French Guinea, French colonial territory in West Africa.
French Guinea was a colonial territory along the West African coast, running from the Atlantic Ocean inland to forested highlands. The territory shared borders with Senegal and Mali to the north, Sierra Leone and Liberia to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the east.
France established a protectorate over the region in 1849 and transformed it into a full colony by 1898. The administration joined the French West Africa federation in 1904, remaining part of it until the country gained independence in 1958.
The population included four major ethnic groups: Peuls representing 35%, Malinke 30%, Susu 20%, and Kissi forming 14% of inhabitants.
French remained the official language after independence, though local languages continue to play a role in daily life across regions. Today more than twenty indigenous languages are spoken in different parts of the country.
In 1958 this was the only French colony to reject de Gaulle's proposed constitution, triggering immediate independence. France withdrew all administrative support and personnel within weeks of the vote.
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