Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea, is a country in West Africa that is sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish itself from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast.

There are 24 ethnic groups in Guinea. The largest group is the Fula (40%), who live mostly in the Fouta Djallon region in central Guinea. The Mandingo account for 30% and live mostly in eastern Guinea. The Susa (20%) live in the coastal area of northwestern Guinea. The people living in the Guinée Forestière region in the southern part of the country are made up of many minority ethnic groups, including the Koniake (a sub-group of the Mandinka), Kissi, Guerze, Diakhanke (a sub-group of the Mandinka), Loma, Kuranko, Yalunka, and Gberese. There are also about 10,000 non-Africans in Guinea.

Guinea has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world with less than 30% of adults literate in 2003. Primary education is compulsory for just eight years, and most children do not attend for long or ever go to school.

French is the official language, although more than 24 indigenous languages are spoken in Guinea.