The minimum you must know

The Republic of Guinea is a coastal country in West Africa that’s sometimes referred to as Guinea-Conakry, after its capital Conakry, to distinguish it from other territories in the eponymous region, such as bordering Guinea-Bissau and far away Equatorial Guinea. Guinea has a population of 14 million. Formerly French Guinea, it achieved independence in 1958.

General Mamady Doumbouya was peacefully sworn in as President of the Republic of Guinea on January 17, 2026, in Conakry following his victory in the Dec. 28, 2025 presidential election. His term is seven years under Guinea’s new constitution. The ceremony marked the formal end of the country’s four-year military transition after President Doumbouya led a 2021 coup. (Guinea has a history of military coups d'état.) African leaders and regional representatives (including ECOWAS and the African Union) attended, and Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu.