îles de Los Îles de Los are an island group lying off Conakry in Guinea, on the west coast of Africa. Their name is derived from the Portuguese: ''Ilhas dos Ídolos'', "Islands of the Idols". They are located about off the headland limiting the souther ...

, it has since spread up the neighboring Kaloum Peninsula.

Climate

According to

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

, 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 sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...

(

: ''Am''). Conakry features a

wet season The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the se ...

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 ...

. 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 Dixinn is an urban sub-prefecture in the Conakry Region of Guinea and one of five in the capital Conakry Conakry (; ; sus, Kɔnakiri; N’ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, Fula: ''Konaakiri'' 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭) is the capital ...

– 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-pre ...

, 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, 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 The Ignace Deen Hospital (Hôpital Ignace Deen) is a hospital in Conakry, Guinea built during the colonial era. The hospital is situated next to the National Museum. A report in 2011 described the conditions as squalid, with poor quality of care. ...

Clinique Ambroise Paré The Clinique Ambroise Paré is a hospital in Conakry, Guinea, is considered to be the best hospital in the country. Details The hospital is named after Ambroise Paré, the father of French surgery. It is privately owned, providing better care th ...

Clinique Pasteur Clinique Laboratories, LLC () is an American manufacturer of skincare, cosmetics, toiletries and fragrances, usually sold in high-end department stores. It is a subsidiary of the Estée Lauder Companies. As of 2019, Clinique has over 22,000 cus ...

Culture

Sandervalia National Museum The Sandervalia National Museum (french: Musée national de Sandervalia) is the national museum of Guinea, situated in the capital, Conakry. Most of the rooms are empty, but it contains a limited display of traditional objects from different regio ...

National Library of Guinea The Guinea National Library (''Bibliothèque Nationale de Guinée'') is the national library of Guinea, located in the capital city of Conakry. The National Library was created the same year the country gained its independence: 1958. At that time, ...

and

National Archives of Guinea The National Archives of Guinea were established in the 1960s after the country gained its independence. They have been moved three times since then and are currently situated in the capital city of Conakry. As of around 1995, the archives had ...

* Monument du 22 Novembre 1970

Places of worship

File:Ecliser.jpg,

St. Mary's Cathedral, Conakry The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie is an important place of Christian worship in Conakry, Guinea. The yellow and red building is of considerable architectural interest. Monseigneur Raymond René Lérouge laid the foundation stone of the Cathedral in 192 ...

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

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...

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

Alliance World Fellowship The Alliance World Fellowship is the international governing body of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (The Alliance, also C&MA and CMA). The Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within the Higher Life movement of Christianity ...

), and the

Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...

.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

Parks and gardens

Jardin 2 Octobre Jardin may refer to: Places *Jardin, Isère, a village in Isère, France *Le Jardin, a village in Corrèze, France * Jardin, Colombia, a town in Antioquia Family name *Alexandre Jardin (born 1965), French writer and film director *Frédéric Jard ...

* Conakry Botanical Garden

Notable people

Mamadi Diakite Mamadi Diakite (born January 21, 1997) is a Guinean professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He played college ba ...

, NBA basketball player *

Maciré Sylla Maciré Sylla is a singer and dancer. Born in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, but raised in Tayiré, a village in the north of Conakry. Author and composer, Maciré sings mainly in Soussou and her style is inspired by Mandingo, Afropop, Funk ...

, singer, dancer, author and composer

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.
''HISTOIRE DE CONAKRY, 1463 to present'', by Luc MOGENET
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

guineeconakry.info/
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 , owners = , headquarters = Paris, Île-de-France, France , coordinates = , spaceport = Guiana Space Centre , seal = File:ESA emblem seal.png , seal_size = 130px , image = Views in the Main Control Room (120 ...

Envisat Envisat ("Environmental Satellite") is a large inactive Earth-observing satellite which is still in orbit and now considered space debris. Operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), it was the world's largest civilian Earth observation satel ...

: 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