Country Profile: Guinea

This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Republic of Guinea (Republique de Guinee), based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Guinea's Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status. 

Country Background

Guinea is a country located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded by Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The capital of Guinea is Conakry. The official language is French. The country's population in 2017 was approximately 12.4 million. Guinea is a predominantly Muslim country, with about 87% of the population Muslim and 9% Christian. Guinea is a member state of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Guinea is referred to as a presidential republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The current Constitution of Guinea was adopted in 2010. The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legal system of Guinea is a civil law system based off of the French model. An overview of the court system can be found in the GlobaLex summary here.

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Guinea. 

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Guinea. 

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Guinea has no official school of Islamic law. The majority of the Muslim population in the country is Sunnī (adhering to the Mālikī school).

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

Unofficial Databases

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].