Conakry - Attractions, History, Conakry today, Economy

9°30N 13°43W, pop (2000e) 966 000. Seaport capital of Guinea, W Africa; on Tumbo island, 710 km/441 mi SE of Dakar (Senegal); linked to the mainland by a causeway; established in 1889; airport; railway terminus; technical college (1963); textiles, trade in fruit, iron ore, alumina.

Attractions

Conakry's attractions consist of the Ratoma District.

History

It developed on Tumbo Island at the tip of the Kaloum Peninsula, to which it is now joined by an isthmus, the city having long spread on to it.

Conakry today

Today, the city has grown along the peninsula to form five main districts. From the tip in the south west, these are Kaloum (the city centre), Dixinn (including the University of Conakry and many embassies), Ratoma (known for its nightlife), Matam and finally Matoto, home to Gbessia Airport.

Attractions in the city include the Guinea National Museum, several markets, the Guinea Palais du Peuple, Conakry Grand Mosque which was built by Sekou Toure, the city's nightlife and the nearby Iles de Los.

The street numbering scheme of Conakry labels all roads with a two-letter code for the urban district, followed by a three digit number: odd for north-south streets and even for east-west, e.g. There are currently no working stoplights in Conakry and a good part of the city has electrcity only from 6PM to 6AM

Economy

Conakry is Guinea's largest city and its administrative, communications, and economic center.