Guinea

Continent: Africa
Capital: Conakry
Abolition Date:
Start Date: See Notes....
Currency: Guinea Syli (also known as Guinea Franc)

Languages Spoken: French (official), native tongues (Malinké, Susu, Fulani)
Population: As estimated in late 2006, is 9,453,000.
National Anthem: "Liberté" (Liberty)

The Portuguese reached the Guinea area in about 1450, searching for the source gold, other valuable commodities, and slaves, that had slowly been trickling up into Europe via land routes for the preceding half century.
With the help of local tribes in about 1600, the Portuguese, and numerous other European powers, including France, Britain and Sweden, set up a thriving slave trade along the West African coast.
After the abolition of slavery in the late 1800's, the slave trade went into serious decline, though a small illegal slaving operation continued.

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