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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

• Executive
  • Government Portal
  • President

Unofficial Databases

• FAOLEX: Guinea (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture, and renewable natural resources.
• NATLEX: Guinea (International Labour Organization) database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights.
• RefWorld Legal Information: Guinea (UNHCR)
• WIPO Lex: Guinea (World Intellectual Property Organization)
• Juricaf: Guinée decisions in French

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].