Guinea People - 2023
SOURCE: 2023 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Population
13,607,249 (2023 est.)
Nationality
noun: Guinean(s)
adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groups
Fulani (Peuhl) 33.4%, Malinke 29.4%, Susu 21.2%, Guerze 7.8%, Kissi 6.2%, Toma 1.6%, other/foreign 0.4% (2018 est.)
Languages
French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages
note: about 40 languages are spoken; each ethnic group has its own language
Religions
Muslim 89.1%, Christian 6.8%, animist 1.6%, other 0.1%, none 2.4% (2014 est.)
Demographic profile
Guinea’s strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea’s total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman as of 2022 because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country’s large youth population is unemployed.
Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile "Parrot’s Beak" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence.
Age structure
0-14 years: 40.96% (male 2,809,865/female 2,763,294)
15-64 years: 55.05% (male 3,741,047/female 3,749,281)
65 years and over: 4% (2023 est.) (male 245,323/female 298,439)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 82.4
youth dependency ratio: 76.3
elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
potential support ratio: 16.3 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 19.1 years
male: 18.9 years
female: 19.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate
2.75% (2023 est.)
Birth rate
35.47 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Death rate
7.97 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Population distribution
areas of highest density are in the west and south; interior is sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization
urban population: 38.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.111 million CONAKRY (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.9 years (2018 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Maternal mortality ratio
553 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 48.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.27 years
male: 62.38 years
female: 66.21 years (2023 est.)
Total fertility rate
4.82 children born/woman (2023 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
2.37 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
10.9% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 76.9% of population
total: 85.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 23.1% of population
total: 14.8% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
4% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
0.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 90.9% of population
rural: 38.7% of population
total: 58% of population
unimproved: urban: 9.1% of population
rural: 61.3% of population
total: 42% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever (2016)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
7.7% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
16.3% (2018)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
68.7% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 17%
women married by age 18: 46.5%
men married by age 18: 1.9% (2018 est.)
Education expenditures
2.2% of GDP (2020 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 45.3%
male: 61.2%
female: 31.3% (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years
male: 10 years
female: 8 years (2014)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 8.2%
male: 7%
female: 9.2% (2021 est.)
NOTE: The information regarding Guinea on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guinea 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guinea 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 06 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.