Flag of Guinea
Location of Guinea on the globe

Guinea

GN

West Africa

Guinea is home to 6 documented ethnic groups in West Africa — led by Fulani Guinea (~33%), Malinke (~30%), Susu (~21%), Guinea Other (~6%). This page blends their phenotype and demographic data into one weighted reference: skin tone, facial features, hair texture and build, drawn from published census and ancestry sources.

Demographic Composition

Composition weights are derived from self-identification in published census and demographic surveys. Each row links to the source ethnic-group atlas page.

Ethnic groupWeightSource
Fulani GuineaFulani Guinea33.0%Guinea 2014 Census plus subsequent estimates; Fulani / Peulh (~33%, ~4.7M+ of ~14M+ total). Concentrated in Fouta Djallon highlands
MalinkeMalinke29.5%Guinea 2014 Census; Malinke / Mandinka (~29.5%); Mande source population
SusuSusu20.5%Guinea 2014 Census; Susu / Soso (~20.5%); Mande source population, predominantly coastal Guinea including the capital Conakry
Guinea OtherGuinea Other6.0%Guinea 2014 Census residual; includes Toma / Loma, Manon / Mano, plus other groups
Kpelle GuineaKpelle Guinea6.0%Guinea 2014 Census; Kpelle / Guerze (~6%); cross-border with Liberian Kpelle
Kissi GuineaKissi Guinea5.0%Guinea 2014 Census; Kissi (~5%); cross-border with Sierra Leonean and Liberian Kissi

Guinea Phenotype Profile

Guinea has a Fulani-plurality demographic structure (~33%) with substantial Malinke (~29.5%), Susu (~20.5%), and other smaller groups.

A descriptive view, not a claim about individuals

This page shows a weighted aggregate of phenotype observations across the Guinea population, based on demographic composition from published census and ancestry sources. Phenotypes within any country are far more varied than the aggregate suggests; this is a descriptive reference, not a deterministic claim about any individual. For source-level detail on individual ethnic groups, see the constituent atlas pages linked below.

Methodology Notes

Composition weights derived from Guinea 2014 Census plus subsequent estimates.

See full project methodology →

Primary Sources

  1. 1.Institut National de la Statistique Guinea. RGPH 2014. Conakry: INS; 2017.
  2. 2.O'Toole TE, Baker JE. Historical Dictionary of Guinea. 4th ed. Scarecrow; 2005.
  3. 3.Rivière C. Guinea: The Mobilization of a People. Cornell University Press; 1977.
  4. 4.Camara MS. His Master's Voice: Mass Communication and Single-Party Politics in Guinea Under Sékou Touré. Africa World Press; 2005.
  5. 5.Tishkoff SA, Reed FA, Friedlaender FR, et al. The genetic structure and history of Africans and African Americans. Science. 2009;324(5930):1035-1044.

Other countries in West Africa

Aggregate phenotype references for neighbouring West Africa nations, weighted by demographic composition.

Browse all West Africaethnic groups & countries →