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Description Guatemala by rbd.me
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Guinea has had a history of authoritarian rule since gaining its independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984 when the military seized the government after the death of the first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in 1998 and again in 2003, though all the polls were marred by irregularities. History repeated itself in December 2008 when following President CONTE's death, Capt. Moussa Dadis CAMARA led a military coup, seizing power and suspending the constitution. His unwillingness to yield to domestic and international pressure to step down led to heightened political tensions that culminated in September 2009 when presidential guards opened fire on an opposition rally killing more than 150 people, and in early December 2009 when CAMARA was wounded in an assassination attempt and evacuated to Morocco and subsequently to Burkina Faso. A transitional government has been installed.
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Location
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone
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Area - comparative
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slightly smaller than Oregon
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Natural resources Guatemala
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bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt
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Population Guatemala
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10,324,025 (July 2010 est.)
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Religions Guatemala
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Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%
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Languages
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French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own language
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Education Guatemala expenditures
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1.6% of GDP (2005)
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Government Guatemala type
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republic
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Independence
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2 October 1958 (from France)
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Guatemala Economy - overview
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Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country has almost half of the world's bauxite reserves. The mining sector accounts for more than 70% of exports. Long-run improvements in government fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if the country is to move out of poverty. Investor confidence has been sapped by rampant corruption, a lack of electricity and other infrastructure, a lack of skilled workers, and the political uncertainty because of the death of President Lansana CONTE in December 2008. International donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, cut their development programming significantly in response to the coup. Growth rose slightly in 2006-08, primarily due to increases in global demand and commodity prices on world markets, but the standard of living fell. The Guinea franc depreciated sharply as the prices for basic necessities like food and fuel rose beyond the reach of many Guineans.
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Investment Guatemala
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12.6% of GDP (2009 est.)
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Industries Guatemala
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bauxite, gold, diamonds, iron; alumina refining; light manufacturing, and agricultural processing
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Airports Guatemala
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17 (2009)
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