Capital of Guinea
The capital city of Guinea is Conakry it functions as administrative, economic and cultural center of the country. The city is located on Tombo Island and on the Kaloum peninsula, on the Atlantic coast of Guinea. The streets of Conakry are often shaded by the beautiful mangroves and coconut palms. The center of the city is located at the tip of the Kaloum peninsula and the main street is called Avenue de la Republique. The commercial center of Guinea, Conakry, has several discos with live music and dances.
History
The capital city of Guinea country was initially populated by different indigenous peoples, such as the Fulani, who enjoyed a strong hegemony between centuries XVI and XIX, to the point that one of their leaders, Samori, ruled the land they now occupy both Guinea and Mali and Ivory Coast. In 1886 this town faced the French occupying power, resisitiendo until 1898. From that time, Guinea was French colony, and the capital city of Guinea is Conakry its capital, that was founded in 1890 by Noël Balley, its first governor.
In 1958 the independence of France was obtained, thanks to the fight led by Ahmed Sekon Toure. Then a Communist-inspired Maoist system would be imposed, which would be overthrown in 1977 after the women’s revolt in the Conakry markets, against the government’s decision to requisition their work to market it through state co-operatives.
Interesting Facts about Conakry.
Geography
Conakry is the capital of the Republic of Guinea, also known as Guinea-Conakry. This country, located on the west coast of Africa, facing the Atlantic Ocean, bordered to the north by Guinea Bissau, Senegal and Mali, south to Sierra Leone and Liberia and east by Mali and Ivory Coast.
Location
The city of Conakry is located on the island of Tombo, and is connected to the mainland by a road.
Weather
The climate in Conakry is tropical and pleasant, with a monsoon rainy season between June and November and a drought between December and May. The sandy wind of Harmatan blows between December and March. The average annual temperature is 22 ° C. The best time to visit Conakry is between November and December, when the weather is dry and ideal for sunbathing, swimming and sightseeing.
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Nature
The beaches close to the city, such as Los Iles, Ile de Roume and Kassa Island are the main attractions of the island, as well as the botanical gardens.
Population
The population of Conakry is 2,000,000 inhabitants, one-seventh of the country’s total.
Economic development
The port of the city is its great economic engine. From it come the largest exports of the country, such as bauxite, iron, aluminum, gold, diamonds and bananas. Tourism is developing very slowly.
Tourism
Conakry, capital of Guinea, functions as administrative, economic and cultural center of the country. It has wide streets and avenues bordered by trees. Its tourist attractions are the botanical gardens, the Museum and the National Library, its markets, the Palais de la Presidency, Ile de Roume and Kassa Island. For the nightlife we recommend the Ratoma (a district of the city) as well as Los Iles.
The magnificent Soumba Falls and Mount Kaukoulima are located in the nearby village of Dubreeka, a short distance from the capital, Conakry. The area is rich in Guinean fauna and flora and offers the opportunity to trek. The botanical garden of Conakry has magnificent tall tropical trees and typical Guinean fauna. There are also beautiful beaches around the tropical paradise of Guinea, the group of islands Lies des Los, is located south of the capital. You can visit the islands by taking a short boat trip from Conakry. The three main islands are called Tamara, Kassa and Roume, but there are several smaller islands in the vicinity. Roume Island was once the center of the slave trade and is famous for the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island. The islands are a popular tourist destination with green jungles and beautiful white beaches.
Culture
Mosque of Conakry
The architecture of Conakry is almost non-existent. The houses, usually built by their own residents, do not have, in many cases, minimal services such as water or electricity. Not much remains of the French presence, so the highlight is the People’s Palace, built under parameters of socialist architecture, and the various mosques that dot the city.
Religion
Almost all residents in the city profess Islam
Handicrafts
Guinean craft is specialist jobs woods nobles. Thus, in the markets of Conakry the tourist can acquire both masks and figures and other carefully worked objects.
Gastronomy
The fusion between the African traditions and the French colonial footprint is present in the table of the inhabitants of Conakry, who base their diet on the fish and on the most cultivated products, like bananas, which are prepared fried as dessert. If you have to choose a representative dish, there is nothing better than the rice sauce with rice and cassava sauce. Anyway, in the city you can find offers of western cuisine, as well as French-style patisseries.
Heritage
The catalog of buildings in Conakry is very sparse. Only the Palacio Del Pueblo (built during the communist period) and the National Museum are worth a visit.
Holidays and traditions
In Conakry, the following holidays are celebrated: New Year, Women’s Market Day (beginning of the end of the previous communist regime, August 27), Independence Day (October 1), armed forces (November 1), the Christmas and holidays related to Muslim celebrations such as Tabaski (or Eid-al-Kabir), the end of Ramadan (Eid-al-Fitr) and the birthday of Mohammed.
Transportation
Public transport
The most popular transportation in Conakry is the collective bus, Bush, of seven seats that are usually crowded with people. There are ferries that transport people from Conakry to the nearby islands of Los Îles. Renting cars in Conakry is a good option to explore fascinating Guinean destinations with a local chauffeur. However, the streets of Guinea are usually in poor condition.
Air transport
Flights to Conakry arrive at Conakry International Airport, which operates with African and European airlines. There are also land connections to Conakry from the bordering countries and the main cities of Guinea. However, due to political instability, traveling to Guinea by road, from neighboring countries, is not advised. Many of the streets in Guinea are unpaved and in poor condition.
Sports
The most practiced sport is football.
