Guinea vs. Liberia
Government
| Guinea | Liberia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Guinea conventional short form: Guinea local long form: Republique de Guinee local short form: Guinee former: French Guinea etymology: the country is named after the Guinea region of West Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea and stretches north to the Sahel | conventional long form: Republic of Liberia conventional short form: Liberia etymology: name derives from the Latin word "liber" meaning "free"; so named because the nation was created as a homeland for liberated African-American slaves |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Conakry geographic coordinates: 9 30 N, 13 42 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: according to tradition, the name derives from the fusion of the name "Cona," a Baga wine and cheese producer who lived on Tombo Island (the original site of the present-day capital), and the word "nakiri," which in Susu means "the other bank" or "the other side"; supposedly, Baga's palm grove produced the best wine on the island and people traveling to sample his vintage, would say: "I am going to Cona, on the other bank (Cona-nakiri)," which over time became Conakry | name: Monrovia geographic coordinates: 6 18 N, 10 48 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after James Monroe (1758-1831), the fifth president of the United States and supporter of the colonization of Liberia by freed slaves; one of two national capitals named for a US president, the other is Washington, D.C. |
| Administrative divisions | 7 regions administrative and 1 gouvenorat*; Boke, Conakry*, Faranah, Kankan, Kindia, Labe, Mamou, N'Zerekore | 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe |
| Independence | 2 October 1958 (from France) | 26 July 1847 |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 2 October (1958) | Independence Day, 26 July (1847) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1958, 1990; latest promulgated 19 April 2010, approved 7 May 2010 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; consideration of proposals requires approval by simple majority vote by the Assembly; passage requires approval in referendum; the president can opt to submit amendments directly to the Assembly, in which case approval requires at least two-thirds majority vote; revised in 2020 | history: previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revision adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986 amendments: proposed by agreement of at least two thirds of both National Assembly houses or by petition of at least 10,000 citizens; passage requires at least two-thirds majority approval of both houses and approval in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of registered voters; amended 2011, 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law system based on the French model | mixed legal system of common law, based on Anglo-American law, and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Alpha CONDE (since 21 December 2010) note: on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup by a National Committee of Rally and Development that arrested President CONDE, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahima FOFANA (since 22 May 2018) note: on 5 September 2021, Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA led a military coup by a National Committee of Rally and Development that arrested President CONDE, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7% | chief of state: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President George WEAH (since 22 January 2018); Vice President Jewel HOWARD-TAYLOR (since 22 January 2018) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017) (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed election results: George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale Populaire (114 seats; 76 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote and 38 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 21 March 2020 (next to be held 1 March 2027) election results: In parliamentary elections, the Rally of the Guinean People-Rainbow wins 57.5% of the vote (79 of 114 seats), the Democratic Union of Guinea 5.3% (4), the Democratic Popular Movement of Guinea 4.1% (3), and the New Democratic Forces 2.8% (3). Turnout is 58.0%. | description: bicameral National Assembly consists of: The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election) House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term) elections: Senate -general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next election 2023) House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.27%, Congress for Democratic Change 28.02%, People's Unification Party 6.40, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.30%, All Liberia Coalition 1.09%,Rainbow Alliance 1.09%, Liberia Restoration Party 0,82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 64, women 9, percent of women 12.3%; total Parliament percent of women 11.7% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (organized into Administrative Chamber and Civil, Penal, and Social Chamber; court consists of the first president, 2 chamber presidents, 10 councilors, the solicitor general, and NA deputies); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court first president appointed by the national president after consultation with the National Assembly; other members appointed by presidential decree; members serve until age 65; Constitutional Court member appointments - 2 by the National Assembly and the president of the republic, 3 experienced judges designated by their peers, 1 experienced lawyer, 1 university professor with expertise in public law designated by peers, and 2 experienced representatives of the Independent National Institution of Human Rights; members serve single 9-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; High Court of Justice or Cour d'Assises; Court of Account (Court of Auditors); Courts of First Instance (Tribunal de Premiere Instance); labor court; military tribunal; justices of the peace; specialized courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 4 associate justices); note - the Supreme Court has jurisdiction for all constitutional cases judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate justices appointed by the president of Liberia with consent of the Senate; judges can serve until age 70 subordinate courts: judicial circuit courts; special courts, including criminal, civil, labor, traffic; magistrate and traditional or customary courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO] National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE] Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE] Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO] Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE] Ruling party
Opposition parties
| Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN] All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY] Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD] Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH] Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES] Liberia National Union or LINU [Nathaniel BLAMA] Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU] Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER] Liberian People's Party or LPP Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA] Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON] Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.] Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN] National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON] National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH] National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR] National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE] National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY] People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE] Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN] United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO] Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Kerfalla YANSANE (since 24 January 2018) chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 986-3800 email address and website: http://guineaembassyusa.org/en/welcome-to-the-embassy-of-guinea-washington-usa/ | chief of mission: Ambassador George S.W. PATTEN, Sr. (since 11 January 2019) chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 email address and website: info@liberiaemb.org http://www.liberianembassyus.org/ consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Steven KOUTSIS (since September 2020) embassy: Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry mailing address: 2110 Conakry Place, Washington DC 20521-2110 telephone: [224] 65-10-40-00 FAX: [224] 65-10-42-97 email address and website: ConakryACS@state.gov https://gn.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Michael A. MCCARTHY (since 22 January 2021) embassy: 502 Benson Street, Monrovia mailing address: 8800 Monrovia Place, Washington DC 20521-8800 telephone: [231] 77-677-7000 FAX: [231] 77-677-7370 email address and website: ACSMonrovia@state.gov https://lr.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green; red represents the people's sacrifice for liberation and work; yellow stands for the sun, for the riches of the earth, and for justice; green symbolizes the country's vegetation and unity note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the reverse of those on the flags of neighboring Mali and Senegal | 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; a white five-pointed star appears on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the stripes symbolize the signatories of the Liberian Declaration of Independence; the blue square represents the African mainland, and the star represents the freedom granted to the ex-slaves; according to the constitution, the blue color signifies liberty, justice, and fidelity, the white color purity, cleanliness, and guilelessness, and the red color steadfastness, valor, and fervor note: the design is based on the US flag |
| National anthem | name: "Liberte" (Liberty) lyrics/music: unknown/Fodeba KEITA note: adopted 1958 | name: All Hail, Liberia Hail! lyrics/music: Daniel Bashiel WARNER/Olmstead LUCA note: lyrics adopted 1847, music adopted 1860; the anthem's author later became the third president of Liberia |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | elephant; national colors: red, yellow, green | white star; national colors: red, white, blue |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Guinea dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: na | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Liberia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
